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HISTORY 


OF 


Atchison  County 


KANSAS 


BY 


SHEFFIELD   INGALLS 


ILLUSTRATED 


STANDARD  PUBLISHING  COMPANY 

Lawrence,  Kansas 
1916 


in  oy. 


II. 


PREFACE 


In  the  preparation  and  compilation  of  tliis  history,  n(j  effort  has  Ijeen 
made  to  interpret  the  logic  or  spirit  of  events  that  snrronnded  the  birth  and 
progress  of  Atchison  connty.  The  work  was  nndertaken  with  the  idea  of  com- 
piling a  narrative  plainly  told,  of  the  people  antl  the  institutions  here.  I  was 
interested  in. putting  in  permanent  form  chronologically  the  events  that  have 
transpired  in  the  past  sixty  years,  that  have  made  for  the  ]")olitical,  social, 
moral  antl  commercial  development  of  the  county,  laut.  had  1  realized  in 
ad\'ance  the  nianv  hours  of  laljor  and  patient  study  it  required,  the  work  of 
completing  the  task  in  six  months  would  not  have  lieen  attempted.  1  am 
very  deeply  conscious  of  the  imperfections  of  die  completed  work,  but  had 
there  been  more  time  for  research  and  study,  much  might  have  been  included 
that  does  not  appear. 

It  would  he  ingratitude  if  no  acknowledgment  were  made  at  the  outset, 
of  the  obligation  I  am  under  to  George  J.  Remsburg  for  the  assistance  he 
has  rendered  me.  Without  his  unfailing  courtesy,  kindness  and  hel]j  I  should 
never  have  been  able  t<i  do  the  work  at  all.  His  ability  as  a  local  historian 
is  truly  mai-\-elous.  He  wrote  two  chapters  of  the  history  and  contributed 
most  of  the  matter  touching  upon  the  founding  of  cities  and  towns.  It  is  to 
be  regretted  that  the  condition  of  his  heahh  prevented  him  from  undertaking 
the  work  which  I  have  so  imperfectly  done. 

Acknowledgment  is  also  due  George  A.  Root  of  the  State  Historical 
Society,  who  has  rendered  me  in\aluable  assistance,  and  to  the  Atchison 
Daily  Globe,  from  whose  files  I  gnthered  much  important  data.  Nor  can  I 
fail  to  give  proper  credit  to  Andreas'  History  of  Kansas,  from  which  a  wealth 
of  information  has  been  secured.  D.  Anna  Speer,  county  superintendent, 
collected  for  me  most  of  the  historical  matter  relative  to  the  schools  of  the 
countv  and  Professor  Nathan  T.  Veatcli  was  more  than  kind  in  ]>rci)aring  for 
me  a  sketch  of  the  .\tchison  city  schools. 

And  my  dear  mother,  a  loyal  resident  of  Atchison  since  July,  1859. 
intimatelv  identified  with  its  history  and  growth  for  fifty-seven  years,  has 
visualized  to  me  as  no  other  could,  the  story  of  the  early  days.  Remarkable 
as  a  mother,  loved  and  adored  by  all  lier  children,  she  is  no  less  remarkable 


PREFACE. 

as  a  woman,  stalwart,  rugged  and  buoyant.  She  lived  her  young  life  with 
the  pioneers  of  Atchison,  and  now  in  the  fullness  of  her  years  she  looks  over 
the  past,  so  full  of  pleasures,  tribulations  and  sorrows,  with  gladness  and 
resignation,  and  faces  the  future  with  a  determined  spirit  and  a  brave  heart. 
To  the  ministers  of  the  various  churches  of  Atchison  and  to  Professor 
Erasmus  Haworth  and  Charles  H.  Taylor,  the  county  farm  agent,  and  to 
many  other  good  people  of  Atchihu,  I  entertain  sentiments  of  the  deepest 
appreciation,  and  if  any  of  them  ever  undertakes  the  work  of  writing  a  his- 
tor\-,  I  shall  gladly  render  them  any  service  in  my  power. 

SHEFFIELD  INGALLS. 
Atchison,  Kan.,  March  6,  1916. 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


Abell,   P.   T 295 

Adams,  John   P 488 

Adams,  Mary  A 584 

Adams,    William    584 

Adams,   S.   W 520 

Atchison  County  Court   House  57 

Atchison  County  High  School,  Effing- 
ham      274 

Ballinger  and  Wife,  S.  E 64S 

Ballinger,  Julia  H 600 

Ballinger,    Thomas    E 600 

Barber,   Moses   672 

Barber,   Mary  672 

Beard  and  Family,  Frank  704 

Blodgett,  Thomas  L 624 

Boyington,    Home    of    Frank    W.    and 

Julia    584 

Burbank,   E.    G 520 

Burrows,   C.   H 544 

Bush,  William  H 464 

Btittron,  Henry  and  Family  472 

Carnegie  Library,   Atchison   289 

Challis,  William  L 307 

Cheseborough,    Ellsworth    193 

Christian   Church,  Atchison   249 

Cirtwill,   Jennie    712 

Cochrane,  Dr.  W.  W 307 

Commercial   Street,  Atchison  66 

Conlon,   Charles  J 488 

Deutsch,    Julius    520 

Dorssom,    George    464 

Du  Bois  and  Wife,  Lewis  P 768 

Eagles'   Home,  Atchison   330 

Effingham   Street   Scene  Ill 

Elks'  Club  House,  Atchison  329 

Falk,  Charles  H 464 

First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist  255 

Forest  Park,  Atchison  80 

Fox,  Jared  C 408 


Click,   George   W 351 

Graner's  Annual  Sale  785 

Graner,  Gottlieb  784 

Graner,  H.  C ; 785 

Graner   Homestead   784 

Graner,   Martha   784 

Graner,  W.  H 785 

Griffin,    L 680 

Gundy,  Charles  T 560 

Ham  and  Wife,  Martin  W 608 

Hansen,   H.   C 520 

Hart,  C.  C 792 

Harvey,    Albert    B 440 

Harwi,  Alfred  J 416 

Hazel,  Ernest  C 744 

Highfill,    Thomas    704 

Hines,  Micliael  J 464 

Hooper,   Daniel    E 616 

Hospital,    Atchison    S7 

Hughes,  Bela  M 19.3 

Ingalls,  John  J 392 

Ingalls  School,  Atchison  279 

Ingalls,    Sheffield — Frontispiece    

Jackson,  William  A 488 

Jackson  Park,  Entrance  172 

Jewell,  L.   M 536 

Johnson,  George  H.  T 456 

Kaaz,   Julius   688 

Keirns,   Gail   Maxine   568 

Keith,   U.   S 544 

Keithline,  Andrew  432 

King.   S.   S 560 

Kingman,   S.   C 295 

Kuhn,  Julius  592 

Laird,  Britamore  736 

Laird,  Marcus  J 736 

Lane,   Jim    189 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 


Maiigelsdorf    Building   312 

Martin,  Col.  J.  A 297 

Masonic  Temple,  Atchison  Z2y 

Million,  George   200 

Morrow,  James  G 384 

Mt.   St.   Scholastica's  Academy,   .Atch- 
ison      286 

Muscotah   School   Building  108 

Muscotah   Street   Scene  107 

Newcomb,  Don  C .' 424 

Xewcomb,  D.  C.,  Residence  of  426 

Old  High  School  Building,  Atchison  ....  268 

Orr,  James   W 360 

Orr,  J.  \X..  Residence  of  362 

Orphans'  Home,  General  V'iew  23 

Orphans'  Home,  Main  Building  19 

Overland    Freighting    16 

Perdue.    Edward    .- 576 

Plummer  and  Wife,  T.  0 696 

Pomeroy,   S.   0 189 

Potter   Street   Scene   124 

Potter  School  House  126 

Post  Office,  Atchison  35 

Presbyterian  Church,  Atchison  250 

Presbyterian   Church,   Effingham   112 

Remsburg,    George    504 

Remsbnrg,  John  E _ 504 


Sanders,  B.  F 568 

Scarborough,    William    200 

Scaton,    John    376 

Sharp,   Harry  L 512 

Sharpless,  U.  B 560 

Simmons,  O.  A 800 

Speer,  D.  .Anna  776 

Stringfcllow,  Gen.  B.  F 297 

St.  Benedict's  Abbey,  Atchison  263 

St.  Benedict's  College,  Atchison  291 

Storch,  George  448 

Sutter  and  Wife,  Fred  752 

Sutter,  Fred,  Residence  of  753 

Sutter    Homestead    840 

Thompson  and  Wife,  George  W 664 

Thompson,  Matilda  720 

Trimlile.  Roy  C _ 488 

\oclkcr,   C.    M 560 

AN'aggencr.  Balie  P 368 

Walker.  Claudius  D 400 

Wards  of  tlie  State  29 

Wilson,    Charles    544 

Wilson,  Mary  K 544 

Wolf,  Rt.   Rev.   Innocent  264 

V.  M.  C.  .\.  Building,  Atchison  57 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  I. 

GEOLOGY. 


Fossils — Evidences  of  Early  Animal  and  Plant  Life — Geological  A.sfes 

— Rock  Formation — Cdacier  Period — Minerals    Pa.ees   17-20 


CHAPTER  n. 

PRE-HISTORIC  PERIOD. 

Evidences  of  Paleolithic  Man — An  Ancient  Fdrtification — Aljoriginal 

Village  and  Camp  Sites — The  Ingalls  and  Other  ^lonnds — Pages  21-24 

CHAPTER  III. 

INDIAN     HISTORY. 

Harahey,  an  Indian  Province  of  Coronado's  Time — The  Kansa  Nation 
— Bourgmont's  Visit  in  1724 — Conncil  on  Cow  Island  in  1819 — 
The   Kickapoo   Indians    Pages  25-30 

CHAPTER  IV. 

EARLY   EXPLORATIONS. 

Coronado  in  1541 — The  P.ourgmont  Expedition  in  1724 — Perin  Du 
Lac — Lewis  and  Clark — First  Fourth  of  July  Celel:)ration — 
Major  Stephen  H.  Long — Cantonment  Martin — Isle  an  Vache 
— Other  Explorers — Paschal  Pensoneau — The  Old  Military  Road 
— The  Monnons    Pages  3 1-36 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

CHAPTER  V. 

TERRITORIAL    TIMES. 

Territory  Acquiretl  From  France  in  1803 — Organization  of  the  Terri- 
tory— Kansas-Nebraska  Act — Immigration  to  Kansas — Territorial 
Government — Free  State  and  Pro-Slavery  Conflict — First  Elec- 
tion— Secret  Political  Organizations — Border  War  Activities  and 
Outrages — Contests  Over  Adoption  of  Constitution — Kansas  Ad- 
mitted to  the  Union   Pages  37-63 

CHAPTER  VI. 

ORGANIZATION  OF  COUNTY   AND  CITV  OF  ATCHISON. 

One  of  the  Thirty-three  Original  Counties — City  of  .\tchison  Located — 
Town  Company — Sale  of  Lots — Incorporation  of  Town — Early 
Business  Enterprises — Organization  of  County — Commercial 
Growth — Freighting — First  Officers — Free  State  and  Pro-Slavery 
Clashes — Horace     Greeley    Visits     Atchison — Abraham     Lincoln 

Makes  a  Speech  Here — Great  Drouth  of  1860 — City  Officials 

Pages  64-83 

CHAPTER  VII. 

TOWNS^   P.VST   AND    PRESENT. 

Sumner.  Its  Rise  and  Fall — Ocena — Lancaster — Fort  William — Ar- 
rington — ]vIuscotah — Effingham — Huron  —  Old  Martinsburg — 
Bunker  Hill — Locust  Grove — Helena — Cayuga — Kennekuk — 
Kapioma — Mashenah — St.  Nicholas — Concord — Parnell — Shan- 
non— Elmwood — Cummingsville  —  Eden  Postof fice  —  Potter — 
Mt.  Pleasant— Lewis'  Point — Farley's  Ferry   Pages  84-128 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

THE    CIVIL   WAR. 

The  Issue  Between  luarly  Settlers — Influx  of  Free  State  and  Pro- 
Slavery  Partisans — Early  Volunteering — Military  Organiza- 
tions-^Threatened  Invasion  from  Missouri — Political  Societies 
— Jayhawkers — Cleveland's  Gang — Lynchings — Atchison  Coun- 
tv  Troops  in  the  War — Price's  Attempted  Invasion    Pages   129-150 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

CHAPTER  IX. 

NAVIGATION. 


Pioneer  Transportation — Early  Ferries  and  Rates — Famous  River 
Boats — Steamboat  Lines  to  Atchison — Steamboat  Registers.  .  . 
Pages   151-157 


CHAPTER  X. 

OVERLAND   FREIGHTING. 

Atchison  as  an  Outfitting  Point — Freigliting  Companies — Principal 
Routes — Stage  Lines — Overland  Mail  Routes — Ben  Holladay — 
"Butterfield's  Overland  Dispatch" — Time  to  Denver — Tables  of 
Time  and  Distances  on  Various  Routes — Statistical Pages   158-173 


CHAPTER  XL 

RAILROADS. 

Early  Railroad  Agitation — The  First  Railroad — Celebrating  the  Ad- 
vent of  the  Railroad — Other  Roads  Constructed — The  Santa  Fe 
— The  Atchison  &  X'ebraska  City — The  Kansas  City,  Leaven- 
worth &  Atchison — The  Rock  Island — The  Hannibal  &  St. 
Joseph — The  First  Telegraph — ^lodern  Transportation.  .Pages   174-185 


CHAPTER  XII. 

REMINISCENCE.S    OF    EARLY    PIONEERS. 

D.  R.  .Atchison — ]\Iatt  Gerber — J.  H.  Talbott — William  Osborne— 
John  W.  Cain — W.  L.  Challiss — George  Scarborough — Samuel 
Hollister — John  Taylor — John  M.  Cromwell — Luther  Dicker- 
son — Luther  C.  Challiss — George  W.  Glick — \V.  K.  Grimes — 
Joshua  Wheeler — William  Hetherington — William  C.  Smith — 
John  M.  Price — Samuel  C.  King — Clem  Rohr — R.  H.  Weight- 
man — Case  of  Major  Weightman Pages   186-212 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

ACRICLLTIRE   AND   ITS   nEVELOPMENT. 

An  Agricultural  Community — Scientific  I'armino- — Farmers,  the 
Aristocrac}'  of  the  West — Mndcrn  Improvement — Topography 
—Soil— Statistics    Pages  213-216 

CHAPTER  XI\'. 

THE    TRESS. 

Influence  of  Newspapers — Part  Played  b_\-  the  Early  Press — Squat- 
ter Spz'ercign — Freedom's  Champion — Chauipion  and  Press — 
Pioneer  Editors — Later  Newspapers  and  Newspaper  Men .... 
Pages  2 1 7-233 

CHAPTER  XV. 

BANKS    AND    BANKING. 

Early  Dav  Banking— Pioneer  Financiers — The  Oldest  Bank — Pri- 
vate, State  and  National  Banks — Atchisini  County  Bankers 
and  the  Development  of  Banking  Institutions Pages  234-244 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

CHURCHES. 

Methodist — Christian  —  Presbyterian  —  Baptist  —  Salem  Church — 
German  Evangelical  Zion  Church — First  Church  of  Christ, 
Scientist — St.  Patrick's,  Mt.  Pleasant — Trinity  Church,  Episco- 
pal— St.  Mark's,  English  Lutheran — St.  Benedict's  Abby — First 
German  Evangelican  Lutheran  Church Pages  245-265 

CHAPTER   XVn. 

EDUCATIONAL    INSTITUTIONS. 

Establishment  of  the  Public  School  System — Pioneer  Schools  and 
Early  Teacher.s — Districts — Statistics — Atchison  County  High 
School — County  Superintendents  of  Public  Instruction — Atchi- 
son City  Schools — Private  Schools — Mt.  St.  Scholastica's  Acad- 
emy— Parochial  Schools — Midland  College  and  Western  Theo- 
logical Seminary— St.  Benedict's  College Pages  266-292 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

CHAPTER  X\'IIT. 

BENCH    AND    BAR. 

Early  Mecca  of  Legal  Talent — Organization  of  Judicial  District — ■ 
Early  Judges — Prominent  Pioneer  Lawyers — IMemliers  of  the 
Atchison  County  Bar    Pages  293-301 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

MEDICAL    TROFESSION. 

First  Physicians  —  Early  Practice  —  Pioneer  Remedies  —  Modern 
Medicine  and  Surgery — Prominent  Physicians  and  Surgeons — 
Atchison  County  Medical  Society    Pages  302-310 

CHAPTER  XX. 

INDUSTRIAL  AND  COMMERCIAL. 

Much  Wealth  and  Enterprise  Abound — Manufacturing — Milling — 
Extensive  Wholesale  Hardware  and  Grocery  Establishments — 
Planing  Mills — Various  Jobbing  and  Retail  Literests.  .  .  .Pages  31 1-3 17 

CHAPTER  XXL 

PUBLIC  BUILDINGS  AND  INSTITUTIONS. 

Atchison  Postoffice — Court  House — County  Hospital — Ycmng 
Men's  Cliristian  Association — State  Orphans'  Home — Atchi- 
son Public  Library — Atchison  Hospital — Masonic  Temple.  .  .  . 
Pages  318-327 

CHAPTER  XXn. 

SOCIETIES    AND    LODGES. 

Bene\-olent  and  Protective  Ordei  of  Elks — Fraternal  Order  of 
Eagles — Atchison  County  Protective  Association — Secret  Socie- 
ties— Catholic  Societies   Pages  328-333 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

CH.XPTER  XXIII. 

THE  AFKO-AMKRICAX   RACE. 


Early-day  Conditions — Their  Advancement — Prior  Dickey — Henry 
C.  Buchanan — Eugene  L.  Bell — Charles  Ingram — Charles  J- 
Ferguson — Henry  Dickey — Dr.  Frank  Adrian.  Pearl.  M.  D. — 
Dr.  \V.  W.  Caldwell,  M.  D Pages  334-344 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

OFFICIALS. 

County.  Township  and  School  Officers Pages  345-350 

CHAPTER  XXV. 

BIOGRAPHICAL     HISTORY. 


INDEX 


Abner,   John    W 534 

Adams,    John    P 488 

Adams,   Stark  W 524 

Alkire,  Charles  L 726 

Allen,    Edmond    W 7SS 

Allen,    Joseph    W 4/6 

Allison,    Ralph    A 7Si 

Anderson,    George    V 836 

Arensberg,    L.    C 611 

Armstrong,  James  L 733 

Arthur.    Joseph    X 422 

Atkin,    Paul    859 

Babcock,    O.    M ."igi 

Bailey,    Willis    J 882 

Baldwin,    Royal    830 

Ballinger,  Thomas  E 600 

Ballinger,    Samuel    E 648 

Barber,   Herbert  J 672 

Barker,    Charles    E 682 

Barker,    O.    0 761 

Barnes,    Asa    715 

Barry,    John    H 481 

Bean,  John  H 708 

Beard,    Frank    704 

Beckman,  Carl   L 382 

Behen,  James   E 796 

Belz,    John    884 

Best,   Aaron    S 379 

Beyer,    David   822 

Beyer,   John    731 

Bilderback,    Allen    T 738 

Binkley,    Fred    852 

Bishop,  Frank  W 876 

Bishop,    Robert    F 596 

Blair,   Albert   H 454 

Blair,   John   L 586 

Blodgett,    Thomas    L 624 

Boos,    Nicholas    699 

Boyington,  Julia   E.  A 584 

Bradley,    Lewis    819 

Brockett,   Renton   L 637 


Brown,   George   L 837 

Brown,    Thomas    452 

Brown,   Walter   E 519 

Bullock,    Edmund    847 

Burbank,  E.  G 520 

Burrows,   Charles   H 547 

Bush,   William   H , 464 

Bushey,    Calvin    871 

Buttron,    Henry    472 

Buttron,    Jacob    728 

Calvert,  Alexander  H.  ,  747 

Calvert,  Presley  H 848 

Chalfant,   W.   D 727 

Chandler,    Charles    A 716 

Cirtwill,    Jennie    712 

Clapp,    Alva    447 

Clem,  William  J 406 

Cleveland,   Richard   B 834 

Cline,   Thomas   L 656 

Cloyes,  Marshall  J S7i 

Coliett,    W.    B 612 

Collins,    Davis   W 832 

Conlon,   Charles  J 494 

Conlon,  John  F 49S 

Cortelyou,   Luther  757 

Coupe,   Joseph    375 

Cummins,    Barney   445 

Curtis,    Benjamin    P 531 

Davis,  Cyrus  E 470 

Dawdy,  Drennan  L 808 

Deutsch,   Julius    523 

Donnellan,  William  R 538 

Dooley,   James   613 

Dorssom,    George    468 

Drinmiel,    John    854 

Du  Bois,  Lewis  P 768 

Duncan,  John  E 620 

Duidap,    Rienzi   M 767 

Dysingcr,   Holmes   724 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 


Evans,  Aaron  B 749 

Falk,    Charles    H ,.  467 

Fankhanel,   John    635 

Ferguson,   Charles  W 581 

Ferris,   John    734 

Fiechter,  Samuel   E 71' 

Finnegan,    Thomas    647 

Fleming,   John    : 604 

Flynn,  J.  F 743 

Forbriger,   Robert   658 

Fox.  Jared  C : 408 

Frable,  Thomas  359 

Fuhrman,  Charles  H 460 

Fuhrman,    Rinhold    502 

Garside,  James  H 880 

Gault,   Thomas    0 495 

Gibson,    George    \V 823 

Gibson,  Joseph   E 529 

Gigstad,  Knud  G 439 

Gigstad,   Ole  G 480 

Gilmore,    Earl    A 415 

Glattfelder,    Henry    741 

Glick,  George   \V 35' 

Goodwin,    George    833 

Gragg,  James  R 542 

Graner,   Henry   C 787 

Graner,    William    H 784 

Grccnawalt,    Joseph    C 778 

Griffin,   John    821 

Griffin,   Lawrence   680 

Grimes,  Robert  L 642 

Gundy,  Charles  T 565 

Guthrie,   Warren    W 483 

Hackney,   Hiram   H 660 

Ham,    Bishop    K 608 

Ham,   W.    Perry   702 

Hamon,  Alferd  J 820 

Hansen,    H.    C 521 

Harvey,    Albert    B 440 

Harwi,  Alfred  J 416 

Harwi,    Frank    E 419 

Hart,   Charles   C 792 

Hartman,    l-'rcd    797 

Hartman,    William    828 

Hastings,  Z.  S 436 

Hawk,  John    D ; 670 


Hawk,    Lafayette    T 539 

Hawk,  Rutherford  B 868 

Hazel,   Ernest  C 744 

Hekelnkaemper    Brothers    804 

Hendee,  George  E 429 

-Henderson,    William    535 

Hetherington,    Wirt 510 

High  fill,    Thomas    706 

Higley,    Clem     P 806 

Hines,   Michael   J 465 

Hixon,    Charles   L 577 

Holmes,   James   I 841 

Hooper,    Abraham    616 

Hooper,    George    R 867 

Horan,  Michael  J 501 

Horner,  Thomas   E 527 

Howe,    Edgar   W 844 

Hubbard,   Lewis   H 815 

Hubbard,    William    E 807 

Hubbard.  William   S 759 

Hulings,  :Mark  H 605 

Hunn.  Frank  J 824 

Hutson,   William   T 730 

Ingalls,  John  J 392 

Ingalls,    Sheffield    632 

Intfen.   Theo 645 

Jackson,   Horace   M 353 

Jackson,    William    A 490 

Jackson,   Zaremba   E 356 

Jewell,   Lumas   M 536 

Johnson,  Charles  H 458 

Johnson,  George  H.  T 456 

Jones,   F'arl   \' 582 

Kaaz,  Julius   688 

Kammer,  Karl  A 570 

Kanning,    Christ    644 

Kaufman.   Fred    W 781 

Keith.   Uri   S 544 

Keithline,    Andrew    432 

Kcithline,    Charles   J 630 

Kelly,   Edward   J 635 

King,   Richard    K 788 

King,   Samuel   S 564 

Kistler,   William   D 430 

Klein,   Martin   442 

Kloepper.    Louis    580 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 


Koester,    Frederick   \V 551 

Kramer,   John   A 883 

Kuehnhoff,    Henry    513 

Kuehnhoff,    Louis    R 567 

Knlm,    Julius    592 

Laird,  Marcus  J 736 

Lange,   Arnold   783 

Lange,    Charles    725 

Lilly,  C.  A 818 

Lincoln,    Frederick   W 692 

Linley,    Charles    461 

Linley,  Charles  H 610 

Loudenback,  Henry   H 653 

Low,  Hal  C 775 

Loyd,  Samuel  L „ 686 

Lukens,   Charles    M 762 

•McAdani,    William    399 

McCullough,  Edward  B 599 

Mclnteer,   John    651 

McKelvy,  William  A 865 

Mangelsdorf,   Albert    H 852 

Mangelsdorf,   August   856 

Mangelsdorf,  Frank  A 858 

Mangelsdorf,    William   850 

Markwalt,    Amel    556 

Martin,    Sidney    393 

Mayhevv,    Albert    E 372 

ililler,  John  O.  A  791 

Moeck,  John  790 

Moore,    June    E 701 

Morrow,  James  G 384 

Myers,    Charles    552 

Xass,   John    H 722 

Xewcomb,   Don   C 424 

Niemann,   Henry   780 

Xitz,  W'illiam  M 740 

North,  Howard  E 698 

Xusbaum,   Leo   629 

Oliver,  John  R 626 

Orr,   Louis    C 381 

Orr.   James    W 360 

Parsons,   Peter  861 

Peery,  Rufus  B SS7 

Pennington,  James   E 411 

Perdue,    Edward    576 


Pfouts,   Ralyh   U 479 

Pike,  Napoleon  B 516 

Pinder,   Robert  675 

Pitts,   E.   P 634 

Plummer,   Thomas    0 696 

Potter,  Thomas  J 677 

Power,   Grace   E 718 

Price,  John  M 811 

Raterman,  John   L 559 

Redmond,   George   W 689 

Remsburg,  George  J 50S 

Remsburg,  John  E 504 

Reynolds,  John  A 838 

Robinson,   Charles  W 650 

Rover,    Boyd    814 

Rudolph,   Harrison   \V 598 

Ryan,   William   879 

Sanders,   Benjamin   F 568 

Schaefer,   George   H.   T 554 

Schapp,    William    622 

Schiffbauer,    Henr\'    862 

Scholz,    George    526 

Scholz,  John  A 517 

Schrader,    George    : 729 

Schurman,   Arthur  S 816 

Scoville,  Orlando  C 389 

Seaton,    John    376 

Sharp,   Harry  L 512 

Sharpless,  Ulysses  B 560 

Shaw,   Benjamin    F 679 

Shelly,   Edwin   T 843 

Shortridge,   Alfred   589 

Simmons,  Oscar  A 800 

Smith,  Albert  J 618 

Smith,  W.  H 473 

Smith,   Wilson   R , 427 

Snyder,  Mark  D 574 

Speck,  A.  S 640 

Speer,  Andrew  710 

Speer.   D.  Anna  776 

Speer,    William    F 846 

Stanley,    U'ilfull    A 497 

Stever,   Abram  434 

Stod<lard,   John    748 

Storch,    George 448 

Stutz,   Christian   W 499 

Stutz,   Gustave   69s 

Stutz,    John     639 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 


Sullivan,  John   E 684 

Sullivan,  John   Edward  "65 

Sullivan,   Roger  P 602 

Sutter,   Frank  607 

Sutter,   Fred   752 

Sutter,   William    840 

Synins,   Andrew   B 365 

Thomas,    Robert    M 397 

Thompson,  George  W 664 

Thompson,   William   H 720 

Tomlinson,    B.    F 668 

Treat,  Thomas  C 458 

Trimlile,  James  M 764 

Trimble,   Roy   C 492 

Trompeter,   Joseph    421 

Trueblood,   Alva   C 405 

Tucker,  Thomas  W 742 

Valentino,  John   C 693 

\'ansell,   Martin   C 873 


Veatch,  Nathan  T 733 

\'oelker,  Conrad  I\I 562 

Waggener,  Balie  P 368 

Wagner,    Frank   J 827 

Walker,   Claudius   D 400 

Walter,   H.   B 803 

Warren,  William  T 849 

Watowa,    Frank   J 818 

Watowa,  Joseph   H 732 

Weber,   Peter   594 

Wehking,  William  828 

Wertz,  Frank   P 655 

Wheeler,    D.    N 514 

White,  George  E 663 

\\'ilson,  James  E 549 

Wolf,  August  J 826 

Woodworth,  Edwin  S 772 

Woodford,    Frank   M 723 

Young,  William  794 


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History  of  Atchison  County 


CHAPTER  I. 


GEOLOGY. 


FOSSILS EVIDENCES      OF      EARLY      ANIMAL      AND      PLANT      LIFE GEOLOGICAL 

AGES ROCK    FORMATION GLACIER    PERIOD MINERALS. 

The  oldest  citizens  of  Atchison  county  are  the  animals  and  plants  whose 
fossil  remains  now  lie  buried  in  the  solid  rocks.  These  denizens  of  long  ago, 
by  their  lives,  made  it  possible  for  later  and  better  citizens  to  live  and  flour- 
ish in  the  happy  and  contented  homes  of  her  best  citizens  of  the  present 
day.  Long  before  man  ever  saw  Atchison  county — long  before  man  lived 
anywhere  upon  this  earth,  the  seas  swarmed  with  animal  life  and  the  dry 
lands  supported  a  fauna  and  a  flora  substantially  as  great  as  those  of  the 
present  time. 

Tn  character  the  animals  and  plants  of  those  early  days  were  very  dif- 
ferent from  those  of  the  present  time.  Almost  all  of  their  kind  long  ago  be- 
came extinct.  It  is  only  tlie  few  who  have  living  representatives  anywhere 
in  the  world  today,  and  they  are  degraded  in  form  and  size  as  though  they 
had  long  outlived  their  usefulness.  Some  of  the  animals  live  in  the  waters 
of  distant  oceans,  such  as  the  brachiapods  and  other  shell  fish ;  the  crinoids 
or  sea  lilies,  and  others  of  like  character.  On  the  dry  land  we  find  a  few  in- 
sects of  the  cock-roach  type  and  other  creeping  things  which  inhabit  dark 
and  damp  places,  animals  of  gloom  on  whose  forms  the  sunshine  of  day 
rarely  falls. 

The  plants,  likewise,  are  degraded  in  size  cllld  form.  The  modern  bull- 
rushes  of  our  swamps  are  descendants  of  ancient  giants  of  their  kind  which 

17 


i8 


HISTORY  ()!•■  ATCHISOX   COUNTY 


grew  to  ten  or  twenty  times  the  size  of  their  modern  representatives.  The 
little  creeping  vines  sometimes  found  in  the  shaded  forest  are  lineal  descend- 
ants of  the  mighty  trees  of  the  forests  in  the  long  ago  while  materials  were 
gathering  for  the  rock  masses  constituting  Atchison  county. 

In  order  to  converse  rationally  about  geological  time  it  has  been  found 
most  convenient  to  divide  time  into  periods  in  accordance  with  great  natural 
events,  and  to  give  a  name  to  each  period  that  in  some  way  expresses  some- 
thing desirable  to  be  known  and  rememliered.  Usually  geograpliic  names  of 
areas  where  rock  masses  are  exposed  to  the  surface  of  the  ground  are  chosen, 
or  some  favorite  geograpliic  term  may  be  used,  and  in  rare  instances  some 
qualit\  name  expressive  of  tlie  character  or  composition  of  the  rocks. 

Following  the  best  usage  of  geologists  the  rocks  exposed  at  the  surface 
all  belong  to  the  age  known  as  the  Carboniferous,  which  lies  at  the  top  of  tlie 
Paleaozoic,  or  ancient  hfe  rocks.  The  Carboniferous  is  divided  and  sub- 
divided into  a  number  of  divisions,  the  lowermost  of  which  has  been  named 
the  Mississippian  on  account  of  their  great  abundance  throughout  the  ^lissis- 
sippi  valley.  Above  the  Mississippian  we  find  a  mass  of  alternating  beds  of 
sliale  and  bmestone  and  sandstone  aggregating  about  2,500  feet  in  tliick- 
ness,  called  the  Pennsylvanians,  a  term  borrowed  from  the  State  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, where  rocks  of  the  same  age  so  abound.  Rocks  formed  during  the  re- 
mainder of  geologic  time  are  not  found  in  Atchison  countv,  except  the  cover- 
ing of  soil  and  clay  so  abundant  throughout  the  county.  An  old-time  name 
for  the  Pennsylvanian  rocks  is  the  coal-measures,  a  term  now  on  the  decline 
because  the  newer  names — well,  it  is  newer. 

Tt  appears  that  from  the  close  of  the  Pennsylvanian  time  to  the  present 
.Vtchison  county  has  been  dr}-  land.  .\t  one  time,  (juite  recently,  as  geologists 
reckon  time,  climatic  conditions  changed  so  that  the  snow  falling  during  the 
winter  could  not  be  melted  during  the  summer,  so  that  to  the  far  north  great 
quantities  of  snow  and  ice  accumulated  and  graduallv  spread  over  the  sur- 
face of  a  large  part  of  North  .\merica.  One  linil)  of  this  ice  mass  moved 
slowly  southward  and  covered  all  of  Atchison  county,  and  much  adjacent 
territory,  and  brought  with  it  vast  quantities  of  soil  and  clav  and  gravel  that 
the  ice  sheet,  as  a  great  scraper,  picked  up  from  the  surface  as  it  came  along 
When  the  ice  finally  melted  this  debris  was  left,  like  a  mantle  of  snow,  cov- 
ering the  entire  surface  of  Atchison  county. 

The  rocks  of  P^ennsylvanian  age  have  within  Ihem  much  of  value  econom- 
ically. Here  and  there  int(#-stratified  with  the  sandstone  and  shale  are  large 
.'Mid  valuable  beds  of  coal,  as  is  abundantiv  shown  bv  the  drilled  wells  and 


HISTORY  Ol--  ATCHISON   (.-OL'NTV 


19 


Alain  I'.uikling  State  Orphans'  Hume,  Atcliison.  Kan. 


coal  sliafls  within  the  county.  It  is  probaljle  that  ahnost  the  entire  county  is 
underlaid  with  this  same  bed  of  coal,  and  if  so  it  is  worth  substantially  as 
much  to  the  county  as  is  the  surface  .st)il.  It  lies  at  so  great  a  depth  that  it 
may  be  mined  without  any  danger  whatever  of  disturbing  the  surface. 

The  large  amount  of  good  hard  limestone  in  the  county  guarantees  an 
everlasting  supply  of  stone  for  road  making,  railroad  ballast,  crushed  rock 
for  concrete  works  and  all  other  uses  to  which  such  limestone  may  be  put. 
With  the  Missouri  river  on  the  eastern  boundary  carrying  imlimited  amounts 
of  sand  Atchison  county  is  well  supjjlied  with  ever\'  material  needed  for  un- 
limited amounts  of  mortar  construction  of  all  kinds.  Recently,  since  Port- 
land cement  construction  has  so  effectually  replaced  stone  masonry,  this  be- 
comes a  very  important  matter. 

Should  market  conditions  ever  become  favorable  it  is  also  possible  to 
manufacture  the  best  grades  of  Portland  cement  b\-  propcrh'  combining  the 


20  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

limestones  and  shales  of  the  county.     Their  chemical  and  physical  properties 
are  admirably  suited  for  such  purposes. 

There  is  a  possibility  that  somewhere  within  the  county  oil  and  gas  may 
be  found  by  proper  prospecting.  As  no  search  for  these  materials  has  yet 
been  made  it  is  impossible  to  say  what  the  results  might  be.  Atchison  county, 
however,  lies  within  the  oil  zone  that  has  been  proven  to  be  so  much  farther 
south,  and  until  proper  search  has  been  made  no  one  can  say  that  oil  and  gas 
cannot  be  found  here  also. 


CHAPTER  11. 


PRE-HISTORIC  PERIOD. 


EVIDENCES  OF  PALEOLITHIC  MAN AN  ANCIENT  FORTIFICATION ABORIGINAL 

VILLAGE   AND    CAMP    SITES THE   INGALLS    AND    OTHER    BURIAL    MOUNDS. 

How  long  the  region  embraced  in  Atchison  county  has  been  the  home 
of  man  is  not  known,  but  the  finding  of  a  prehistoric  liuman  skeleton,  com- 
puted by  the  highest  antliropological  and  geological  authorities  to  be  at  least 
lo.ooo  years  old,  in  the  adjoining  county  of  Leavenworth,  favors  the  pre- 
sumption that  what  is  now  Atchison  county  was  occupied  by  man  at  an  equally 
remote  period.  Evidences  of  a  verj^  early  human  existence  here  have  been 
found  at  various  times.  Near  Potter,  in  this  county,  the  writer  found  deep 
in  the  undisturbed  gravel  and  clay,  a  rude  flint  implement  that  unquestionably 
had  been  fashioned  by  prehistoric  man,  evidently,  of  what  is  known  as  the 
Paleolithic  period.  In  drilling  the  well  at  the  power  house  of  the  Atchison 
Street  Railway,  Light  and  Power  Company,  the  late  T.  J.  Ingels,  of  Atchison, 
encountered  at  a  great  depth,  several  fragments  of  fossilized  bone,  inter- 
mingled \\ith  charcoal,  evidently  the  remains  of  a  very  ancient  fireplace. 
About  1880,  M.  M.  Trimmer,  an  Atchison  contractor,  in  opening  a  stone 
quarry  at  the  northeast  point  of  the  Branchtown  hill,  near  the  confluence  of 
White  Clay  and  Brewery  creeks,  in  Atchison,  unexpectedly  encountered  a  pit 
or  excavation,  eighty  feet  long,  sixty  feet  wide,  and  eighteen  feet  deep,  in 
the  solid  rock  formation  of  the  hill.  The  surface  of  the  hill  is  composed  of 
drift  or  gravel,  and  the  pit  had  become  filled  with  this  gravel  to  the  original 
surface,  thus  obliterating  all  external  evidences  of  its  existence.  The  lower 
layer  of  stone,  about  six  inches  thick,  had  been  left  for  a  floor  in  the  pit,  and 
in  the  northwest  corner  this  lower  strata  of  stone  for  about  four  feet  square 
had  l)een  removed.  Water  issued  from  the  ground  at  this  point  indicating 
that  a  spring  or  well,  or  source  of  water  supply,  had  been  located  here.     A 

21 


22  IllSTOKV  01-   ATCHISUX   COUNTY 

careful  examination  of  tlie  place  at  the  time  showed  unmistakably  that  this 
excavation  had  been  made  by  human  hands  at  a  very  early  period  and  was 
probably  used  as  a  fortification  or  defensive  work.  Prehistoric  excavations 
of  this  character,  made  in  the  solid  rock,  are  common  in  Europe,  Ijut  almost 
unknown  in  .\merica,  except  in  the  cases  of  ancient  flint  and  steatite  quar- 
ries, and  the  absence  of  either  in  the  Atchison  formation,  except  an  occasional 
flint  nodule,  precludes  the  jxissibility  that  this  was  just  an  aborisjinal  quarry. 
The  Smithsonian  authorities  at  Washington  pronounced  the  work  worthy  of 
careful  study,  but  unfortunately  it  was  obliterated  by  the  progress  of  the 
([uarrving.  Many  weajjons  and  implements  of  the  stone  age  have  been  found 
in  the  vicinity  of  this  pit. 

Almost  the  entire  surface  of  .Atchison  county,  particularly  where  border- 
ing streams,  presents  various  traces  of  aboriginal  occupancy,  from  the  silent 
sepulchers  of  the  dead  and  the  mouldy  rubbisii  of  the  wigwam,  to  the  solitary 
arrowhead  lost  on  the  happy  chase  or  the  sanguinary  war  path.  In  many 
places  these  remains  blend  into  the  prehistoric,  semi-historic  and  historic 
periods,  showing  e^•idenccs  of  a  succession  of  occupancy.  For  instance  we 
find  the  Neolithic  stone  cells  or  hatchets,  the  Xeoeric  iron  tomahawks;  frag- 
ments of  fragile  earthenware,  mixed  and  moulded  by  the  ])rehistoric  potter, 
and  bits  of  modem  decorated  porcelain  made  by  some  pale-faced  patterner 
of  Palissy:  ornaments  of  stone,  bone  and  shell:  trinkets  of  lirass  and  beads 
of  glass,  intermingled  in  confusion  and  profusion.  These  numerous  relics 
of  different  peoples  and  periods,  showing,  as  they  do,  diverse  stages  of  cul- 
ture and  advancement,  warrant  the  opinion  that  Atchison  county,  with  its 
many  natural  advantages,  was  a  favorite  resort  of  successive  peoples  from 
time  immemorial.  Favorably  situated  at  tlie  great  western  bend  of  the  Mis- 
souri river  and  at  the  outskirts  of  which  was  one  of  the  richest  Indian  liunting 
grounds  in  the  great  wild  West,  embracing  and  surrounded  by  e\cry  natural 
advantage  that  would  make  it  the  prospective  and  wonted  haunt  of  a  wild- 
race,  it  was  a  prehistoric  ])aradise,  as  it  is  today,  a  n^odern  Arcadia. 

The  writer  has  personally  examined  hundreds  of  ancient  Indian  village, 
cami)  and  worksho]i  sites,  and  opened  a  number  of  mounds  in  Atchison  county. 
The  fii'st  ancient  mounds  ever  opened  in  the  county  were  on  a  verv  rugged 
liill  known  as  tlie  "IXnil's  liackbone."  bordering  Owl  creek,  and  overlooking 
the  Missouri  river,  in  i8()i.  There  were  two  of  them,  and  they  contained 
stone  se])ulchcrs  in  which  the  Indians  had  cremated  their  dead.  Other  stone 
grave  mounds  ha\e  been  opened  on  the  farms  of  John  Myers.  t)n  Independ- 
ence creek,    in   the   iiortiieastern   jiait    of   the   county:    Maurice   b^iehley,   on 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISOiNT   COUNTY 


State  Orphans'  Home.  Atchison.  Kan. 


Stranger  creek,  near  Potter;  George  Storch,  on  Alcorn  or  Whiskey  creek, 
just  south  of  Atchison,  and  in  several  other  places.  The  most  interesting 
mound  ever  excavated  in  the  county,  however,  was  what  is  known  as  the  In- 
galls  I\Iound,  on  land  belonging  to  the  estate  of  the  late  L'nited  States  Senator 
John  J.  Ingalls,  on  a  bluff  oi  the  Missouri  river,  at  the  mouth  of  Walnut 
creek,  about  five  miles  below  Atchison.  This  mound  was  discovered  bv  Sen- 
ator Ingalls  at  an  early  day,  and  opened  by  the  writer  in  1907.  It  \\as  fifteen 
feet  in  diameter,  and  was  composed  of  alternate  layers  of  stone  and  earth 
one  on  top  of  the  other,  the  remains  of  several  Indians  being  imbedded  in  the 
earth  between  the  layers  of  stone.  These  remains  were  in  a  bad  state  of  decay, 
most  of  the  bones  crumbling  while  being  removed.  The  hones  of  each  per- 
.son  had  been  placed  in  the  mound  in  compact  bundles,  which  seems  to  indi- 
cate that  they  had  been  removed  from  some  temporarv  jilace  of  interment, 
]5erhaps  from  dilapidated  scaffold  burials,  and  deposited  here  in  final  sepul- 
ture. In  some  of  the  layers  not  only  the  bones  but  the  rocks  and  earth  were 
considerably  burned,  indicating  incinerary  funeral  rites,  while  in  others  there 
were  not  the  least  marks  of  fire.    The  undermost  laver,  .-iljout  three  feet  from 


24  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

the  top.  was  a  veritable  cinder  pit,  being  a  burned  mass  or  conglomerate  of 
charcoal  and  charred  and  calcined  human  remains,  showing  no  regularity  or 
outline  of  skeletons,  but  all  in  utter  confusion.  A  solitary  pearl  bead  was 
the  only  object  that  withstood  the  terrible  heat  to  which  the  lower  tier  of  re- 
mains had  been  subjected.  In  one  of  the  upper  tiers  were  the  bones  of  two 
infants.  With  one  of  them  was  a  necklace  of  small  shells  of  a  species  not 
native  here.  With  another  bundle  of  bones  were  two  small,  neatly  chipped 
flint  knives,  a  flint  scraper,  a  bone  whistle  or  "call,"  several  deer  horn  imple- 
ments, and  a  large  flint  implement  of  doubtful  usage,  known  to  archeologists 
as  a  "turtle-back,"  because  of  its  shape.  With  another  bundle  of  bones,  and 
which  they  seemed  to  be  clasping,  were  several  mussel  shells,  badly  decom- 
posed. One  small  ornament  of  an  animal  or  bird  claw,  several  flint  arrow- 
heads, and  some  fragments  of  pottery,  were  also  found.  In  one  of  the  skulls 
was  embedded  the  flint  blade  of  a  war-club.  Thirty-one  yards  northwest  of 
this  mound  was  found  another  of  less  prominence.  It  contained  a  bumed 
mass  of  human  remains,  covered  with  a  layer  of  about  six  inches  of  clay, 
baked  almost  to  the  consistency  of  brick.  Lack  of  space  forbids  a  mention 
of  many  other  interesting  archaeological  discoveries  made  in  this  county  from 
time  to  time.  Suffice  to  say  that  there  is  ample  evidence  that  within  the  bor- 
ders of  Atchison  county  there  lived  and  thrived  and  passed  away  a  consider- 
able aboriginal  population. 


CHAPTER  III. 


INDIAN  HISTORY. 


HARAHEY,   AN   INDIAN    I'KOVINCE   OF    CORONADO  S    TIME THE    KANSA    NATION 

BOURGMONT's  VISIT  IN    1/24 COUNCIL  ON  COW  ISLAND  IN    1819 THE 

KICKAPOO  INDIANS. 

There  is  nothing;  definite  to  show  that  Coronado  ever  reached  the  con- 
fines of  wliat  is  now  Atchison  county  in  1541,  as  some  historical  writers  have 
seen  fit  to  state,  but  there  is  a  probabihty  tliat  the  Indian  province  of  Harahey, 
which  the  natives  thereof  told  him  was  just  beyond  Ouivira,  embraced  our 
present  county  and  most  of  the  region  of  northeastern  Kansas.  Mark  F. 
Zimmerman,  an  intellig-ent  and  painstaking  student  of  Kansas  archaeology 
and  Indian  history,  has  given  this  matter  much  consideration,  and  is  confi- 
dent that  the  Harahey  chieftain,  Tatarrax,  immortalized  in  Coronado's  chron- 
icles, ruled  over  this  territory  nearly  four  centuries  ago.  Until  this  fact  is 
established,  however,  it  remains  that  the  Indian  history  of  what  is  now  Atch- 
ison county  begins  with  the  Kansa  Indians  in  the  early  part  of  the  eighteenth 
century.  At  the  time  of  the  Bourgmont  expedition  in  1724,  and  for  some 
time  before,  this  nation  owned  all  of  what  is  now  northeastern  Kansas,  and 
maintained  several  villages  along  the  Missouri  river,  the  principal  one  being 
near  the  mouth  of  Independence  creek,  or  at  the  present  site  of  Doniphan. 
Here  they  had  a  large  town.  The  writer  made  a  careful  examination  and 
fully  identified  the  site  of  this  'ild  town  in  1904.  The  results  of  this  explora- 
tion are  given  in  a  pamphlet  entitled  "An  Old  Kansas  Indian  Town  on  the 
Missouri,"  published  by  the  writer  in  19 14.  Another  important  village  of 
the  Kansa  was  located  at  the  mouth  of  what  is  now  Salt  creek,  in  Leaven- 
worth county.  Both  of  these  historic  villages  were  situated  right  near  and  at 
about  the  same  distance  from  tlie  present  borders  of  Atchison  county.  There 
were  several  old  Indian  villages  within  the  confines  of  Atchison  county,  as 

25 


26  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

already  stated  in  the  preceding  pages,  but  whetlier  they  belonged  to  the 
Kansa  or  to  the  Harahey  (Pawnee)  is  yet  a  matter  of  conjecture. 

One  of  these  old  Kansa  towns,  evidently  the  one  at  Salt  creek,  was  the 
site  of  an  important  French  post.  Bougainville  on  French  Posts  in  1757, 
says:  "Kanses.  In  ascending  this  stream  (the  Missouri  river)  we  meet  the 
village  of  the  Kanses.  We  have  there  a  garrison  with  a  commandant,  ap- 
jiointed  as  in  the  case  with  Pimiteoui  and  Fort  Chartres,  by  New  Orleans. 
This  post  produces  one  hundred  bundles  of  furs."  Lewis  and  Clark,  in  1804, 
noted  the  ruins  of  this  old  post  and  Kansa  village.  They  were  just  outside 
of  the  southern  borders  of  Atchison  county,  near  the  present  site  of  Kick- 
apoo. 

The  Independence  creek  town,  or  what  is  generally  referred  to  by  the 
early  French  as  "Grand  village  des  Canzes,"  seems  to  have  been  a  Jesuit  Mis- 
sionary station  as  early  as  1727,  according  to  Hon.  George  P.  Morehouse, 
the  historian  of  the  Kansa  Indians,  who  recently  found  in  some  old  French- 
Canadian  records  of  the  province  of  Ontario  an  interesting  fact  not  l^efore 
recognized  in  Kansas  history,  that  the  name  "Kansas"  was  a  well  known 
geographical  term  to  designate  a  place  on  the  Missouri  river,  within  the  pres- 
ent borders  of  our  State,  where  the  French  government  and  its  official  church, 
nearlv  200  years  ago.  had  an  imporant  missionary  center.  Mr.  Morehouse 
says:  "It  is  significant  as  to  the  standing  of  this  Mission  station  of  the  Jes- 
uits at  Kanzas,  awav  out  in  the  heart  of  the  continent,  that  in  this  document 
it  was  classed  along  with  their  other  important  Indian  Missions,  such  as  the 
Iroquois,  Abenaquis,  and  Tadoussac,  and  that  the  same  amount  per  mission- 
ary was  expended.  It  was  'Kansas.'  a  mission  charge  on  the  rolls  of  the  Jes- 
uit Fathers,  for  which  annual  ajjpropriations  of  money  were  made  as  early  as 
1727.  Here  some  of  the  saintly,  self-sacrificing  missionary  pioneers  of  the 
Cross  must  have  come  from  distant  Quebec  and  Montreal,  or  from  the  far- 
away cloisters  of  siniiiy  France.  What  zeal  and  sacrifice  for  olliers!  Is  it 
any  wonder  that  the  Kansa  Indians  always  spoke  reverently  of  the  'lilacK- 
robes,'  who  were  the  first  to  labor  for  their  welfare  in  that  long  period  in 
the  wilderness." 

Just  when  the  Kansa  Indians  established  themselves  at  the  "Grand  Vil- 
lage" at  Doniphan,  or  at  "Fort  Village"  at  Kickapoo,  is  not  known.  The 
first  recorded  mention  of  a  Kansa  village  along  this  section  of  the  Missouri 
river  is  by  Bourgmont  in  1724.  Onate  met  the  Kansa  on  a  'lunting  expedi- 
tion on  the  prairies  of  Kansas  in  1601,  but  does  not  state  where  their  villages 
were  located.    The  "Grand  Village"  was  an  old  one.  liowever.  at  the  time  of 


HISTORV  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  2^ 

Dourgmont's  visit.  Bourgmont  does  not  mention  the  "Fort  Village"  at  Salt 
creek,  as  he  surely  would  had  it  been  in  existence  at  that  time,  and  it  is  be- 
lieved that  it  was  established  later,  as  it  was  in  existence  in  1757,  as  stated  by 
Rourgainville. 

As  is  a  well  knnwn  historical  fact  the  Spanish  attempted  to  invade  and 
colonize  the  Missouri  valley  early  in  the  eighteenth  century.  The  French 
had  come  into  possession  of  this  region  in  1682,  and  W.  de  Bourginont  was 
commissioned  military  commander  on  the  Missouri  in  1720,  the  French  gov- 
ernmeirt  becoming  alarmed  at  the  attempted  Spanish  invasion.  Establish- 
ing friendly  relations  with  the  Indians  of  this  region  m  order  to  have 
their  assistance  in  repelling  any  further  Spanish  advance  was  the  object  of 
the  Bourgmont  expedition  to  the  Kansa  and  Padouca  Indians  in  1724.  Bourg- 
mont's  party,  consisting  of  himself,  M.  Bellerive,  Sieur  Renaudiere,  two  sol- 
diers and  five  other  Frenchmen,  besides  177  Missouri  and  Osage  Indians  in 
charge  of  their  own  chiefs,  marched  overland  from  Fort  Orleans,  on  the  lower 
Missouri;  and  arrived  at  the  "Grand  village  des  Cansez"  on  July  7,  1724. 
Here  they  held  a  celebration  of  two  weeks,  consisting  of  pow-wows,  councils. 
trading  horses  or  merchandise,  and  making  presents  to  the  Indians,  sc\'eral 
lx)at  loads  of  the  latter,  in  charge  of  Lieutenant  Saint  Ange,  having  arrived 
bv  river  route.  On  Juh-  24  they  "put  themselves  in  battle  array  on  the  village 
height,  the  drum  began  to  beat,  and  they  marched  away"  on  their  journey 
to  the  Padoucas.  The  incidents  of  their  march  across  what  is  now  Atchison 
count\'.  and  other  facts  iiertaining  to  this  expedition  w  dl  be  fmmd  in  tlic 
chapter  on  early  explorations  in  this  volume. 

According  to  a  tradition  handed  down  from  prehistoric  times  the  Kansa, 
Osage,  Omaha,  Ponca  and  Kwapa  were  originally  one  people  and  lived  along 
the  Wabash  and  Ohio  rivers.  In  their  migrations  they  arrived  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Ohio  where  there  was  a  separation.  Those  who  went  down  the  Mis- 
sissippi became  known  as  the  Kwapa,  or  "down  stream  people,"  while  those 
going  up  were  called  Omaha,  or  "up  stream  people."  At  the  mouth  of  the 
Missouri  another  division  took  place,  the  Omaha  and  Ponka  proceeding  far 
up  that  stream.  The  Osage  located  on  the  stream  which  bears  their  name, 
and  the  Kansa  at  the  mouth  of  what  is  now  the  Kansas  river.  Later  they 
moved  on  up  the  Missouri  and  established  several  villages,  the  most  northern 
of  which  was  at  Independence  Creek.  At  about  the  close  of  the  Revolution- 
ary war  they  were  driven  away  from  the  Missouri  by  the  Iowa  and  Sauk 
tribes,  and  they  took  up  a  permanent  residence  on  the  Kansas  river,  where 
Major  Long's  expedition  visited  them  in   1819.     They  continued  to   make 


28  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COCXTY 

predator)'  visits  to  the  Missouri,  however.  They  committed  many  depreda- 
tions on  traders  and  explorers  passing  up  the  river  and  even  fired  on  the 
United  States  troops  encamped  at  Cow  Island.  It  was  to  prevent  the  recur- 
rence of  such  outrages  that  Major  O'Fallon  arranged  a  council  with  the 
Kansa  Nation.  This  council  was  held  on  Cow  Island  August  24,  1819,  under 
an  arbor  built  for  the  occasion.  Major  O'Fallon  made  a  speech  in  which 
he  set  forth  the  cause  of  complaint  which  the  Kansa  had  given  by  their  re- 
peated insults  and  depredations,  giving  them  notice  of  the  approach  of  a  mili- 
tary force  sufficient  to  chastise  their  insolence,  and  advising  them  to  seize 
the  present  opportunity  of  averting  the  vengeance  they  desened,  by  proper 
concessions,  and  by  their  future  good  behavior  to  conciliate  those  whose 
friendship  they  would  have  so  much  occasion  to  desire.  The  replies  of  the 
chiefs  were  simple  and  short,  expressive  of  their  conviction  of  the  justice  of 
the  complaints  against  them,  and  of  their  acquiescence  in  the  terms  of  the 
reconciliation  proposed  by  the  agent. 

There  were  present  at  this  council  161  Kansa  Indians,  including  chiefs 
and  warriors,  and  thirteen  Osages.  It  was  afterwards  learned  that  the  dele- 
gation would  have  been  larger  but  for  a  quarrel  that  arose  among  the  chiefs 
after  they  had  started,  in  regard  to  precedence  in  rank,  in  consequence  of 
which  ten  or  twelve  returned  to  the  village  on  the  Kansas  river.  Among 
those  at  the  council  were  Xa-he-da-ba,  or  Long  Neck,  one  of  the  principal 
chiefs  of  the  Kansas;  Ka-he-ga-wa-to-ning-ga,  or  Little  Chief,  second  in 
rank:  Shen-ga-ne-ga,  an  ex-principal  chief;  Wa-ha-che-ra.  or  Big  Knife,  a 
war  chief,  and  Wam-pa-wa-ra,  or  White  Plume,  after\vards  a  noted  chief. 
Major  O'Fallon  had  with  him  the  officers  of  the  garrison  of  Cow  Island, 
or  Contonment  Martin,  and  a  few  of  those  connected  with  Major  Long's  ex- 
ploring party.  "The  ceremonies,"  says  one  account,  "were  enlivened  by  a 
military-  display,  such  as  the  firing  of  cannon,  hoisting  of  flags,  and  an  exhibi- 
tion of  rockets  and  shells,  the  latter  evidently  making  a  deeper  impression  on 
the  Indians  than  the  eloquence  of  Major  O'Fallon."  A  description  of  Major 
Long's  steamboat,  built  to  impress  the  Indians  on  this  occasion;  will  be  found 
in  the  following  chapter  on  early  explorations. 

From  the  Kansa  Indians  our  State  derived  its  name.  For  more  than 
300  years  they  dwelt  upon  our  soil.  .At  their  very  advent  in  this 
region  what  is  now  Atchison  county  became  a  part  of  their  heritage  and  for 
generations  it  was  a  part  of  their  imperial  home. 

By  the  treaty  of  Castor  Hill,  Mo.,  October  24,  1832,  the  Kickapoo 
Indians  were  assigned  to  a  reservation  in  northeastern  Kansas,  which  in- 


HISTORY  OF  ATCITTSON   COUNTY 


Wards    of    the    State    of   Kansas,    State   Orphans'    Home,  Atchison,  Kan, 


eluded  most  of  what  is  now  Atchisdii  con  ity.  They  settled  on  their  new 
lands  shortly  after  the  treaty  was  made.  Their  principal  settlement  at  that 
time  was  at  the  present  site  <if  Kickapon.  in  Leavenworth,  countv,  where  a 
Methodist  mission  was  established  among  them  by  Rev.  Jerome  C.  Berry- 
man,  in  1833.  There  is  said  to  have  been  a  mission  station  among  the  Kick- 
apoos  where  Oak  Mills,  in  Atchison  county,  now  stands,  at  an  early  da\-,  but 
nothing  definite  is  known  regarding  its  history,  except  that  we  have  it  from 
early  settlers  that  an  Indian  known  as  Jim  Corn  seemed  to  be  the  head 
man  of  the  band  of  Kickapoos  that  li\'ed  there,  and  that  the  white  pioneers 
frequently  attended  services  in  the  old  mission  house  wh.ich  stood  in  the  hol- 
low a  short  distance  southwest  of  the  present  site  of  Oak  Mills. 

During  the  time  that  the  Kickapoos  owned  and  occupied  what  is  now 
Atchison  county, "they  were  ruled  over  by  two  very  distinguished  chieftains — 
Keannakuk,  the  Prophet,  and  Masheena,  or  the  Elk  Horns.     Both  of  these 


30  HISTOKV  OK  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

Indians  were  noted  in  Illinois  long  before  they  migrated  westward  and  were 
prominently  mentioned  by  W^asbington  Irving,  George  Catlin,  Charles  Augus- 
tus Murray  and  other  distinguished  travelers  and  authors.  Catlin  painted 
their  pictures  in  183 1.  and  these  are  included  in  the  famous  Catlin  gallery  in 
Washington.  Keannakuk  was  both  a  noted  chief  and  prophet  of  the  tribe.  He 
was  a  professed  preacher  of  an  order  which  he  claimed  to  have  originated  at 
a  very  early  day  and  his  influence  was  very  great  among  his  people.  He  died 
at  Kickapoo  in  1852  and  was  buried  there.  Masheena  was  a  really  noted 
Indian.  He  led  a  band  of  Kickapoos  at  the  battle  of  Tippecanoe.  He  died 
and  was  buried  in  Atchison  count}-,  near  the  old  town  of  Kennekuk,  in  1857. 
He  was  born  in  Illinois  about  1770. 

Important  seats  of  Kickapoo  occupanc}-  in  Atchison  county  in  the  early 
days  were  Kapioma,  ^^luscotah  and  Kennekuk.  Kapioma  was  named  for  a 
chief  of  that  name  who  lived  there.  The  present  township  of  Kapioma  gets 
its  name  from  this  source.  Father  John  Baptiste  Duerinck,  a  Jesuit,  was  a 
missionary  among  the  Kickapoos  at  Kapioma  in  1855-57.  Muscotab  was  for 
a  long  time  the  seat  of  the  Kickapoo  agency.  It  is  a  Kickajjoo  name  meaning 
"Beautiful  Prairie,"  or  "Prairie  of  Fire.""  Kennekuk  was  named  for  John 
Kennekuk,  a  Kickapoo  chief,  and  son  of  Keannakuk,  the  Prophet. 

By  treaty  of  1854  the  Kickapoo  reservation  was  diminished  and  the  tribe 
was  assigned  to  lands  along  the  Grasshopper  or  Delaware  river.  Still  later  it 
was  again  diminished  and  they  were  given  their  present  territory  within  the 
confines  of  Brown  county. 

The  Kickapoos  are  a  tribe  of  the  central  Algonquian  group,  forming  a 
division  with  the  Sauk  and  Foxes,  with  whom  they  have  close  ethnic  and  lin- 
guistic connection.  The  first  definite  appearance  of  this  tribe  in  histor)'  was 
about  1667-70.  when  they  were  found  l)y  .Mlouez  near  the  portage  lietween 
Fox  and  Wisconsin  rivers,  in  W^isconsin.  .\bout  1765  they  moved  down  into 
the  Illinois  countrv,  and  later  to  Missouri  and  Kansas. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


EARLY  EXPLORATIONS. 


CORONADO    IN    184I THE    BOURGMONT    EXPEDITION    IN     1/24 PERIN    DU    LAC 

LEWIS     AND    CLARK FIRST     FOURTH     OF    JULY     CELEBRATION MAJOR 

STEPHEN     H.     LONG CANTONMENT     MARTIN ISLE     AU     VACHE OTHER 

EXPLORERS PASCHAL      PENSONEAU THE      OLD      MILITARY      ROAD THE 

MORMONS. 

Some  Iiistorians  ( nutal)ly  General  Simpson)  in  their  studies  of  the 
famous  march  of  Coronado  in  searcli  of  the  land  of  Ouivira,  in  1541,  have 
brought  the  great  Spanish,  exjilorer  to  the  ^Missouri  river,  in  northeastern 
Kansas.  The  more  recent  researches  of  Hodge,  Bandalier  and  Brower.  how- 
ever, have  proven  beyond  question  that  Coronado's  line  of  march  through 
Kansas  was  north  from  Clark  county  to  the  Great  Bend  of  the  Arkansas  river, 
and  thence  to  the  region  northeastward  from  ]\IcPherson  to  the  Kansas  river, 
between  the  junction  of  its  two  main  forks  and  Deep  creek,  in  Riley  county, 
where  the  long  lost  province  of  Ouivira  was  located.  Hence,  it  is  no  longer 
even  probable  that  the  great  Spaniard  on  this  famous  march  ever  saw  the 
Missouri  river  region  in  northeastern  Kansas,  much  less  to  ha\'e  ever  set 
foot  upon  the  soil  of  what  is  now  Atchison  county,  as  nianv  have  hcrelnfore 
believed. 

The  first  white  men,  of  whom  we  have  definite  record,  to  visit  what  is 
now  Atchison  county,  were  those  who  composed  the  expedition  of  Capt. 
Etienne  Vengard  de  Bourgmont,  militar}'  commander  of  the  French  colony 
of  Louisiana,  who,  in  the  summer  of  1724,  arrived  at  the  Kansa  Indian  vil- 
lage where  Doniphan  now  stands,  crossed  what  is  now  Atchison  county,  and 
made  several  encampments  on  our  soil.  Leaving  the  Kansa  village  at  Doni- 
phan on  the  morning  of  July  24,  en  route  to  the  province  of  the  Padoucas, 
or  what  is  now  known  as  the  Comanche  tribe  of  Indians,  in  north  central 

31 


32  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY 

Kansas,  Bourgmont  and  party  marched  a  league  and  a  half  along  what  is  now 
Deer  creek,  and  went  into  camp,  where  they  spent  the  day.  The  next  day 
they  passed  Stranger  creek,  or  what  they  designated  "a  small  river,"  and 
stopped  on  account  of  rain,  until  the  26th,  when  they  proceeded  a  few  miles 
further,  and  again  went  into  camp.  .\  thunder-storm,  lasting  all  the  after- 
noon, compelled  them  to  remain  encamped  here.  On  the  27th  they  reached  a 
river,  which  was  douhtless  the  Grasshopper  or  Delaware,  about  four  or  five 
miles  below  Muscotah,  where  they  again  camped,  and,  on  the  28th  marched 
out  of  Atchison  county  somewhere  along  the  southwest  border,  in  Kapioma 
township.  This  strange  procession,  besides  Bourgmont's  force  of  white  men, 
consisted  of  300  Indian  warriors,  with  two  grand  chiefs  and  fourteen  war 
chiefs,  300  Indian  squaws,  500  Indian  children,  and  500  dogs,  carrying  and 
dragging  provisions  and  equipments.  The  object  of  the  expedition  was  to 
promote  a  general  peace  among,  and  effect  an  alliance  between,  the  different 
tribes  inhabitating  this  region.  Shortly  after  leaving  Atcliison  county,  Bourg- 
mont was  taken  very  ill,  and  was  obliged  to  return  to  Fort  Orleans,  on  the 
lower  Missouri.  He  was  carried  back  across  Atchison  county  to  the  Kansa 
village,  on  a  hand-barrow,  and  then  transported  down  the  Missouri  in  a  canoe. 
Upon  his  recovery  he  resumed  his  journey  to  the  Padoucas  in  the  fall  of  1724. 
coming  back  by  way  of  the  Kansa  village  and  Atchison  county.  No  doubt 
other  French  explorers,  traders  and  trappers,  visited  this  county  at  an  earlier 
date  than  did  Bourgmont,  but  information  concerning  them  is  vague  and  un- 
certain. 

Perin  du  Lac,  a  French  explorer,  set  foot  upon  the  soil  of  Atchison 
county  while  on  an  exploring  trip  up  the  Missouri  in  1802-03.  ^^  ^'^  jour- 
nal, published  soon  after  his  return  to  France,  Du  Lac  mentions  that  "three 
miles  below  the  old  Kances  Indian  village  they  perceived  some  iron  ore."  As 
the  "old  Kances  village"  was  the  one  already  referred  to  as  having  been  at 
Doniphan,  the  iron  ore  discovered  by  Du  I^c  must  have  been  in  Atchison 
county,  somewhere  in  the  vicinity  of  Luther  Dickerson's  old  home,  where  the 
rocks  are  known  to  be  strongly  impregnated  with  iron  Du  Lac  gathered 
some  specimens  of  the  Atchison  county  ore,  which  he  must  have  lost,  for  he 
says  in  his  journal :  "I  intended  to  have  assayed  it  on  mv  return,  but  an 
accident  unfortunately  happening  prevented  me." 

In  the  summer  of  1804  the  famous  "Lopisiana  Purchase  exploring  expe- 
dition" of  Lewis  and  Clark  passed  up  the  Missouri  river,  arriving  at  the  south- 
east comer  of  Atchison  county  on  July  3.  They  passed  Isle  Au  Vache,  or  Cow 
Island,  opposite  Oak  Mills,  stopped  at  a  deserted  trader's  house  at  or  near  the 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  33 

site  of  Port  William,  where  they  picked  up  a  stray  horse  (the  first  recorded 
mention  of  a  horse  in  what  is  now  Atchison  county)  and  camped  that  night 
somewhere  in  the  vicinity  of  \Malnut  creek.  The  next  morning  they  an- 
nounced the  "glorious  Fourth"  w-ith  a  shot  from  their  gun  boat,  and  there 
began  the  first  celebration  of  our  Nation's  birthday  on  Kansas  soil.  That 
day  they  took  dinner  on  the  bank  of  White  Clay  creek,  or  what  they  called 
"Fourth  of  July  creek."  Here  Joe  Fields,  a  member  of  the  party,  was  bitten 
bv  a  snake,  and  Sergeant  Floyd,  in  commemoration  of  the  incident,  named 
the  prairie  on  which  Atchison  now  stands,  "Joe  Fields'  Snake  Prairie.'' 
Above  the  creek,  they  state,  "was  a  high  mound,  where  three  Indian  paths 
centered,  and  from  which  was  a  ver\^  extensive  prospect."  This,  undoubtedly, 
was  the  commanding  elevation  where  the  Soldiers'  Orphans'  Home  now 
stands.  On  the  evening  of  the  Fourth  they  discovered  and  named  Indepen- 
dence creek  in  honor  of  the  day,  and  closed  the  day's  obsen-ances  with  "an 
evening  gun  and  an  additional  gill  of  w^hiskey  to  the  men." 

A  detachment  of  ^Nlaj.  Stephen  H.  Long's  Yellowstone  exploring  ex- 
pedition, under  command  of  Capt.  Wyley  Martin,  spent  the  winter  of  1818- 
19  on  Cow  Island,  which  now-  belongs  to  Atchison  county,  and  established 
a  post  known  as  Cantonment  Martin.  This  was  the  first  United  States  mili- 
tar}-  post  established  above  Ft.  Osage,  and  west  of  ]\Iissouri  Territo^3^  Dur- 
ing that  winter  Captain  Martin's  men  killed  between  2,000  and  3,000 
'deer,  besides  great  numbers  of  bears,  turkeys  and  other  game.  The  troops 
that  established  this  frontier  post  were  a  part  of  the  First  Rifle  regiment, 
the  "crack"  organization  of  the  United  States  army  at  that  time.  In  July, 
1819,  Major  Long  arrived  at  Cow  Island.  His  steamboats  were  the  first  to 
ascend  the  Missouri  river  above  Ft.  Osage.  The  next  day  Colonel  Chambers 
and  a  detachment  of  infantrv-  arrived.  Thomas  Say  and  his  party  of  natural- 
ists, under  command  of  Major  Biddle,  at  about  the  same  time  crossed  Atch- 
ison county  en  route  from  the  Kansa  Indian  village  where  Manhattan  now 
stands,  and  joined  IMajor  Long's  party  at  Cow  Island.  Messrs.  Say  and 
Jessup,  naturalists  of  the  expedition,  were  taken  very  ill  and  had  to  remain 
at  the  island  for  some  time.  Col.  Heniy  Atkinson,  the  founder  of  Ft.  .Atkin- 
son, and  commander  of  the  western  department  fur  more  than  twenty  years, 
arrived  at  Cow  Island  shortly  after  Major  Long.  Maj.  John  O'Fallon  was 
sutler  of  the  post  and  Indian  agent  for  the  upper  ^Missouri.  On  July  4,  18 19, 
the  Nation's  birthday  was  celebrated  on  Cow  Island.  The  flags  were  raised 
at  full  mast,  guns  were  fired,  and  they  had  "pig  with  divers  tarts  to  grace 
the  table."     On  .August  24  an  important  council  with  the  Kansa  Indians  was 

3 


34  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

lield  on  the  island.     An  account  of  this  council  will  be  found  in  the  chapter 
on  Indian  history  in  this  volume. 

One  of  the  captains  who  was  stationed  on  Cow  Island — Bennett  Riley — 
afterwards  became  a  distinguished  man  in  the  history  of  this  countr}^  He 
was  the  man  for  whom  Ft.  Riley  was  named.  He  served  with  gallantr)-  in 
the  Indian  country,  the  Northwest  and  Florida.  In  the  Florida  war  he  was 
promoted  to  colonel.  In  the  war  with  Mexico  he  became  a  major-general, 
and  was  subsequently  military  governor  of  California.  Col.  John  O'Fallon 
entered  the  army  from  Kentucky  and  fought  in  the  Battle  of  Tippecanoe  un- 
der Harrison,  where  he  was  severely  wounded  and  carried  the  scar  to  his 
grave.  He  had  a  brilliant  military  record,  and  afterwards  became  one  of 
the  wealthiest  and  most  public-spirited  citizens  of  St.  Louis. 

Major  Willoughby  Morgan  assumed  command  of  the  Cow  Island  post 
April  13,  1819.  He  was  also  a  distinguished  officer.  When  Contonment 
Martin  was  abandoned  in  September,  18 19,  it  required  a  month  to  transport 
the  troops  from  there  to  Council  Bluffs  on  the  steamboats. 

One  of  these  boats,  the  "Western  Engineer,"  the  first  that  ever  touched 
the  shore  of  Atchison  county,  was  of  unique  construction,  having  been  ex- 
pressly built  for  the  expedition  and  calculated  to  impress  tiie  Indians.  On  her 
bow  was  the  exhaust  pipe,  made  in  tlie  form  of  a  huge  serpent,  with  wide 
open  mouth  and  tongue  painted  a  fiery  red.  The  steam,  escaping  throu.gh 
the  mouth,  made  a  loud,  wheezing  noise  that  could  be  heard  for  miles.  The 
Indians  recognized  in  it  the  power  of  the  great  Manitou  and  were  overcome 
with  fear. 

Cow  Island  has  been  a  prominent  land-mark  in  the  West  from  a  verv 
early  period.  It  was  discovered  by  the  early  French  explorers  and  called  by 
them  Isle  au  Vache,  meaning  Isle  of  Cow  or  Cow  Island.  It  was  so  named 
because  a  stray  cow  was  found  wandering  about  on  the  island.  It  is  sup- 
posed that  this  cow  was  stolen  by  the  Indians  from  one  of  the  early  French 
settlements  and  placed  on  this  island  to  prevent  her  escape.  There  is  a  co- 
incidence in  the  fact  that  the  first  horse  and  the  first  cow  in  what  is  now 
Atchison  county,  of  which  we  have  any  record,  were  found  in  the  same 
locality.  The  stray  horse  picked  up  liy  Lewis  and  Clark,  mention  of  which 
is  made  on  a  preceding  page  of  this  chapter,  was  found  almost  opposite  the 
upper  end  of  Cow  Island,  on  the  Kansas  shore.  There  is  a  tradition  that 
the  French  had  a  trading  post  on  Cow  Island  at  a  verv  earlv  day. 

In  1810,  John  Bradbury,  a  renowned  English  botanist,  made  a  trip  up 
the  Missouri  river,  and  was  the  first  scientist  to  make  a  systematic  study  of 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY 


35 


the  plants  and  geological  formations  of  this  region.  He  touched  the  shore 
of  what  is  now  Atchison  coimty,  and  in  his  book,  "Travels  in  the  Interior  of 
America,"  speaks  about  the  great  fertilit}'  of  our  soil.  He  shipped  the  speci- 
mens collected  on  this  trip  to  the  botanical  gardens  of  Liverpool,  and  no 
doubt  many  Atchison  county  specimens  were  included  in  these  shipments. 
The  next  year  H.  M.  Brackenridge,  another  explorer,  came  up  the  Missouri 
and  made  some  observations  along  our  shore. 


I'uslullifi',  AtcliisLin,  Kansa.s 


The  first  permanent  white  settler  of  what  is  now  Atchison  county  was  a 
Frenchman,  Paschal  Pensoneau,  who,  about  1839,  married  a  Kickapoo  Indian 
woman  and  alxiut  1844  settled  on  the  bank  of  Stranger  creek,  near  the  pres- 
ent site  of  Potter,  \vhere  he  established  a  trading-house  and  opened  the  first 
farm  in  Atchison  county  on  land  which  had  been  allotted  him  bv  the  fjox-crn- 
mcnt  for  services  in  the  Black  Hawk  and  Mexican  wars.  Pensoneau  had 
long  lived  among  the  Kickapoo  Indians,  following  them  in  their  migrations 
from  Illinois  to  Missouri  and  Kansas,  generally  pursuing  the  vocation  of 
trader  and  interpreter.  As  early  as  1833  or  1834  he  was  established  on  the 
Missouri  river  at  the  old  Kickapoo  town,  later  renio\ing  to  Stranger  creek, 
as  aforestated.  He  became  a  very  prominent  and  influential  man  among  the 
Kickapoos.     He  long  held  the  position  of  Government  interpreter  for  that 


36  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY 

tribe.  After  the  treaty  of  1854.  diminishing  the  Kickapoo  reserve,  Pensoneau 
moved  to  the  new  lands  assigned  the  tribe  along  the  Grasshopper  river,  where 
he  lived  for  manv  years.  About  1875  lie  settled  among  a  band  of  Kickapoo 
Indians,  near  Shawnee,  Indian  Territor)',  where  he  died  some  years  later. 
He  was  born  at  Cahokia,  111..  April  17,  1796,  his  parents  having  been  among 
the  emigrants  from  Canada  to  the  early  French  settlements  of  Illinois. 

In  1850  the  military  road  from  Ft.  Leavenworth  to  Ft.  Laramie  was 
laid  out  by  Colonel  Ogden.  It  crossed  Atchison  county,  and  o\er  it  passed 
many  important  expeditions  to  the  Western  plains  and  mountains,  and  to 
Oregon  and  California.  Before  this  road  was  laid  out  as  a  Government  high- 
wav,  the  same  route  had  long  been  traveled  as  a  trail.  It  was  a  great  natural 
highway,  being  on  the  "dividing-  ridge"  between  the  Missouri  and  Kansas 
rivers.  Charles  Augustus  Murray,  Francis  Parkman,  Captain  Stansbury  and 
other  noted  travelers  journeyed  over  this  trail  during  the  thirties  and  forties, 
and  in  the  fascinating  volumes  they  have  left,  we  find  much  of  interest  per- 
taining to  the  region  of  which  Atchison  county  is  now  a  part.  During  the 
gold  excitement  in  California  this  old  trail  swarmed  with  emigrants  seeking 
a  fortune  in  the  West.  The  Mormons,  the  soldiers,  the  overland  freighters, 
the  stage  drivers,  the  hundred  and  one  other  picturesque  types  of  character 
in  the  earlv  West  have  helped  to  make  tiie  history  of  this  famous  old  branch 
of  the  "Oregon  and  California  Trail"'  immortalized  by  Parkman. 

During  tlie  days  of  Mormon  emigration  a  Mormon  settlement  sprang  up 
a  few  miles  west  of  Atchison,  and  immediately  east  of  the  present  site  of 
Shannon,  whi'ch  became  known  as  "Mormon  Grove."  The  settlement  was 
enclosed  by  trenches,  which  served  as  fences  to  prevent  the  stock  from  going 
astrav,  and  traces  of  these  old  ditches  may  l)e  seen  to  this  day.  Many  of  the 
Mormons  liere  died  of  cholera  and  were  buried  near  the  settlement,  but  all 
traces  nf  (he  old  burial  ground  have  been  oljliteratcd  by  cultivatinn  of  the 
soil. 


CHAPTER  V. 


TERRITORIAL  TIMES. 


TERRITORY  ACQUIRED  FROM   FRANCE  IN    1803 ORGANIZATION   OF  TERRITORY 

KANSAS-NEBRASKA    ACT IMMIGRATION    TO    KANSAS TERRITORIAL    GOV- 
ERNMENT  FREE  STATE  AND  PRO-SLAVERY  CONFLICT FIRST  ELECTION 

SECRET    POLITICAL    ORGANIZATIONS BORDER    WAR    ACTIVITIES    AND    OUT- 
RAGES  CONTESTS  OVER  ADOPTION  OF  CONSTITUTION KANSAS  ADMITTED 

TO  THE  UNION. 

Kansas  is  as  rich  in  historic  lore  and  resources  as  any  other  region  of 
the  great  West.  George  J.  Remsburg.  who  has  contributed  two  chapters 
of  tliis  history,  has,  with  great  care  and  accuracy,  put  into  readable  form  an 
account  of  prehistoric  times,  Indian  occupancy  and  the  record  of  earlier  ex- 
plorers in  northeastern  Kansas.  It  is  a  tale  of  absorbing  interest  to  those  who 
would  go  back  to  the  dawn  of  civilization  here  and  study  the  force  and  char- 
acter of  men  who  paved  the  way  for  the  developments  that  came  after.  To  the 
intrepid  Spanish  conquerors  of  Mexico  of  the  sixteenth  century,  and  the  hardy 
French  explorers,  two  years  later,  we  are  indebted  for  the  opening  up  of  the 
Great  American  Desert,  into  wiiich  American  pioneers,  the  century  following, 
found  their  waw  Thousands  of  years  before  these  came,  Atchison  county  had 
been  the  abode  of  hunting  tril)cs  and  the  feasting  place  of  wild  animals.  Then 
came  the  ceaseless  flow  of  the  tide  of  civilization,  which  swe])t  tliesc  earlier 
denizens  from  the  field,  to  clear  it  for  the  "momentous  conflict  between  the 
two  opposing  systems  of  American  civilization,  then  struggling  for  mastery 
and  supremacy  over  the  Republic."  It  was  in  Kansas  that  the  war  of  rebel- 
lion began,  and  it  was  in  the  northeastern  corner  along  the  shores  of  tiie 
Missouri  river — in  Atchison  county — "that  the  spark  of  conflict  which  had 
irritated  a  Nation  for  decades  burst  into  devastating  flames." 

It  is  a  delicate  task  to  convey  anything  approaching  a  trutliful  account  of 

37 


38  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

the  storm  and  stress  of  opinions  and  emotions  whicli  accompanied  the  organiza- 
tion of  Kansas  as  one  of  the  great  American  commonweaUhs,  and  the  part 
played  by  the  citizens  of  Atchison  county  in  that  tremendous  work,  but  sixty 
years  have  served  to  mellow  the  animosities  and  bitternesses  of  the  past,  and 
it  is  easier  now  to  comprehend  the  strife  of  that  distant  day  and  pass  un- 
biased judgment  upon  it. 

When  the  United  States  acquired  from  France,  in  1803.  tlie  territor}-  of 
which  Atchison  county  is  a  part,  slaven-  was  a  legalized  institution,  and  many 
of  the  residents  held  slaves.  In  the  treaty  of  cession,  there  was  incorporated 
an  expressed  stipulation  that  the  inhabitants  of  Louisiana  "should  be  incor- 
porated into  the  Union  of  the  United  States  and  admitted  as  soon  as  possible, 
according  to  the  principles  of  the  Federal  Constitution,  to  the  enjoyment  of  all 
the  rights,  advantages  and  immunities  of  citizens  of  the  United  States,  and 
in  the  meantime  they  should  be  maintained  and  protected  in  tlie  free  enjoy- 
ment of  their  liberty,  property  and  the  religion  which  they  professed."  Thus 
it  came  to  pass  for  over  fifty  years  after  the  time  that  vast  empire  was  acquired 
from  France  the  bitter  contest  between  the  anti-slavery  and  the  pro-slavery  ad- 
vocates ebbed  and  flowed,  and  amidst  a  continual  clash  of  ideas  and  finally 
after  the  shedding  of  blood,  Kansas,  and  Atchison  county,  were  born. 

It  was  in  the  Thirty-second  Congress  that  petitions  were  presented  for 
the  organization  of  the  Territory  of  the  Platte,  viz :  all  that  tract  lying  west 
of  Iowa  and  Missouri  and  extending  west  to  the  Rocky  mountains,  but  no 
action  on  the  petitions  was  taken  at  that  time.  December  13.  1852,  \\"illard 
P.  Hall,  a  congressman  from  Missouri,  submitted  to  the  House  of  Representa- 
tives a  bill  organizing  this  region.  This  bill  was  referred  to  the  committee  on 
territories,  which  reported  February  22.  1853,  through  its  chairman.  William 
A.  Richardson,  of  Illinois.  A  bill  organizing  tlie  territory  of  Nebraska,  which 
covered  the  same  territory  as  the  bill  of  Mr.  Hall,  \vas  met  by  unex- 
pected and  strong  opposition  from  the  southern  members  of  Congress,  and  was 
rejected  in  the  committee  of  the  whole.  The  House,  however,  did  not  adopt 
the  action  of  the  committee,  but  passed  the  bill  and  sent  it  to  the 
Senate,  where  it  was  defeated  March  3,  1853.  by  six  votes.  On  the  fourteenth 
day  of  December,  1853,  Senator  Dodge,  of  Iowa,  submitted  to  that  body  a  new 
bill  for  the  organization  of  the  territory  of  Nebraska,  embracing  the  same 
region  as  the  l)ill  which  was  defeated  in  the  first  session  of  the  Thirty-second 
Congress.  It  was  referred  to  the  committee  on  territories,  of  which  Stephen 
A.  Douglas  was  chairman,  on  January-  4,  1854. 

It  was  during  the  discussion  of  this  bill  that  tlie  abrogation  of  the  Missouri 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  39 

Comiirornise  was  foreshadowed.  The  story  of  the  action  of  Senator  Douglas 
in  connection  with  the  slavery  cjuestion  has  appeared  in  every  history  since  the 
Civil  war.  It  is  neither  necessary  nor  proper  to  dwell  at  length  upon  his  career 
in  connection  with  the  history  of  Atchison  county.  However,  it  was  follow- 
ing a  bitter  discussion  of  the  slavery  question  that  the  bill  was  passed,  creating 
Kansas  a  territory.  The  provisions  of  the  bill,  as  presented,  were  known  to 
be  in  accordance  with  the  wishes  and  designs  of  all  the  Southern  members  to 
have  been  accepted  before  being  presented  by  President  Pierce  by  a  majority 
of  the  members  of  his  cabinet,  and  to  have  the  assured  support  of  a  sufficient 
number  of  Northern  administration  Democrats,  to  insure  its  passage  beyond  a 
doubt.  The  contest  over  the  measure  ended  May  27,  1854,  by  the  passage 
of  the  bill,  which  was  approved  May  30,  1854,  by  President  Pierce. 

The  act  organizing  Nebraska  and  Kansas  contained  thirty-seven  sections. 
The  provisions  relating  to  Kansas  were  embodied  in  the  last  eighteen  sec- 
tions, summarized  as  follow : 

Section  19  defines  the  boundaries  of  the  territory ;  gives  it  the  name  of 
Kansas,  and  prescribes  that  when  admitted  as  a  State,  or  States,  the  said  terri- 
tory, or  any  partion  of  the  same,  shall  be  received  into  the  Union  with  or 
without  slavery,  as  their  constitution  ma\-  prescribe  at  the  time  of  their  admis- 
sion. Also  provides  for  holding  the  rights  of  all  Indian  tribes  inviolable,  mitil 
such  time  as  they  shall  be  extingxiished  by  treaty. 

Section  20.  The  executive  power  and  authority  is  vested  in  a  governor, 
appointed  by  the  President,- to  hold  his  office  for  the  term  of  four  }-ears,  or 
until  his  successor  is  appointed  and  qualified,  unless  sooner  removed  b\'  the 
President  of  the  United  States. 

Section  21.  The  secretary  of  State  is  appointed  and  subject  to  removal 
by  the  President  of  the  United  States,  and  to  be  acting  governor  with  full 
powers  and  functions  of  the  governor  in  case  of  the  absence  of  the  gov- 
ernor from  the  territory,  or  a  vacancy  occurring. 

Section  22.  Legislative  power  and  authority  of  territory  is  vested  in 
the  governor  and  a  legislative  body,  consisting  of  two  branches,  a  council  and 
a  house  of  representatives. 

Section  23  prescrilies  qualifications  of  voters ;  giving  the  right  to  every 
free  white  male  inhabitant,  above  the  age  of  21  years,  who  shall  be  an  actual 
resident  of  the  territory,  to  vote  at  the  first  election. 

Section  24  limits  the  scope  of  territorial  legislation,  and  defines  the  veto 
power  of  the  governor. 


40  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

Section  25  prescribes  the  manner  of  appointing-  and  elcctinof  officers,  not 
otherwise  provided  for. 

Section  26  precludes  members  from  holding  any  office  created  or  the 
emoluments  of  which  are  increased  during  any  session  of  the  legislature  of 
which  they  are  a  member,  and  prescribes  qualifications  for  members  of  the 
legislative  assembly. 

Section  2"/  vests  the  judicial  power  in  the  supreme  court,  district  courts. 
l)robate  courts  and  in  justices  of  the  peace. 

Section  28  declares  the  fugitive  slave  law  of  1850  to  be  in  full  force  in 
the  territory. 

Section  29  provides  for  the  appointment  of  an  attorney  and  marshal  for 
the  territory. 

Section  30  treats  with  the  nomination  of  the  President,  chief  justice,  asso- 
ciate justices,  attorney-  and  marshal,  and  their  confirmation  Ijy  the  Senate, 
and  prescribes  the  duties  of  these  officers  and  fixes  their  salaries. 

Section  31  locates  the  temporary  seat  of  government  of  the  territory  at 
Ft.  Leavenworth,  and  authorizes  the  use  of  the  Government  buildings  there 
for  public  purposes. 

Section  32  provides  for  the  election  of  a  delegate  to  Congress,  and  abro- 
gates the  Missouri  Compromise. 

Section  33  prescribes"  the  manner  and  the  amount  of  appropriations  for 
the  erection  of  public  buildings,  and  other  territorial  purposes. 

Section  34  reserves  for  the  benefit  of  schools  in  the  territory  and  states 
and  territories  hereafter  to  be  erected  out  of  the  same,  sections  nuniI)or  16  and 
36  in  each  township,  as  they  are  surveyed. 

Section  35  prescribes  the  mode  of  defining  the  judicial  districts  of  the 
territory,  and  appointing  the  times  and  places  of  holding  the  various  courts. 

Section  36  requires  officers  to  give  official  bonds,  in  such  manner  as 
the  secretary  of  treasury  may  prescribe. 

Section  37  declares  all  treaties,  laws  and  other  engagements  made  by 
the  United  States  Government  with  the  Indian  tribes  inhabiting  the  territory 
to  remain  inviolate,  notwithstanding  anything  contained  in  the  provisions  of 
the  act. 

It  was  under  the  provisions  of  the  above  act  tiiat  those  coming  to  Kansas 
to  civilize  it  and  to  erect  their  homes  were  to  be  guided. 

Edward  Everett  Hale,  in  his  history  of  Kansas  and  Nebraska,  published 
in  1854.  says,  "Up  to  the  summer  of  1854,  Kanzas  and  Nebraska  have  had 
no  civilized  residents,  except  the  soldiers  sent  to  keep  the  Indian  tribes  in 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  4  I 

order:  the  missionaries  sent  to  conx'ert  them;  tlie  traders  wlio  bought  tnrs  of 
them,  and  those  of  the  natives  who  may  be  considered  to  have  attained  some 
measure  of  civihzation  from  their  connection  with  the  whites."  So  it  will 
be  .seen  that  at  the  time  of  tlie  jiassage  of  the  Kansas-Xebra.ska  act.  .\tchi.son 
county  was  very  sparsely  settled. 

All  movements  in  the  territory,  or  elsewhere,  made  for  its  organization, 
were  provisional,  as  the}-  were  subject  to  the  rights  of  the  various  Indian  tribes, 
whose  reservations  covered,  by  well  defined  boundaries,  every  acre  of  north- 
eastern Kansas,  except  such  tracts  as  were  reserved  by  the  Government  about 
Ft.  Leavenworth,  and  otlier  military  stations,  but  with  the  move  for  the 
organization  of  the  territory  came  an  effort  to  extinguish  the  Indian's  title 
to  the  lands  and  thus  open  them  to  white  settlers.  One  of  the  most  interesting 
b(wks  bearing  upon  the  history  of  Kansas  of  that  time  was  "Greeley's  Con- 
flict."    He  makes  the  following  statement  with  reference  to  this  subject: 

"When  the  bill  organizing  Kansas  and  Nebraska  was  first  submitted  to 
Congress  in  1853,  all  that  portion  of  Kansas  which  adjoins  the  State  of  Mis- 
souri, and,  in  fact,  nearly  all  the  accessible  portion  of  both  territories,  was  cov- 
ered by  Indian  reservations,  on  which  settlement  b\-  whites  was  strictly  for- 
bidden. The  only  exception  was  in  favor  of  Government  agents  and  reli- 
gious missionaries:  and  these,  especially  the  former,  were  nearly  all  Democrats 
and  violent  partisans  of  slaver\'.  *  *  *  *  Within  three  months  immediately 
preceding  the  passage  of  the  Kansas  bill  aforesaid,  treaties  were  quietly  made 
at  \\'ashington  with  the  Delawares.  Otoes,  Kickapoos,  Kaskaskias,  Shawnees, 
Sacs,  Foxes  and  other  tribes,  whereby  the  greater  part  of  the  soil  of  Kansas. 
lying  within  one  or  two  hundred  miles  of  the  Missouri  border,  was  suddenly 
opened  to  white  appropriation  and  settlement.  These  simultaneous  ])urchases 
of  the  Indian  land  by  the  Government,  though  little  was  known  of  them  else- 
where, were  thoroughly  understood  and  appreciated  Ijy  the  Missourians  of  the 
western  border,  \vho  had  for  some  lime  been  organizing  'Blue  Lodges."  'Social 
Bands,'  'Sons  of  the  South,'  and  other  societies,  with  intent  to  take  posses- 
sion of  Kansas  in  behalf  of  slavery.  They  were  well  assured  and  they  fully 
believed  that  the  object  contemjjlated  and  desired,  in  lifting,  Ijy  the  terms  of 
the  Kansas-Nebraska  Ijill,  tlie  interdict  of  slavery  from  Kansas,  was  to  author- 
ize and  facilitate  the  legal  extension  of  slavery  into  that  regicjn.  Within  a 
few  days  after  the  passage  of  the  Kansas-Nebraska  act,  hundreds  of  leading 
Missourians  crossed  into  the  adjacent  territory,  selected  each  his  quarter  sec- 
tion, or  a  larger  area  of  land,  put  some  sort  of  mark  on  it,  and  then  united  with 
his  fellow-adventurers  in  a  meeting,  or  meetings,  intended  to  establish  a  sort 
of  Missouri  preemption  upon  all  this  region." 


42  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

Iniinediately  following  the  passage  of  the  territorial  act  the  iminigratioil 
of  Missourians  to  Kansas  began,  and.  indeed,  before  its  final  passage  the  best 
of  the  lands  had  been  located  and  marked  for  preeinption  by  the  Missourians. 
This  was  true,  apparently,  in  the  case  of  George  M.  Million,  whom  the  rec- 
ords disclose  was  the  first  settler  in  Atchison  county,  after  Kansas  was  made 
a  territorv-.  Mr.  Million  was  of  German  descent  and  came  to  the  vicinity 
of  Rushville  in  the  hills  east  of  Atchison  from  Coal  county,  Missouri,  prior 
to  1841.  where  he  was  married  to  Sarah  E.  Dixon  before  she  was  fifteen 
years  old.  In  1841  Million  occupied  the  present  site  of  East  Atchison  as  a 
farm.  At  that  time  the  bottom  land  just  east  of  Atchison  was  covered  with 
tall  rushes  and  was  known  as  Rush  bottom.  The  town  of  Rushville  was 
originally  known  as  Columbus,  but  the  name  was  subsequenly  changed  to 
Rushville  because  of  the  character  of  the  country  in  which  it  was  located. 
During  the  wiSiter  Million  eked  out  his  livelihood  by  cutting  wood  and  h'lul- 
ing  it  to  the  river  bank,  selling  it  in  the  spring  and  summer  to  the  steam- 
boats that  plied  up  and  down  the  Missouri  river.  Sometime  subsequent  to 
1841,  Million  built  a  flat-boat  itrry  and  operated  it  for  seven  or  eight  years 
and  did  a  thriving  business  during  the  great  gold  rush  to  California.  He 
accumulated  considerable  money  and  later  operated  a  store,  trading  with  the 
Indians  for  furs  and  Ijuying  hemp,  which  he  shipped  down  the  river.  In 
June,  1854,  he  "squatted"  on  the  present  townsite  of  Atchison,  and  built  a 
log  house  at  the  foot  of  Atchison  street,  near  his  ferry  landing,  and  just  op- 
posite his  cabin  on  the  Missouri  side  of  the  river.  Following  Million,  in  June, 
1854.  came  a  colony  of  emigrants  from  latan.  Mo.,  and  took  up  claims  in 
the  neighborhood  of  Oak  Mills.  They  were  F.  P.  Goddard,  G.  B.  Goddard, 
James  Douglass,  .\llen  Hanson  and  George  A.  Wright,  but  the  actual  set- 
tlers and  founders  of  Atchison  county  did  not  enter  the  territory  of  Kan- 
sas until  July,  1854.  On  the  twentieth  day  of  that  month  Dr.  J.  H.  String- 
fellow  with  Ira  Norris.  Leonidas  Oldham,  James  B.  Martin  and  Neil  Owens 
left  Platte  City,  Mo.,  to  decide  definitely  upon  a  good  location  for  a  town. 
With  the  exception  of  Dr.  Stringfellow  they  all  took  claims  about  four  miles 
southwest  of  tlie  present  city  of  Atchison.  Traveling  in  a  southwesterly 
direction  from  Platte  City  the  party  reached  th.c  ri\er  opposite  Ft.  Leaven- 
worth and  crossed  to  the  Kansas  side.  They  went  north  until  they  reached 
the  mouth  of  W^alnut  creek,  "and  John  Alcorn's  lonely  cabin  upon  its  banks." 
They  continued  their  course  up  the  river  until  they  came  to  the  "south  edge 
of  the  rim  of  the  basin  which  circles  around  from  the  south  line  of  the  city, 
extending  west  bv  gradual  incline  to  tlie  divide  between   White  Clav  and 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  43 

Stranger  creek,  then  north  and  east  around  to  the  northern  limits  of  the  city." 
It  was  at  this  point  that  the  Missouri  river  made  the  bend  from  the  north- 
east, throwing  the  point  where  Atchison  is  now  located,  twelve  miles  west  of 
any  locality,  north,  and  twenty  miles  west  of  Leavenworth,  and  thirty-five 
miles  west  of  Kansas  City.  When  they  descended  into  the  valley,  of  which 
Commercial  street  is  now  the  lowest  point.  Dr.  Stringfellow  and  his  com- 
panions found  George  M.  Million  and  Samuel  Dickson.  Mr.  Dicksoii  fol- 
lowed Million  to  Kansas  from  Rushville,  and  while  there  is  some  dispute  as 
to  who  was  the  second  resident  in  Atchison  county  after  the  passage  of  the 
Kansas-Nebraska  bill,  the  best  authorities  lead  to  the  conclusion  that  to  Sam- 
uel Dickson  belongs  that  honor.  Mr.  Dickson  erected  a  small  shanty  near 
the  spring,  which  bore  his  name  for  so  many  years,  on  the  east  side  of  South 
Si.xth  street,  between  Park  and  Spring  streets.  His  house  is  described  as 
a  structure  twelve  feet  square,  having  one  door  and  one  window  and  a  large 
stone  chimney  running  up  the  outside.  As  soon  as  Dr.  Stringfellow  ar- 
rived he  at  once  commenced  negotiations  with  Mr.  Million  for  the  purchase 
of  his  claim.  Mr.  Million,  apparently,  was  a  shrewd  real  estate  speculator 
and  onl\-  surrrendered  his  claim  upon  the  payment  of  $i,ooo.  Dr.  String- 
fellow  considered  this  a  very  fancy  figure  for  the  land,  but  he  and  his  associ- 
ates were  firm  in  their  decision  of  founding  a  city  at  this  point  on  the  Mis- 
souri river  and  they  gave  Mr.  Million  his  price.  The  organization  of  a 
town  company  which  followed  will  be  discussed  in  a  subsequent  cliapter  of 
this  territory. 

The  first  territorial  appointment  for  the  purpose  of  inaugurating  a  local 
government  in  Kansas  was  made  in  June.  1834.  Governor  Andrew  H. 
Reeder,  of  Easton,  Pa.,  was  appointed  on  that  date.  He  took  the  oath  of 
office  in  Washington,  D.  C,  July  7.  and  arrived  in  Kansas  at  Ft.  Leaven- 
worth October  7,  becoming  at  once  the  executive  head  of  the  Kansas  govern- 
ment. Governor  Reeder  was  a  stranger  to  Kansas.  With  the  exception  of 
Senator  Atchison  he  scarcely  knew  anybody  in  Kansas.  He  was  a  lawyer  by 
profession,  one  of  tlie  ablest  in  the  State  of  Pennsylvania.  From  early  man- 
iiood  he  had  been  an  ardent  and  loyal  Democrat  and  had  defended  with  vigor 
and  great  power  the  principle  of  squatter  sovereignty  and  the  Kansas- 
Nebraska  liill.  Hf  was  not  a  politician  and  was  an  able,  honest,  clear-think- 
ing Democrat.  Upon  his  arrival  in  Kansas  he  set  himself  at  once  to  the 
task  of  inaugurating  the  government  in  the  territory.  According  to  his  own 
testimony  before  the  special  congressional  committee  appointed  by  Congress 
to  investigate  the  troubles  in  Kansas  in  1856,  he  made  it  his  first  business  to 


44  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

obtain  information  of  the  geography,  settlements,  population  and  general 
condition  of  the  territory,  with  a  view  to  its  division  into  districts;  the  de- 
fining of  their  boundary ;  the  location  of  suitable  and  central  places  for  elec- 
tions, and  the  full  names  of  men  in  each  district  for  election  officers,  per- 
sons to  take  the  census,  justices  of  the  peace,  and  constables.  He  accordingly 
made  a  tour  of  the  territory,  and  altiiough  he  did  not  come  to  Atchison 
county  his  tour  included  many  important  and  remote  settlements  in  the  ter- 
ritory. Upon  his  return  he  concluded  that  if  the  election  for  a  delegate  to 
Congress  should  be  postponed  until  an  election  could  be  had  for  the  legis- 
lature, whicli,  in  the  one  case  required  no  previous  census,  and  in  the  other 
a  census  was  required,  the  greater  part  nf  the  session  of  Congress,  which 
would  termiriate  on  the  fourth  of  Marcli,  would  expire  before  a  congressional 
delegate  from  the  territory  could  reach  Washington.  He,  therefore,  ordered 
an  election  for  a  delegate  to  Congress,  and  postponed  the  taking  of  the  cen- 
sus until  after  that  election.  He  prepared,  without  unnecessary  delay,  a 
division  of  the  territorv-  into  election  districts,  fixed  a  place  of  election  in 
each,  appointed  election  officers  and  ordered  that  the  election  should  take 
place  November  29,  1854.  Atchison  county  was  in  the  fifteenth  election 
district,  wliich  comprised  the  following  territory :  Commencing  at  the 
mouth  of  Salt  creek  on  the  Missouri  river:  thence  up  said  creek  to  the  mili- 
tary road  and  along  the  middle  of  said  road  to  the  lower  crossing  of  Stranger 
creek;  thence  up  said  creek  to  the  line  of  the  Kickapoo  reservation,  and 
thence  along  the  southern  and  western  line  thereof  to  the  line  nf  the  four- 
teenth district;  thence  between  same,  and  down  Independence  creek  to  the 
mouth  thereof,  and  thence  down  the  Missouri  river  to  the  place  of  beginning. 
The  place  of  the  election  was  at  the  house  of  Pascal  Pensoneau,  on  the  Ft. 
Leavenworth  and  Oregon  road,  near  what  is  now  the  town  site  of  Potter. 
The  election  which  followed  was  an  exciting  one.  Public  meetings  were 
held  in  all  of  the  towns  and  villages,  at  which  resolutions  were  passed  against 
the  eastern  abolitionists,  the  Platte  Comity  Argus  sounding  the  following 
alarm : 

''We  know  we  speak  the  sentiments  of  some  of  the  most  distingiiished 
statesmen  of  Missouri  when  we  advise  that  counter-organizations  lie  made, 
both  in  Kansas  and  Missouri,  to  thwart  the  wreckless  course  of  the  abolition- 
ists. We  must  meet  them  at  their  very  tlireshliold  and  scourge  them  back  to 
their  covers  of  darkness.  They  have  made  the  issue,  and  it  is  for  us  to  meet 
and  repel  them." 

The  secret  organizations,  of  whicli  Greeley  spoke,  known  as  the  "Blue 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  45 

Lodges,"  "Social  Bands,"  and  "Sons  of  the  South,"  became  very  active, 
and  knowing  the  condition  of  affairs  along  the  Alissouri  border,  and  hav- 
ing learned  tlie  needs  and  wishes  of  the  actual  settlers  in  the  territory,  Gov- 
ernor Reeder  decided  that  tiieir  rights  should  not  be  jeopardized.  Therefore, 
in  ordering  an  election  of  a  congressional  delegate  only,  with  the  idea  of  a 
later  proclamation  ordering  a  territorial  election  of  a  legislatm-e,  he  knew 
that  much  trouble  would  iie  spared.  In  his  proclamation  for  the  con- 
gressional election,  provision  was  made  for  defining  the  qualifications  of 
legal  voters,  and  providing  against  fraud,  both  of  which  provisions  were  re- 
ceived with  alarm  by  the  leaders  of  the  sla\ery  Democracy,  who,  up  to  that 
time  had  hoped  that  the  administration  at  Washington  had  sent  them  an 
allv.     It  was  not  long  until  they  discovered  that  they  were  mistaken. 

The  actual  settlers  of  the  territory  did  not  evince  much  interest  in  the 
election.  They  were  all  engaged  in  what  appeared  to  them  to  be  the  more 
important  business  of  Ixiilding  their  homes  and  otherwise  providing  neces- 
sities before  the  approach  of  winter.  There  were  no  party  organizations 
in  the  territory.  The  slavery  question  was  not  generally  understood  to  be 
nn  issue.  The  first  candidates  to  announce  themselves  were  James  N.  Burnes, 
whose  name  has  for  sixty  years  been  promi'nently  identified  with  the  social, 
political  and  business  history  of  Atchison  county,  and  J.  B.  Chapman.  These 
two  candidates  subsequently  withdrew  from  the  campaign,  and  the  names 
finally  submitted  to  the  voters  were:  Gen.  John  W.  Whitfield,  Robert  P. 
Flenneken,  Judge  John  .\.  Wakefield.  Whitfield  ignored  the  slavery  issue 
during  his  canvass,  but  his  cause  was  openly  espoused  by  the  Missourians. 
Flenneken  was  a  friend  of  Governor  Reeder,  with  Free  Soil  proclivities. 
Wakefield  was  an  out-spoken  Free-Soiler.  Hon.  David  R.  Atchison,  then  a 
United  States  senator,  and  for  whom  Atchison  county  was  named,  was  the 
head  and  front  of  tlie  pro-slavery  movement.  Fie  had  a  national  reputation 
and  was  a  ])ower  in  the  United  States  Senate,  and  won  for  himself  the  liigh- 
est  position  in  the  gift  of  the  Senate,  having  been  chosen  president  pro- 
tempore  of  that  body  after  the  death  of  Vice-President  King.  He  was  loyal 
to  the  southern  views  regarding  slavery  and  this  made  him  the  unquestioned 
leader  of  the  parly  which  believed,  as  Senator  Atchison  himself  believed, 
that  the  passage  of  the  Kansas-Nebraska  bill  would  inevitably  result  in  a 
slave  State  west  of  Missouri.  It  was  to  Senator  Atchison  that  Dr.  J.  H, 
Stringfellow,  himself  one  of  the  .strong  leaders  of  the  pro-slavery  forces, 
looked  for  inspiration  and  direction.  In  a  speech  Senator  Atchison  made  in 
Weston.  Mo.,  November  6,  1854,  which  was  just  prior  to  tlie  congressional 
election  in  Kansas,  he  said : 


46  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

"My  mission  here  today  is,  if  possible,  to  awaken  the  people  of  this 
country  to  the  danger  ahead  and  to  suggest  the  means  to  avoid  it.  The  peo- 
ple of  Kansas  in  their  first  elections  will  decide  the  question  whether  or  not 
the  slave-holder  was  to  be  excluded,  and  it  depends  upon  a  majority  of  the 
votes  cast  at  the  polls.  Now,  if  a  set  of  fanatics  and  demagogues  a  thousand 
miles  off  could  afford  to  advance  their  money  and  exert  every  nerve  to 
abolitionize  the  territory  and  exclude  the  slave-holder,  when  they  have  not 
the  least  personal  interest  in  the  matter,  what  is  your  duty?  When  you  re- 
side within  one  day's  journey  of  the  territory,  and  when  your  peace,  your 
quiet,  and  your  property  depend  upon  this  action  you  can  without  any  exer- 
tion send  five  hundred  of  your  young  men  who  will  vote  in  favor  of  your 
institutions." 

On  November  28,  the  day  preceding  the  election,  the  secret  society  voters 
in  Missouri  began  to  cross  over  into  Kansas.  They  came  organized  to  carry 
the  election  and  in  such  overwhelming  numbers  as  to  completely  over-awe 
and  out-number  the  legal  voters  of  the  territory  at  many  of  the  precincts. 
They  took  possession  of  the  polls,  elected  many  of  the  judges,  intimidated 
others  to  resign  and  refusing  to  take  the  oath  qualifying  themselves  as  voters 
and  prescribe  to  the  regulations  of  the  election,  cast  their  liallots  for  General 
John  W.  Whitfield  and  hastily  beat  their  retreat  to  Missouri.  The  whole 
number  of  votes  cast  in  that  election  was  2,233.  o^  wliich  number  Whitfield 
received  2,258;  Wakefield,  248;  Flenneken,  305,  with  twenty-two  scattering 
votes.  The  frauds  which  were  at  first  denied  by  both  tlie  pro-slaven,'  news- 
papers and  General  Whitfield  himself,  were  not  long  in  being  discovered. 

In  the  Fifteenth  district,  of  which  Atchison  county  was  a  part,  the  total 
number  of  votes  cast  was  306,  of  which  Wakefield  got  none ;  Flenneken.  39. 
and  Whitfield,  267.  The  total  number  of  votes  given  by  the  census  was  308, 
and  in  the  majority  report  of  the  congressional  committee  of  the  following 
year  206  illegal  votes  were  shown  to  have  been  cast  in  that  district.  How- 
ever, there  was  little  immediate  disturbance  following  the  election.  The  set- 
tlers continued  to  busy  themselves  in  completing  their  homes  and  were  more 
interested  in  securing  titles  to  their  lands  than  in  the  future  destiny  of  the 
territory. 

In  the  following  January  and  February  Governor  Reeder  caused  an 
enumeration  of  the  inhabitants  to  be  taken  preparatory  to  calling  an  election 
for  a  legislature.  H.  B.  Jolly  was  named  as  enumerator  for  the  Fifteenth 
district  and  Mr.  Jolly  found  a  total  of  873  persons  in  the  district,  divided  as 
follows:    Males,  492;  females,  381 ;  voters.  308:  minors.  448;  natives  of  the 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  47 

United  States,  846;  foreign  l^orn.  sixteen;  negroes,  fifteen;  slaves,  fifteen. 
The  date  appointed  for  the  legislative  election  was  March  30,  1855.  The 
proclamation  of  the  governor  defined  the  election  districts;  appointed  the 
voting  precincts ;  named  the  judges  of  the  election,  defined  the  duties  of  the 
judges,  and  the  qualifications  of  voters.  Thirteen  members  of  the  council 
and  twenty-six  members  of  the  house  of  representatives  were  to  constitute 
the  legislative  assembly  of  the  territory.  Atchison  was  in  the  Ninth  coun- 
cil district  and  in  the  Thirteenth  representative  district.  Following  the  prec- 
edent established  in  the  election  for  congressional  delegate  the  November 
before  the  blue  lodges  of  Missouri  became  active  and  large  numbers  of 
members  of  the  secret  societies  of  Missouri  were  sent  into  eveiy  council  and 
representative  district  in  the  territory  for  the  purpose  of  controlling  the  elec- 
tion. They  were  armed  and  came  with  provisions  and  tents.  They  over- 
powered and  intimidated  the  resident  voters  to  such  an  extent  that  only 
1. 410  legal  \otes  were  cast  in  the  territory  out  of  2,905  enumerated  in  (he 
census. 

D.  A.  N.  Grover  was  the  pro-slavery  candidate  for  councilman  in  the 
Ninth  Council  district  with  no  opposition  and  he  received  411  votes  which 
was  the  total  number  of  votes  enumerated  for  that  district.  H.  B.  C.  Harris 
and  J.  Weddell  were  the  pro-slavery  candidates  for  representative  in  the 
Thirteenth  district  with  no  opposition.  They  each  received  412  votes,  being 
the  total  number  of  votes  enumerated  in  the  district. 

It  was  another  victory  for  the  pro-slavery  sympathizers  and  the  Free 
State  men  were  indignant,  while  on  the  other  hand  the  pro-slaven,'  residents, 
with  their  Missouri  allies,  did  not  conceal  their  joy,  at  the  same  time  ad- 
mitting frankly  the  outrages  which  were  practiced  at  the  polls.  The  Leaven- 
zvorth  Herald  of  April  6  headed  its  election  retiu-ns  with  the  following: 

"All  Hail. 

Pro-Slavery  Party  Victorious. 

We  have  met  the  enemy,  and  they  are  ours. 

Veni  Vidi  Vici ! 

Free  White  State  Party  used  up. 

"The  triumph  of  the  pro-slavery  party  is  complete  and  overwhelming. 
Come  on.  Southern  men ;  bring  your  slaves  and  fill  up  the  territory.  Kansas 
is  Saved !  Abolitionism  is  rebuked.  Her  fortress  stormed.  Her  flag  is 
dragging  in  the  dust.  The  tri-colored  platform  has  fallen  with  a  crash.  The 
rotten  timbers  of  its  structure  were  not  sufficient  to  sustain  the  small  frag- 
ments of  the  party." 


48  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

Tlie  Parkvillc  Linninary,  which  was  jniblished  in  Platte  county.  Missouri, 
very  mildly  protested  against  the  manner  of  carrying  the  election  and  spoke 
in  friendly  terms  of  the  Free  Soil  settlers.  The  following  week  its  office 
and  place  was  destroyed  by  a  mob  and  forced  its  editors  to  flee  the  country 
for  their  lives. 

The  election  of  November  29.  1854,  so  incensed  the  .\nti-Slavery  ele- 
ment that  the  Free  State  movement  was  given  a  great  impetus.  A  conven- 
tion of  Free  State  men  at  Lawrence  June  8,  1855,  and  the  Big  Springs  con- 
vention September  5,  1855,  were  the  result,  and  from  that  date  many  other 
public  meetings  of  Free  State  men  followed.  The  Free  State  sentiment 
fullv  crystalized  itself  in  the  momentous  election  of  October  9,  1855,  follow- 
ing eight  days  after  the  date  set  by  the  pro-slavery  legislature  for  an  elec- 
tion of  delegate  to  Congress  to  succeed  J.  W.  Whitfield,  who  had  been  elected 
the  year  before.  The  first  election  in  1855  was  held  October  i  but  was  par- 
ticipated in  only  by  pro-slavery  men.  The  abstract  of  the  poll 
books  showed  that  2,738  votes  were  cast  in  the  territory  and 
Whitfield  received  2,721,  of  which  it  is  only  fair  to  say  that 
857  were  declared  illegal.  In  the  Free  State  election  Ex-Governor  An- 
drew H.  Reeder  received  2,849  ^'Otes,  of  which  loi  were  cast  in  Atchison 
county.  On  the  same  day  an  election  for  delegates  to  a  constitutional  con- 
vention to  be  held  at  Topeka  took  place  and  R.  H.  Crosby,  a  merchant  of 
Oceana,  Atchison  county,  and  Caleb  May,  a  farmer,  near  the  same  place, 
were  elected  delegates. 

The  returns  of  the  pro-slavery  election  having  been  made  according  to 
law,  the  governor  granted  the  certificate  of  election  to  Whitfield,  who  re- 
turned to  Washington  as  the  duly  elected  delegate  from  Kansas.  The  terri- 
torial executive  committee,  elected  at  the  Big  Springs  convention,  gave  a  cer- 
tificate of  election  to  Reeder.  The  Topeka  constitutional  convention  subse- 
fjuently  convened  October  23,  1855.  and  was  in  session  until  November  il. 
This  bodv  of  I'ree  State  men  framed  a  constitution,  and  amonsr  other  thinsfs 
memorialized  Congress  to  admit  Kansas  as  a  State.  It  was  understood  by 
all  that  the  validity  of  the  work  of  the  convention  was  contingent  upon  the 
admission  of  Kansas  as  a  State.  Meanwhile  the  executive  committee  of  Kan- 
sas Territory  appointed  at  the  Topeka  primary.  September  19,  1855,  under 
the  leadership  of  James  H.  Lane,  continued  to  direct  and  inspire  the  work 
for  a  State  government. 

.\s  a  counter-irritant  to  the  activities  of  the  Free  State  men,  and  for  the 
purpose  of  allaying  the  insane  excitement  of  the  territorial  legislature,  the 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  49 

pro-slavery  followers  organized  a  Law  and  Order  party,  which  was  pledged 
to  the  establishment  of  slavery  in  Kansas.  From  thenceforth  it  was  open 
warfare  between  the  two  great  forces  contending  for  supremacy  in  the  terri- 
torj'.  Atchison  was  the  stronghold  of  the  Law  and  Order  party,  as  Lawrence 
was  the  stronghold  of  the  Free  State  party.  The  Free  State  party  was  looked 
upon  by  the  Law  and  Order  advocates  as  made  up  of  revolutionists  and  the 
Law  and  Order  party  was  determined  to  bring  them  to  time  as  soon  as  pos- 
sible, but  as  the  members  of  the  Free  State  party  held  themselves  apart  from 
the  legal  machineiy  devised  for  the  government  of  the  territory,  bringing  no 
suits  in  its  courts ;  attending  no  elections ;  paying  no  attention  to  its  county 
organizations;  offering  no  estates  to  its  probate  judges,  and  paying  no  ta.x 
levies  made  by  authority  of  the  legislature,  they  were  careful  to  commit  no 
act  which  would  lay  themselves  liable  to  the  laws  which  they  abhorred.  They 
settled  all  their  disputes  by  arbitration  in  order  to  avoid  litigation,  but  as  they 
could  build,  manufacture,  buy  and  sell  and  establish  schools  and  churches 
without  coming  under  the  domination  of  the  pro-slavery  forces,  they  man- 
aged to  do  tolerably  well.  Where  the  inhabitants  were  mostly  Free  State, 
as  in  Lawrence  and  Topeka,  conditions  were  reasonably  satisfactory,  but  in 
localities  like  Atchison  and  Leavenworth,  where  the  Law  and-  Order  party 
dominated  affairs,  the  Free  State  inhabitants  were  forced  to  suffer  manv 
indignities  and  insults. 

During  the  month  of  August,  1855,  a  negro  woman  belonging  to  Graf- 
ton Thomassen,  who  ran  a  sawmill  in  Atchison,  was  found  drowned  in  the 
Missouri  river.  J.  \V\.  B.  Kelley,  a  rabid  anti-slavery  lawyer,  from  Cincinnati, 
who  became  a  resident  of  Atchison,  expressed  the  opinion  that  if  Thomas- 
sen's  negro  woman  had  been  treated  better  by  her  master  she  would  not  have 
committed  suicide  by  jumping  into  the  river.  Thomassen  was  greatly  angered 
at  this  personal  illusion  and  deluded  himself  into  believing  that  if  he  satis- 
fied his  own  vengeance  he  would  at  the  same  time  be  rendering  the  pro- 
slavery  ])arty  a  service.  He  therefore  picked  a  quarrel  with  Kellev  and  thev 
came  to  blows,  after  which  Thomassen's  conduct  was  sustained  bv  a  large 
meeting  of  Atchison  people.  While  it  is  said  that  Thomassen  was  a  larger 
and  more  powerful  man  than  Kelley,  the  people  did  not  consider  this  fact, 
but  rather  considered  the  principle  involved,  and  as  a  result  they  commended 
the  act  in  the  following  resolution : 

"t.  Resolved,  That  one  J.  W.  B.  Kelley,  hailing  from  Cincinnati,  hav- 
ing upon  sundry  occasions  denounced  our  institutions  and  declared  all  pro- 
slavery  men  ruffians,  we  deem  it  an  act  of  kindness  and  hereby  command  him 

4 


50  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

to  leave  tlie  town  of  Atchison  one  hour  after  being  informed  of  the  passage 
of  this  resolution  never  more  to  show  himself  in  this  vicinity. 

2.  Resolved.  That  in  case  he  fails  to  obey  this  reasonable  command, 
we  inflict  upon  him  such  punishment  as  the  nature  of  the  case  may  require. 

3.  Resolved.  That  other  emissaries  of  this  'Aid  Society'  now  in  our 
midst,  tampering  with  our  slaves,  are  warned  to  leave,  else  they  too  will  meet 
the  reward  which  their  nefarious  designs  so  justly  merit. — Hemp. 

4.  Resolved,  That  we  approve  and  applaud  our  fellow-townsman,  Graf- 
ton Thomassen.  for  the  castigation  administered  to  said  J.  W.  B.  Kelley, 
whose  presence  among  us  is  a  libel  upon  our  good  standing  and  a  disgrace 
to  our  community. 

5.  Resolved,  That  we  commend  the  good  work  of  purging  our  town 
of  all  resident  abolitionists,  and  after  cleaning  our  town  of  such  nuisances 
shall  do  the  same  for  the  settlers  on  Walnut  and  Independence  creeks  whose 
propensities  for  cattle  stealing  are  well  known  to  many. 

6.  Resolved.  That  the  chairman  appoint  a  committee  of  three  to  wait 
upon  said  Kelley  and  acquaint  him  with  the  actions  of  this  meeting. 

7.  Resolved,  That  the  proceedings  of  this  meeting  be  published,  that 
the  world  may  know  our  determination." 

After  the  passage  of  these  resolutions  they  were  circulated  throughout 
Atchison  and  all  citizens  were  asked  to  sign  the  same  and  if  any  person  re- 
fused he  was  deemed  and  treated  as  an  alx>litionist.  A  few  days  after  this 
incident  Rev.  Pardee  Butler,  a  minister  of  the  Christian  cburcli.  who  was 
living  at  that  time  near  the  now  abandoned  townsite  of  Pardee,  west  of  Atch- 
ison, about  twelve  miles,  came  to  town  to  do  some  trading.  Butler  was  an 
uncompromising  anti-slaver)-  advocate  and  never  overlooked  an  opportunity 
to  make  his  sentiments  known.  He  had  strong  convictions  backed  by  cour- 
age, and  while  he  did  not  seek  controversies,  he  never  showed  a  desire  to 
avoid  them.  He  was  well  known  in  the  community  as  a  Free  State  man, 
and  so  when  he  came  into  Atchison  after  these  resolutions  were  passed  and 
the  town  was  all  excited  about  them  it  did  not  take  him  long  to  get  into  the 
controversy  and  he  condemned  in  strong  terms  the  outrage  upon  Kelley  and 
also  the  resolutions  which  were  passed.  In  the  course  of  a  conversation 
which  he  had  at  tlie  postoffice  with  Robert  S.  Kelley.  the  postmaster  and 
assistant  editor  of  the  Squatter  So7-ereig)i.  he  informed  Mr.  Kelley  that  he 
bng  since  would  have  become  a  subscriber  to  his  paper  bad  he  not  disliked 
the  violent  sentiments  which  appeared  in  its  columns.  Mr.  Kelley  replied : 
"I  look  upon  all   Free  Soilers  as  rogues  and  they  ought  to  be  treated  as 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  5  I 

such."  Mr.  Butler  responded:  "I  am  a  Free  Soiler  and  expect  to  vote  for 
Kansas  as  a  Free  State."  "I  do  not  expect  you  will  be  allowed  to  vote,"  was 
Mr.  Kelley's  reply.  On  the  following  morning  Mr.  Kelley  called  at  the 
National  hotel,  corner  of  Second  and  Atchison  streets,  where  Mr.  Butler  liad 
spent  the  night,  accompanied  by  a  numl)er  of  friends  and  demanded  Butler 
to  sign  the  resolutions,  which  of  course  Mr.  Butler  refused  to  do,  and  walked 
down  stairs  into  the  street.  A  crowd  gathered  and  seized  Mr.  Butler,  drag- 
ging him  towards  the  river,  shouting  that  they  intended  to  drown  him.  Tlie 
mob  increased  in  size  as  they  proceeded  with  the  victim.  A  vote  was  taken  as 
to  the  kind  of  punishment  which  ought  to  be  given  him  and  a  verdict  of  death 
by  lianging  was  rendered.  It  was  not  discovered  until  fortv  years  afterwards 
that  Mr.  Kelley,  the  teller,  saved  Mr.  Butler's  life  by  making  false  returns  to 
the  excited  mob.  Mr.  Kelley  subsequently  was  a  resident  of  Montana  and 
gave  this  information  while  stopping  in  St.  Joseph  with  Dr.  J.  H.  String- 
fellow,  the  fonrier  editor  of  tlie  Squatter  Sovereign.  Instead  of  returning  a 
verdict  of  death  by  hanging  Mr.  Kelley  announced  that  it  was  the  deci'sion 
of  the  mob  to  send  Mr.  Butler  down  the  Missouri  river  on  a  raft,  and  an 
account  of  what  followed  is  best  given  by  Rev.  Pardee  Butler  himself; 

"When  we  arrived  at  the  bank  Mr.  Kelley  painted  mv  face  with  black 
paint,  marked  upon  it  the  letter  "R."  The  company  had  increased  to  some 
thirty  or  forty  persons.  \\'itiiout  any  trial,  witness,  judge,  counsel  or  jury, 
for  about  two  hours  I  was  a  sort  of  target  at  which  were  hurled  impreca- 
tions, curses,  arguments,  entreaties,  accusations  and  interrogations.  Thev 
constructed  a  raft  of  three  cottonwood  sawlogs,  fastened  together  with  inch 
plank  nailed  to  the  logs,  upon  which  the\-  put  me  and  sent  me  down  the  Mis- 
souri river.  The  raft  was  towed  out  to  the  middle  of  the  stream  with  a 
canoe.  Robert  S.  Kelley  held  the  rope  that  towed  the  raft.  They  g■a^■e  me 
neither  rudder,  oar  nor  anything  else  to  manage  my  raft  with.  Thev  put 
up  a  flag  on  the  raft  with  the  following  inscription  on  it : 

'Eastern  Emigrant  Aid  Express. 

The  Rev.  Pardee  Butler  again  for  the  underground  road ; 

The  way  they  are  served  in  Kansas ;  Shipped  for  Boston ;  Cargo  in- 
sured. Unavoidable  danger  of  the  Missourians  and  Missouri  ri\er 
excepted. 

I.et  future  emissaries  from  the  north  Beware. 

Our  Hemp  crop  is  sufficient  to  reward  all  such  scoundrels.' 

"They  threatened  to  shoot  me  if  I  pulled  the  flag  down.  I  pulled  it 
down,  cut  the  flag  off  the  flag  staff,  made  a  paddle  out  of  the  flag  staff 
<md  ultimately  got  ashore  about  six  miles  below." 


52  ^         HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

The  mob  was  considerate  enough  to  provide  Mr.  Butler  a  loaf  of  bread 
and  permitted  him  to  take  his  baggage  on  board,  afterwards  escorting  him 
down  tlie  river  for  some  distance. 

When  Mr.  Butler  landed  he  returned  overland  to  his  home  near  Pardee. 
On  April  30,  1856.  he  again  ventured  to  make  his  appearance  in  Atchison, 
where  he  savs :  "I  spoke  to  no  one  ih  town  save  two  merchants  of  the  place 
with  whom  I  had  business  transactions  since  my  first  arrival  in  the  territory. 
Having  remained  only  a  few  minutes  T  went  to  my  buggy  to  resume  my 
journey  when  I  was  assaulted  by  Robert  S.  Kelley,  junior  editor  of  the 
Squatter  Sovereign;  was  dragged  into  a  grocery  and  there  surrounded  by  a 
company  of  South  Carolinians  who  are  reported  to  have  been  sent  out  by  a 
Southern  Emigrant  Aid  Soci'ety.  After  exposing  me  to  every  sort  of  in- 
dignity they  stripped  me  to  the  waist,  covered  my  lx)dy  with  tar  and  then  for 
the  want  of  feathers  applied  cotton  wool,  having  appointed  a  committee  of 
three  to  certainly  hang  me  the  next  time  I  should  come  to  Atchison.  Tiiey 
tossed  my  clothes  into  the  bugg>-.  put  me  therein,  accompanying  me  to  the 
suburbs  of  the  town  and  sent  me  naked  upon  the  prairie.  I  adjusted  my  attire 
about  me  as  best  T  could  and  hastened  to  rejoin  my  wife  and  two  little  sons 
on  the  banks  of  Stranger  creek.  It  was  rather  a  sorrowful  meeting  after  so 
long  a  parting." 

Tiie  above  incident  gives  some  idea  of  the  prevailing  sentiment  in  Atch- 
ison county  during  the  period  beginning  in  1854  and  ending  in   1857. 

There  was  little  chance  of  Free  State  settlers  to  avoid  trouble  except 
by  discreet  silence.  It  would  not  be  just,  however,  to  fail  to  disclose  the 
fact  that  the  Free  State  men  also  had  their  secret  organizations.  The 
Kansas  Legion  was  a  military  organization  for  dcfensi\'e  purposes  only.  Its 
members  were  organized  into  companies,  battalions  and  regiments  and  were 
officered  and  armed  with  rifles  and  pistols  sent  from  the  East.  These  or- 
ganizations were  the  natural  result  of  the  secret  pro-slavery  organizations 
of  Missouri  and  were  known  to  exist  to  protect  the  Free  State  settlers  against 
the  attacks  of  the  Blue  Lodges,  Sons  of  the  South,  and  the  Social  Bands. 

.\  man  by  the  name  of  Pat  Laughlin  became  a  member  of  the  Kansas 
Legion  and  was  very  active  in  organizing  companies  of  that  organization 
at  different  points  in  the  territory.  He  subsequently  Ijecame  a  traitor  to  his 
associates  and  gave  out  information  to  the  enemy,  thereby  creating  great  in- 
dignation among  his  former  friends  whom  he  had  betrayed  Later  Laughlin 
and  Samuel  Collins,  of  Doniphan  county,  liecame  engaged  in  a  fierce  alterca- 
tion and  friends  of  both  parties  to  the  dispute    were    present    and    aiTned. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  53 

Lauglilin  shot  Collins  and  killed  him  on  the  spot  and  was  slightly  wounded 
himself.  This  affair  occurred  October  25,  1855.  No  attempt  was  made  by 
the  appointed  peace  officers  of  the  territory  to  bring  the  guilty  parties  par- 
ticipating in  the  Pardee  Butler  outrage  or  the  murder  of  Collins  to  justice. 
Shortly  after  Laughlin  recovered  from  his  wound  he  secured  a  position  in  a 
store  in  Atchison  and  lived  there  for  many  years. 

This  condition  of  affairs  could  not  long  exist  without  an  open  rupture 
between  the  two  opposing  forces  and  from  this  time  on  there  was  a  succes- 
sion of  personal  encounters  of  wide  significance,  and  in  addition  there  was 
the  war  along  the  border  in  which  Atchison  county  played  a  conspicuous 
but  not  a  glorious  part.  The  activities  here  at  that  crucial  period  were  largely 
in  the  interest  of  the  pro-slavery  forces.  It  was  at  this  juncture  that  the  im- 
mortal John  Brown  appeared  on  the  scene  to  begin  his  work  of  driving  the 
slavery  advocates  from  Kansas  and  making  it  and  the  Nation  free.  His  first 
appearance  among  the  Free  State  men  was  December  7,  1855,  but  he  had 
been  in  the  territory  several  months  before  that  with  his  four  sons.  John 
Brown  did  not  reach  Atchison  county  during  his  stormy  career  in  Kansas. 
•Tlie  nearest  he  e\-er  came  was  in  1857  when  he  passed  througli  Jackson 
county  with  a  party  of  slaves  which  he  was  taking  from  Missouri  to  Nebraska 
for  the  purpose  of  setting  them  free.  In  the  historical  edition  of  the  Atch- 
ison Daily  Globe  of  July  16,  1894,  there  appears  the  following  short  refer- 
ence to  this  excursion; 

"In  1857  John  Brown  made  a  trip  from  Missouri  into  Nebraska  with  a 
party  of  slave  negroes  which  he  intended  to  set  free.  His  route  was  through 
Jackson  county,  Kansas,  and  up  by  where  the  town  of  Centralia  now  stands. 
A  lot  of  the  pro-slaAcry  enthusiasts  in  Atchison  heard  of  the  affair  and 
went  out  to  intercept  Brown.  They  came  up  with  him  near  Centralia,  but 
Brown  had  heard  of  their  coming  and  captured  the  entire  party.  One  of  the 
men  in  the  pro-slavery  party  was  named  George  Ringo :  afterwards  he  sol- 
diered with  Dwight  Merlin  in  the  Thirteenth  Kansas  and  often  talked  of  the 
trip  to  Merwin  around  their  camp  fires.  Ringo  says  that  James  T.  Her- 
ford  was  another  member  of  the  pro-slavery  party,  and  a  man  named  Cook 
was  another.  John  Brown  looked  at  Cook  critically  after  the  capture  and 
asked  his  name.  Cook  said  his  name  was  Thomas  Porter.  "I  believe  you 
are  being.  I  believe  your  name  is  Cook  and  if  I  was  certain  of  it  I  would 
kill  you,"  Brown  said.  Cook  was  one  of  the  men  accused  of  killing  Brown's 
son  at  Osawatomie,  but  Brown  was  not  certain  of  his  identity  and  let  him 
go  with  the  others.  George  Ringo  says  that  Brown  held  a  prayer  meeting 
in  his  camp  every  evening  and  asked  a  blessing  at  every  meal. 


54  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

"One  night  when  the  Atchison  party  was  in  the  custody  of  Brown,  Brown 
asked  Jim  Herford  to  pray.  'I  can't  pray,'  Herford  replied.  'Didn't  your 
mother  teach  you  to  pray?'  Brown  inquired.  'She  taught  me  to  say,  "Now 
I  lay  me  down  to  sleep,"  that  was  all,'  Herford  answered.  'AH  right,' 
Brown  said,  'get  down  on  your  knees  and  say,  "Now  I  lay  me  down  to 
sleep."  "  Herford  did  as  he  was  requested,  being  afraid  to  refuse  and  Brown 
soon  rolled  himself  in  a  blanket  and  went  to  sleep." 

As  the  activities  of  Brown  increased  so  likewise  the  activities  of  the 
pro-slaverjf  forces  increased  under  the  leadership  of  Senator  Atchison,  of 
Missouri,  and  Dr.  Stringfellow,  editor  of  the  Squatter  Sovereign.  The 
Squatter  Sovereign,  about  which  more  will  appear  in  a  subsequent  chapter, 
was  published  in  Atchison  and  was  largely  supported  by  government  adver- 
tising patronage.  It  was  the  leading  pro-slavery  newspaper  organ  of  the 
territory.  Senator  Atchison's  activities  were  of  the  most  pronounced  sort. 
He  not  only  urged  his  Missouri  constituents  to  invade  the  territory  in  all 
their  might  and  capture  the  Yankees,  but  he  went  himself.  .\t  Platte  City, 
Mo.,  Februarv  4,  1856,  Senator  Atchison  made  a  speech  which  gives 
some  idea  of  the  language  he  employed  in  urging  the  people  of  western 
Missouri  to  join  in  the  invading  of  Kansas.     He  said: 

"I  was  a  prominent  agent  in  repealing  the  Missouri  Compromise  and 
opening  the  territory  for  settlement.  The  abolition  traitors  drummed  up 
their  forces  and  wliistled  tiiem  onto  the  cars,  and  whistled  them  off  again  at 
Kansas  City ;  some  of  them  had  'Kansas  and  Liberty'  on  their  hats.  T  saw 
this  with  my  own  eyes.  These  men  came  with  the  avowed  purpose  of  driv- 
ing or  expelling  you  from  the  territory.  What  did  I  advise  you  to  do  ?  Why, 
to  beat  them  at  their  own  game.  Wlien  the  first  election  came  off  I  told  you 
to  go  over  and  vote.  You  did  so  and  Iieat  them.  Well,  what  next?  Why, 
an  election  of  members  of  the  legislature  to  organize  the  territory  must  be 
held.  What  did  I  advise  you  to  do  then?  Why,  meet  them  on  tiieir  own 
ground  and  at  their  own  game  again;  and,  cold  and  inclement  as  the  weather 
was,  I  went  over  with  a  company  of  men.  The  abolitionists  of  the  North 
said,  and  published  it  abroad,  that  Atchison  was  there  with  bowie-knives, 
and  by  God,  it  was  true.  I  never  did  go  into  that  territory — I  never  intend 
to  go  into  that  territory — without  being  prepared  for  all  such  kinds  of  cattle. 

"They  held  an  election  on  the  fifteenth  of  last  month  and  tliey  intend 
to  put  the  machinery  of  the  State  in  motinu  on  the  fourth  of  March.  Now 
you  are  entitled  to  my  adx'ice.  and  you  shall  ha\c  it.  I  say.  h'cl^are  your- 
seh'cs.     Go  over  there.     Send  yoiu'  young  men.  and  if  liiey  attempt  tu  drive 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  55 

yon  out,  then,  tlamn  them,  drive  thciii  out.  Fifty  of  you  with  your  shotguns 
are  worth  250  of  them  with  their  Sharpe's  rifles.  Get  ready — arm  your- 
selves :  for.  if  they  abolitionize  Kansas  you  lose  one  million  dollars  of  your 
property.  I  am  satisfied  that  I  can  justify  e-\-ery  act  of  you  before  God  and  a 
jury." 

All  of  the  pro-sIaver\^  papers  were  open  in  their  ad\'ocacy  of  an  immedi- 
nte  war  of  extemiination.  The  Squatter  Sovereign  in  its  issue  just  after  the 
electicjn  of  January  15,  commenting-  on  certain  disturbances  at  Easton  and  a 
mvu-der  at  Leavenworth,  did  not  condemn  what  took  place  at  Easton  and 
had  no  word  of  apology  or  pity  to  offer  for  the  murdered  man.  On  the  con- 
trary it  upheld  those  who  committed  the  murder  and  gave  them  encourage- 
ment in  their  campaign  of  killing  abolitionists.  Dr.  Stringfellow  employed 
his  violent  rhetoric  to  gWe  vent  to  his  feelings  and  the  opening  paragraph 
of  his  leading  editorial  in  the  issue  of  the  Squatter  Sofereigii  he  used  the 
following  language : 

"It  seems  now  to  be  certain  that  we  will  have  to  give  the  abolitionists  at 
least  line  good  thrashing  before  political  matters  are  settled  in  this  territory. 
To  do  so  we  must  have  arms ;  we  have  the  men.  I  propose  to  raise  funds  to 
furnish  Colt's  revolvers  for  those  who  are  without  them.  We  say  if  the 
alx)litionists  are  able  to  whip  us  and  overturn  the  government  that  has  been 
set  up  here,  the  sooner  it  is  known  the  better,  and  we  want  to  see  it  settled." 

During  the  whole  of  the  fo]lo\\'ing  winter  preparations  for  attack  and 
defense  went  quietly  on.  There  was  drilling-  along  the  border  and  discjuiet- 
ing  rumors  came  from  time  to  time  of  companies  that  had  been  organized 
and  equipped  to  move  into  Kansas  as  soon  as  spring  opened  to  uphold  the 
rights  of  the  Southerners. 

.\tchison  county  took  a  prominent  part  in  the  border  warfare.  The  bold 
attitude  assumed  by  the  Free  State  forces  in  and  around  Lawrence :  the  W'aka- 
rusa  war;  the  Free  State  elections,  and  the  determination  of  the  Free  State 
party  to  convene  their  legislature  in  March,  1S56,  kept  the  partisan  pro- 
slavery  sentiment  in  .\tchison  in  a  constant  tumult.  In  March  large  numbers 
of  South  Carolina  emigrants,  armed  and  equipped  with  the  a\'0wed  purpose 
of  enforcing  southern  rights  in  Kansas,  arrived  on  all  the  incoming  steaiu- 
boats.  Capt.  F.  G.  Palmer,  of  Atchison,  commanded  one  of  the  earliest  if 
not  the  earliest  company  of  these  emigrants.  Robert  De  Treville  was  first 
lieutenant.  The  home  company  had  been  formed  prior  to  the  arrival  of  the 
South  Carolinians.  Dr.  John  H.  Stringfellow  was  ca]itain :  Roliert  S.  Kel- 
le\-,   first  lieutenant;  A.    I.   G.   Westbrook,   second  lieutenant,   and    lohn    11. 


56  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

Blassingame,  third  lieutenant.  Their  arms  v>ere  supphed  from  Ft.  Leaven- 
worth and  by  the  last  of  April  they  were  ready  and  waiting  for  the  assault 
and  the  su1)se(|uent  "sacking"  of  Lawrence.  The  wliole  cnuntryside  was 
aflame  with  the  passion  of  war.  By  May  i  quite  a  large  anny  of  pro-slaver}- 
sympathizers  was  organized.  The  South  Carolinian  Company,  from  Atch- 
ison, was  among  the  first  to  start  the  assault  upon  Lawrence  and  it  was  not 
long  before  "its  flag  was  planted  upon  the  rifle  pit  of  the  enemy."  Dr.  String- 
fellow  was  there  and  Robert  S.  Kelley,  his  able  assistant  on  the  Squatter 
Sovereign,  was  also  there.  In  an  account  of  the  assault  the  following  ap- 
peared in  the  Squatter  Sovereigns 

"The  flag  was  carried  by  its  brave  bearer  and  stationed  upon  the  Her- 
ald of  Freedom  Printing  office,  and  from  thence  to  the  large  hotel  and  for- 
tress of  the  Yankees,  where  it  proudly  waived  until  the  artillery  commenced 
battering  down  the  building.  Our  company  was  composed  mostly  of  South 
Carolinians,  under  command  of  Capt.  Robert  De  Treville,  late  of  Charleston, 
S.  C.  and  we  venture  the  prediction  that  a  braver  set  of  men  than  are  found 
in  its  ranks  never  bore  arms  " 

'llie  Squatter  Sovereign  continued  to  be  witlmut  fear  the  most  bitter 
and  uncompromising  pro-slavery  organ  in  the  territory.  Its  watch-word 
was  "Death  to  all  Yankees  and  traitors  iVi  Kansas."  At  a  large  mass  meet- 
ing at  Atchison,  held  in  June,  1856,  Robert  S.  Kelley,  its  assistant  editor, 
was  nominated  as  the  "commander-in-Chief  of  tlie  forces  in  town."  but  for 
some  reason  now  lost  to  view  Kelley  declined  the  honor  and  it  was  passed 
on  to  Capt.  F.  G.  Palmer  who  accepted  it  without  remorse  and  without 
apologies.  Senator  Atchison  was  present  at  this  mass  meeting  and  made  a 
speech,  and  so  was  Col.  Peter  T.  Abel],  afterwards  president  of  the  Atch- 
ison Town  Company,  and  Captain  De  Treville.  and  others  not  so  famous, 
and  they  all  made  speeches. 

During  that  summer,  Ijecause  of  the  continued  activities  of  old  John 
Brown  and  the  agitation  which  those  activities  created  in  the  breasts  of  the 
pro-slaverjr  sympathizers  in  Atchison,  another  military  company  was  formed, 
called  the  Atchison  Guards,  of  which  John  Robertson  was  the  commander, 
who  was  so  prominent  in  the  Battle  of  Hickory  PoiiU.  and  Atchison  county 
continued  to  take  a  prominent  part  in  the  border  warfare  which  continued 
for  sometime  thereafter.  During  all  of  this  time  the  Free  State  settlers  of 
Atchison  were  very  quiet  and  undemonstrative.  They  were  not  strong  in 
number  and  aside  from  a  few  virile  souls  like  Pardee  Butler,  they  held  their 
tongues  and  kept  their  own  counsel.     They  were  treated  with  scant  courtesy 


(I'pjjer)   Atcliisoii   Ilusiiitiil.      (('('lit'T)    -Ati-liison  (.'ouiity  C'diirt  ?ti)iisi>.      (I.owit)    V.  y\.  ('.  A. 


58  HISTORY  OF  ATCIIl.SOX  COUNTY 

and  consideration  liy  their  pro-slavery  neighbors,  and  it  can  be  said  to  tlieir 
credit  that  no  set  of  men  ever  displayed  greater  self-restraint  or  suffered  more 
for  the  cause  of  peace  than  the  Free  State  settlers  of  this  county.  It  doubt- 
less unsettled  their  minds  and  disturbed  their  slumbers  to  read  from  time  to 
time  sentiments  such  as  these  taken  from  tlie  Squatter  Sovereign  of  June 
10,  1856: 

"Hundreds  of  Free  State  men  who  have  committed  no  overt  act,  but  have 
only  given  countenance  to  those  reckless  murderers,  assassins  aiid  thieves, 
will,  of  necessity,  share  the  same  fate  of  their  brethren.  If  Civil  war  is  to 
be  the  result  of  such  a  conflict,  there  cannot  Ije  and  wil!  not  be,  am-  neutrals 
recognized.  'He  that  is  not  for  us  is  against  us,'  will  of  necessity  be  the 
motto,  and  those  who  are  tiot  willing  to  take  either  one  side  or  the  other  are 
the  most  unfortunate  men  in  Kansas  and  had  better  flee  to  other  regions 
as  expeditiously  as  possible.     They  are  not  the  men  for  Kansas." 

In  another  issue  Dr.  Stringfellow  said : 

"The  abolitionists  shoot  down  our  men  without  provocation  where\-er 
they  meet  them.  Let  us  retaliate  in  the  same  manner.  .\  free  fight  is  all 
we  desire.  If  murder  an<l  assassination  is  the  program  of  the  dav  we  are 
in  favor  of  filling  the  bill.  Let  not  the  knives  of  the  pro-s!avcrv  men  be 
sheathed  while  there  is  one  abolitionist  in  the  territorv'.  As  the\-  have  shown 
no  quarters  to  our  men  they  deserve  none  from  us.  Let  our  motto  be  writ- 
ten in  blood  upon  our  flags,  'Death  lo  all  ]'aiikees  and  Traitors  in  Kansas.' 
We  have  150  men  in  .\tchison  ready  to  start  in  an  liour's  notice.  .\11  we 
lack  is  horses  and  provisions." 

.\n(l  then  follows  an  e-\hortation  fnnn  Dr.  Stringfellow  to  his  friends 
in  Missouri  to  contribute  something  that  wiU  enable  his  constituents  ttj  pro- 
tect their  lives  and  their  families  from  the  outrages  of  the  assassins  of  the 
North,  and  ends  by  stating  that  the  war  will  not  cease  until  Kansas  has  been 
purged  of  abolitioni.sts. 

Pro-sla\ery  committees  from  Doni])han,  .\tchison  and  Leavenworth 
counties  were  organized  to  call  on  their  friends  in  the  South  for  arms,  am- 
munition and  provisions,  and  a  circular  letter  appeared  in  the  Leaz'cnzvorth 
Herald,  and  an  urgent  invitation  was  is.sued  to  all  the  pro-slaverv  papers  to 
give  the  circular  wide  publicity.     It  read,  in  part,  as  follows: 

"To  our  friends  througiiont  the  United  States : 

"The  undersigned,  having  been  appointed  a  committee  bv  our  fellow- 
citizens  of  the  counties  of  Leavenwurth.  Doniphan  and  .\lclnson.  in  Kansas 
Territory,  to  consult  together  and  to  adopt  measures   for  nunnal   protection 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUN'TY  59 

and  tlie  ad\ancement  of  the  interests  of  the  pro-slavery  party  in  Kansas  Ter- 
ritory, this  day  assembled  at  the  town  of  Atchison,  to  undertake  the  respon- 
sible duty  assigned  us :  and  in  our  present  emergency  deem  it  expedient  to 
address  this  circular  to  our  friends  throughout  the  union,  Ixit  more  partic- 
ularly in  the  slave-holding  states.  *  *  *  *  xhe  time  has  arrived  when 
prompt  action  is  required  and  the  interior  of  Kansas  can  easily  be  supplied 
from  various  points  in  tlie  above  named  counties.  The  pro-sla\'erv  party  is 
the  onh'  one  in  Kansas  which  pretends  to  uphold  the  Government  or  abide 
by  the  laws.  Our  party  from  the  beginning  has  sought  to  make  Kansas  a 
slave  state,  only  by  legal  means.  We  have  been  slandered  and  vilified  almost 
beyond  endurance,  yet  we  have  not  resorted  to  violence,  but  steadily  pursued 
the  law  for  the  accomplishment  of  our  objects.  *  *  *  *  \\Tq  have  proclaimed 
to  the  world  that  we  recognize  the  principle  of  the  Kansas  Bill  as  just  and 
right,  and  although  we  preferred  Kansas  l^eing  made  a  negro  slave  state,  yet 
we  never  dreamed  of  making  it  so  by  the  aid  of  bowie-knives,  revolvers  and 
Sharpe  rifles,  until  we  were  threatened  to  be  driven  out  of  the  territory  bv  a 
band  of  hired  abolitionists,  brought  up  and  sent  here  to  control  our  elections 
and  steal  our  slaves.  \\'e  are  still  ready  and  intend  to  continue  so,  if  our 
friends  abroad  stand  by  and  assist  us.  Our  people  are  poor  and  their  labor 
is  their  capital.  Deprive  them  of  that,  which  we  are  now  compelled  to  do, 
and  they  must  be  supported  from  abroad,  or  give  up  the  cause  of  the  South. 
The  Northern  Abolitionists  can  raise  millions  of  dollars,  and  station  armed 
bands  of  fanatics  throughout  the  territory  and  support  them,  in  order  to 
deprive  Southern  men  of  their  constitutional  rights.  We  address  this  to  our 
friends  only,  for  the  purpose  of  letting  them  know  our  true  condition  and 
our  wants.  We  know  that  our  call  will  meet  a  ready,  willing  and  liljeral 
response.  *  *  *  *  Heaven  and  earth  is  being  moved  in  all  the  free  states 
to  induce  overwhelming  armies  to  march  here  to  drive  us  from  the  land.  We 
are  able  to  take  care  of  those  already  here,  but  let  our  brethren  in  the  states 
take  care  of  the  outsiders.  Watch  them,  and  if  our  enemies  march  for  Kan- 
sas let  our  friends  come  along  to  take  care  of  them,  and  if  nothing  Ijut  a  fight 
can  bring  alx)Ut  peace,  let  us  have  a  fight  that  will  amount  to  something. 
Send  us  the  money  and  other  articles  mentioned  as  soon  as  practicable,  and 
if  the  abolitionists  find  it  con\'enient  to  bring  their  supplies,  let  our  friends 
come  with  ours.  Arrangements  have  been  made  with  Messrs.  Majors,  Rus- 
sell &  Company,  Leavenworth,  K.  T. ;  J.  W.  Foreman  &  Company,  Doni- 
phan. K.  T.,  and  C.  E.  Woolfolk  &  Company,  Atchison,  K.  T.,  to  receive 
any  mone\  or  other  articles  sent  for  our  relief,  and  will  report  to  the  under- 


6o  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

signed,  and  we  pledge  ourselves  that  all  will  be  distributed  for  the  benefit 
of  the  cause.  Horses,  we  greatly  need — footmen  being  useless  in  running 
down  midnight  assassins  and  robbers." 

The  following  residents  of  Atchison  county  signed  the  circular :  P.  T. 
Abell,  chairman ;  J.  A.  Headley,  A.  "J.  Frederick,  J.  F.  Green,  Jr..  C.  E. 
Mason. 

This  circular  was  signed  June  6,  1856,  and  was  published  in  the  Lazv- 
rence  Herald  of  Freedom,  June  14,  1856. 

From  this  time  forward  the  conflagration  spread  with  ever  increasing 
fury,  and  not  only  did  the  appeals  for  aid  from  the  pro-slavery  forces  find 
immediate  response,  but  likewise  the  anti-slavery  forces  throughout  the  whole 
North  came  to  the  rescue  of  the  Free  Soilers  in  Kansas,  and  during  all  of 
this  great  excitement  Atchison  county  was  the  focal  point  of  pro-slaver}'^ 
activities.  The  news  of  the  "sacking"  of  Lawrence  served  to  awaken  the 
Nation  in  the  North.  It  was  at  this  time  that  Henry  Ward  Beecher.  with 
all  of  the  great  eloquence  at  his  command,  advocated  from  his  Brooklyn  pul- 
pit the  sending  of  Sharpe  rifles  instead  of  Bibles  to  Kansas,  and  pledged  his 
own  parish  to  supply  a  definite  number.  And  on  and  on  they  came  to  Kan- 
sas out  of  the  North  with  determination  in  their  hearts  and  Sharpe  rifles  in 
their  hands,  to  help  the  Free  Soilers  in  their  battles  against  the  forces  of  Atch- 
ison and  Stringfellow  and  Abell.  Then  came  Lane's  "Army  of  the  North," 
which  sounded  more  terrible  than  it  really  was,  following  in  qflick  succession 
the  second  battle  of  Franklin ;  the  siege  and  capitulation  of  Ft.  Titus,  and  the 
famous  battle  of  Osawatomie.  At  last  the  mobilization  of  the  forces  of  Atch- 
ison and  Stringfellow  not  far  from  the  outskirts  at  Lawrence  in  September, 
1856,  for  the  purpose  of  a  final  assault  on  that  Free  State  stronghold,  marked 
the  collapse  of  the  Atchison-Stringfellow  military  campaign.  It  was  a  crit- 
ical hour  for  Lane.  Old  John  Brown  was  there,  and  the  citizens  were  ready 
for  whatever  might  Ijefall  them,  but  further  hostilities  were  averted  by  the 
action  of  Governor  Geary  on  the  morning  of  September  13.  1856,  when  he 
appeared  in  person  in  the  midst  of  the  Missouri  camp  several  hours  after 
issuing  a  proclamation  for  the  Missourians  to  disband.  He  found  both  Sen- 
ator Atchison  and  Gen.  B.  F.  Stringfellow  (brother  of  Dr.  Stringfellow) 
there,  and  in  the  course  of  his  speech  severely  reprimanded  Atchison,  who 
"from  his  high  estate  as  Vice-President  of  the  United  States,  had  fallen  so 
low  as  to  be  the  leader  of  an  army  of  men  with  uncontrollable  passions,  de- 
termined upon  wholesale  slaughter  and  destruction." 

When  Governor  Geary  had  concluded  his  remarks  his  proclamation  and 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  6l 

order  to  disband  the  army  were  read  and  the  more  judicious  obeyed. 

The  troops  thus  disbanded,  marched  homeward.  Tiiose  enlisting  at 
Atchison  returned  to  Missouri  by  way  of  Lecompton.  This  was  the  last 
organized  military  invasion  from  Missouri  and  ended  the  attempts  of  the 
pro-slavery  forces  to  rule  Kansas  by  martial  law. 

It  must  not  be  concluded,  however,  that  the  Stringfellows  and  other 
pro-slavery  leaders  in  Atchison  county  were  not  law-abiding  citizens.  They 
believed  in  the  institution  of  slavery,  as  many  good  men  of  that  day  did,  and 
they  had  the  same  rights  to  peacefully  enter  the  territory  of  Kansas  and 
endeavor  to  make  it  a  slave  State  under  the  principle  of  Squatter  sovereignty, 
as  Dr.  Charles  Robinson,  and  Lane,  and  John  Brown  did  to  make  the  ter- 
ritory a  free  State.  It  would  not  only  be  unjust  to  the  memoiy  of  the  String- 
fellows  and  their  compatriots,  but  unjust  to  posterity  also  to  leave  the  im- 
pression that  they  had  no  semblance  of  justification,  for  many  of  their  acts, 
which  the  impartial  historian  will  admit,  were  very  frequently  in  retaliation 
of  wrongs  and  outrages  suffered.  The  terrible  stress  and  strain  under  which 
good  men  on  both  sides  latored  in  those  critical  days  led  them  to  extremes, 
and  in  the  midst  of  the  discordant  passions  of  good  men.  the  bad  men — those 
who  are  the  lawless  of  every  age  and  clim.e — flourished  and  their  lawlessness 
only  served  to  complicate  the  dangerous  and  ever  threatening  situation.  Calm 
judgment  may  not  have  been  lacking  in  the  territoiy  in  and  around  Atchi- 
son and  Lawrence  in  the  clays  Iitween  1854  and  1857.  but  if  it  existed  at  all 
it  was  lost  in  the  ribt  of  partisan  feeling  and  did  not  evince  itself  until  later. 

Following  the  disbanding  of  the  "TerritoriaF'  militia  before  Lawrence, 
General  Atchison  seemed  to  have  somewhat  recovered  his  composure  and 
in  an  address  to  the  troops  after  Governor  Geary  had  retired,  he  said : 

"As  was  well  known  to  all  present  the  geritlemen  composing  this  meet- 
ing had  just  been  in  conference  with  Governor  Geary,  who  in  the  strongest 
language  had  deprecated  the  inhuman  outrages  perpetrated  by  those  whom 
he  characterized  as  bandits,  now  roving  through  the  territory,  and  pledged 
himself  in  the  most  solemn  manner  to  employ  actively  all  of  the  force  at  his 
command  in  executing  the  laws  of  the  territory  and  giving  protection  to  his 
beloved  citizens,  and  who  had  also  appealed  to  us  to  dissolve  our  present  or- 
ganization and  stand  by  and  co-operate  with  him  in  holding  up  the  hands 
of  his  power  against  all  evil  doers,  and  w  ho  bad  also  retired  from  the  meeting, 
with  a  request  that  he  would  consult  and  determine  what  course  would  be 
taken.  Now  the  object  of  the  meeting  was  thus  to  consult  and  determine 
what  should  be  done." 


62  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

General  Atchison  also  impressed  the  meeting  with  the  solemnity  and 
importance  of  the  occasion  and  said  that  it  was  time  for  men  to  exercise  their 
reason  and  not  yield  to  their  passions  and  also  to  keep  on  the  side  of  the  law 
which  alone  constitutes  our  strength  and  protection.  These  words  of  Gen- 
eral Atchison  breathed  a  far  different  message  than  his  strong  language  of 
a  few  years  before  and  indicated  more  plainly  than  anything  else  the  general 
trend  of  pro-slavery  sentiment. 

After  the  cessation  of  military  movements  in  the  territorj-,  more  or  less 
peaceful  elections,  sessions  of  the  legislature  and  conventions,  at  which  con- 
stitutions were  framed  and  voted  upon,  took  place,  and  the  work  of  prepar- 
ing the  territory  to  become  a  State  went  forward. 

Four  constitutions  were  framed  before  Kansas  was  admitted  to  the 
Union. 

The  Topeka  constitution,  which  was  the  first  in  order,  was  adopted  by 
the  convention  which  framed  it  November  ii.  1855,  and  liy  the  people  of  the 
territon,'  at  an  election  December  13,  1855. 

The  Lecompton  constitution  was  adopted  by  the  convention  which  framed 
it  November  7,  1857,  and  was  submitted  to  a  vote  of  the  people  December 
21,  1837,  and  the  form  of  the  vote  prescribed  was:  "For  the  constitution, 
with  slavery,"  and  "For  the  constitution,  without  slaver)-."  As  no  oppor- 
tunity was  afforded  at  this  election  to  vote  against  the  constitution  the  free 
State  people  did  not  participate  in  it.  The  Territorial  legislature  was  sum- 
moned in  extra  session  and  passed  it  without  submitting  this  constitution  to  a 
vote  of  the  people,  January  4,  1838,  and  at  that  election  138  votes  were  cast 
for  it  and  10,226  against  it.  In  spite  of  this  ovenvhelming  vote  against  the 
constitution  it  was  sent  to  Washington  and  was  transmitted  by  President 
Buchanan  to  the  Senate  who  urged  the  admissioa  of  Kansas  under  it,  thus 
starting  the  great  contest  which  divided  the  Democratic  party,  the  election 
of  Abraham  Lincoln  as  President,  and  the  final  (nerthrow  of  the  slave  party. 
The  bill  to  admit  Kansas  under  this  constitution  failed,  but  a  bill  finally 
passed  Congress,  under  the  provisions  of  which  the  constitution  was  again 
submitted  to  the  people  August  4,  1838,  with  the  result  that  there  were 
1,788  votes  cast  for  it  and  11,300  votes  cast  against  it. 

The  convention  which  framed  the  Leavenworth  constitution  was  pro- 
vided for  bv  an  act  of  the  Territorial  legislature,  passed  in  Februar)-.  1838, 
at  which  time  the  Lecompton  constitution  was  pending  in  Congress.  The 
Leavenworth  constitution  was  adopted  by  the  convention  April  3,  1838.  and 
by  the  people  May  18.  1838. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUXTY  63 

Tlie  W'yandotte  constitution  was  adopted  by  the  con\enlion  whicli 
framed  it  July  29,  1859,  and  adopted  by  the  people  October  4,  1859.  It  was 
under  the  Wyandotte  constitution  tiiat  the  State  was  admitted  into  the  Union 
January  29,  1861. 

In  this  last  convention  Atchison  county  played  a  very  important  part. 
Three  members  were  sent  from  this  county:  Caleb  May,  to  whom  reference 
has  been  made  before,  a  fanner,  born  in  Kentucky,  and  residing  near  the  now 
abandoned  townsite  of  Pardee :  John  J.  Ingalls,  a  lawyer  at  Sumner,  who  ar- 
rived in  Kansas  from  Massachusetts,  October  4,  1858,  exactly  one  year  pre- 
vious to  the  adoption  of  the  constitution  by  the  people  of  the  Territory,  and 
Robert  Graham,  a  merchant  at  Atchison,  who  was  born  in  Ireland.  John  A. 
Martin,  the  editor  of  Freedom's  Chauipion,  the  successor  to  the  Squatter 
Sovereign,  at  Atchison,  was  secretary  of  the  convention. 

Caleb  May  remained  a  successful  fanner  and  leading  citizen  of  the 
county  for  many  years  after  this  convention,  subsequentlv  drifting  to  the 
Indian  Territory,  where  he  died. 

John  J.  Ingalls  became  United  States  senator  from  Kansas,  where  he 
remained  for  eighteen  years,  part  of  the  time  as  president  protempore  of 
that  body. 

John  A.  Martin  became  one  of  the  leading  military  heroes  of  Kansas, 
and  ser\ed  as  governor  of  the  State  from  1886  to  1888.  He  played  an  im- 
portant part  as  an  officer  of  the  convention,  as  also  did  Mr.  Ingalls,  who, 
Samuel  A.  Stinson  says,  was  the  "recognized  scholar  of  the  convention,  and 
authority  on  all  questions  connected  with  the  arrangement  and  phraseology 
of  the  instrument."  For  this  reason  he  was  made  chairman  of  the  committee 
on  phraseology  and  arrangements.  Robert  Graham  was  chairman  of  the 
committee  on  corporations  and  banking,  and  on  the  ballot  to  locate  a  tem- 
porary capital  of  the  State  .Atchison  received  six  votes.  Topeka  received 
twenty-nine  and  was  chosen  as  the  temporary  capital  and  afterwards  became 
the  permanent  capital  of  Kansas. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


ORGANIZATION  OF  COUNTY  AND  CITY  OF  ATCHISON. 


ONE    OF    THE    THIRTY-THREE    ORIGINAL    COUNTIES THE    CITY    OF    ATCHISON 

LOCATED- — TOWN   COMPANY SALE  OF  LOTS INCORPORATION  OF  TOWN 

EARLY  BUSINESS  ENTERPRISES ORGANIZATION  OF  COUNTY COMMER- 
CIAL GROWTH FREIGHTING FIRST  OFFICERS FREE  STATE  AND  PRO- 
SLAVERY  CLASHES HORACE  GREELEY  VISITS  ATCHISON ABRAHAM  LIN- 
COLN MAKES  A  SPEECH  HERE GREAT  DROUTH  OF   1860 CITY  OFFICIALS. 

Atchison  was  one  of  the  thirtj^-three  original  counties  created  by  the  first 
territorial  legislature,  which  convened  at  Pawnee,  July  2,  1855.  and  subse- 
quently adjourned  to  Shawnee  Mission,  July  6.  1855,  and  was  named  for 
Senator  David  R.  Atcliisun.  I'nited  States  senator  from  Missuuri.  concerning 
whom  much  has  been  said  in  previous  chapters.  The  county  was  surveyed 
in  1855  and  divided  into  three  townships,  (Irasshopper  township  comprising  all 
that  section  lying  west  of  the  old  Pottawatomie  road ;  Mount  Pleasant  town- 
ship, all  east  of  tiie  old  Pottawatomie  mad,  and  south  of  Walnut  creek,  from 
its  confluence  with  the  Missouri  river  to  the  source  of  the  creek  and  a  parallel 
line  west  to  the  old  Pottawatomie  road,  and  Sliannon  townshi]),  all  tliat  section 
of  the  county  north  of  Mount  Pleasant  township.  Subsc(]uently,  this  sub-di- 
vision was  further  divided  into  eight  townships,  now  comprising  the  county, 
to-wit:  Grasshopper,  Mount  Pleasant.  Shannon,  Lancaster,  Kapioma,  Cen- 
ter, Walnut  and  Benton.  The  county  is  located  in  the  extreme  northeastern 
part  of  Kansas,  save  one,  Doniphan  county,  by  wliich  it  is  Ixmndcd  on  the 
nortii,  together  with  Brown  county,  and  on  the  west  by  Jackson  county,  and 
on  the  south  by  Jefferson  and  Leavenwortli  counties.  It  has  an  area  of  409 
square  miles,  or  271,360  acres. 

The  site  of  tlie  citv  of  Atchison,  the  first  town  in  ihc  count\-,  was  selected 

64 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  65 

because  of  its  conspicuovts  geographical  location  on  the  river.     Senator  Atcli- 
ison  and  his  associates  attached  great  importance  to  the  fact  that  the  river  bent 
boldh-  inland  at  this  point.     They  felt  that  it  would  l>e  of  great  commercial 
advantage  to  a  town  to  be  thus  located,  so  July  4,  1854,  after  a  careful  consid- 
eration of  the  matter,  in  all  of  its  phases.  Senator  Atchison  and  his  Platte  " 
county,  Missouri,  friends  dedicated  the  new  town.     They  felt  that  they  had 
located  the  natural  gateway  through  which  all  the  overland  traffic  to  Utah,' 
Oregon  and  California  would  pass.     After  ihey  had  settled  with  George  Mil-/ 
lion,  the  first  known  white  settler  of  the  territory,  and  attended  to  other  unim- 
portant preliminaries  Dr.  J.  H.  Stringfellow  made  a  claiin  just  north  of  the 
Million  claim,   and  with  Ira  Norris,  James  T.   Darnell,  Leonidas  Oldham,'' 
James  B.  Martin,  George  Million  and  Samuel  Dickson,  agreed  to  form  a  town 
company,  and  theyreceived  into  their  organization  David  R.  Atchison,  Elijah  ^ 
Green,  E.  H.  Norton,  Peter  T.  Abell,  B.  F.  Stringfellow,  Lewis  Burnes,  Dan- 
iel D.  Burnes,  James  N.  Burnes,  Calvin  F.  Burnes  and  Stephen  Johnson.     A 
week  later  these  men  gathered  under  a  large  Cottonwood  tree,  near  Atchison 
street,  on  the  river,  and  organized  by  electing  Peter  T.  Abell,  president ;  Dr.  J.  I 
H.  Stringfellow,  secretary,  and  Col.  James  N.  Burnes,  treasurer.    Peter  T.  ' 
Abell,  president  of  the  town  company,  was  an  able  lawyer,  and  a  Southern 
man,  with  pronounced  views  on  the  question  of  slavery.    But  he  was  a  man  of 
judgment,  and  a  natural  boomer.     He  was  a  very  large  man,  being  over  six 
feet  tall  and  weighed  almost  300  pounds.     When  he  became  president  of  the 
town  company  he  was  a  resident  of  Weston,  Mo.,  and  lived  there  until  a  year^ 
after  Atchison  had  been  surveyed.     Subsequently,  Senator  Atchison  assigned 
his  interests  in  the  town  company  to  his  nephew,  JanTes_  Headley,  who  after- 
wards became  one  of  the  leading  lawyers  of  the  town.    Jesse  Morris  also  be- 
came a  member. 

The  town  company,  having  been  regularly  organized,  tlie  townsite  was 
divided  into  100  shares.  Each  of  i'ts  members  retained  five  .shares:^ 
the  balance  of  thirty  being  held  for  general  distribution.  Abell,  B.  F.  String- 
fellow and  all  of  tlie  Burnes  brothers  were  received  as  two  parties.  Henry 
Kuhn.  a  surxeyir,  sun'eyed  4S0  acres,  which  comprised  the  original  townsite.  ' 
Mr.  Kuhn  and  his  son  returned  to  Atchison  forty-five  years  later,  and  for  a 
short  time  ran  the  Atchison  Champion.  On  September  21,  the  first  sale  of 
town  lots  was  held,  amidst  great  excitement  and  general  interest.  It  was  a 
gathering  which  had  both  political  and  business  significance.  Senator  Atch- 
ison, from  Missouri,  with  a  large  number  of  his  constituents,  was  there,  and 
Atchison  made  a  speech,  in  whicli  one  rc])orter  (|uotes  liim  as  ha\ing  said: 


66 


HISTORY  or  ATCHISON   COUNTY 


"People  of  every  quarter  should  be  welcome  to  the  Territory,  and  treated 
with  ci\ility  as  long- as  they  showed  themselves  peaceable  men." 

Someone  in  the  crowd  called  out.  "What  shall  we  do  with  those  wlm  run 
off  with  our  negroes?"  "Hang  "em."  cried  a  voice  in  tlie  crowd.  To  this  Mr. 
Atcbison  rejilied.  "Xo,  I  would  not  hang  them,  but  I  would  get  them  out  of 
the  Territory — get  rid  of  them."  One  version  of  the  speech  was  to  the  effect 
that  Senator  Atchison  answ-ered  his  questioners  by  saying,  "By  G — d.  sir, 
hang  every  abolitionist  you  find  in  the  Territory."  But  the  best  account  of  the 
meeting  was  printed  in  a  Parkville,  Mo..  news])aper.  and  was  reported  by  an 
eve  witness,  wlio  said: 


A    \ 


Tiial  Street,  Looking  Eat^t.  Ai. 


"We  arrived  at  .Atchison  in  the  forenoon.  .Among  the  company  was 
our  disting^iishcd  senator,  in  honor  of  whom  tlie  new  city  was  named.  There 
was  a  large  assemblage  on  the  ground,  with  i)lcnty  of  tables  set  for  dinner, 
where  the  crowd  could  be  accommodated  with  bacon  and  bread,  and  a  drink  at 
the  branch,  at  fifty  cents  a  head.  The  survey  of  the  town  had  just  been 
completed  the  evening  before.  Stockholders  Iield  a  meeting,  to  arrange  par- 
ticulars of  sale,  and  afterwards,  as  had  been  previously  announced.  General 
-Atchison  mounted  an  old  wagon  and  made  a  speech.  He  commenced  by  men- 
tioning the  bountiful  country  that  was  beginning  to  be  settled:  to  some  of  the 
circumstances  under  which  a  territorial  government  was  organized,  and  .in  the 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  67 

course  of  his  remarks,  mentioned  how  Douglass  came  to  introduce  the 
Nebraska  bill,  with  a  repeal  clause  in  it.  He  told  of  how  Judge  Douglass 
requested  twenty-four  hours  in  which  to  consider  tiie  question  of  introducing  a 
bill  for  Nebraska,  like  the  one  he  had  promised  to  vote  for,  and  said  that  if,  at 
the  expiration  of  that  time,  he  could  not  introduce  such  a  bill,  which  would  not 
at  the  same  time  accord  with  his  own  sense  of  right  and  justice  to  the  South, 
he  would  resign  as  chairman  of  the  territorial  committee,  and  Democratic 
caucus,  and  exert  his  influence  -to  get  Atchison  appointe<l.  At  the  expiration 
of  the  given  time.  Judge  Douglass  signified  his  intention  to  report  such  a  bill. 

"General  Atchison  next  spoke  of  those  who  had  supported  and  those  who 
had  opposed  the  bill  in  the  Senate,  and  ended  by  saying  that  the  American 
people  loved  honesty  and  could  appreciate  the  acts  of  a  man  who  openh-  and 
above-board  voted  according  to  the  will  of  his  constituents,  without  political 
regard  or  favor.  He  expressed  his  profouufi  contempt  for  abolitionists,  and 
said  if  he  had  his  way  he  would  hang  e\'eryone  of  them  that  dared  to  show 
his  face,  but  he  knew  that  Northern  men  settling  in  the  Territory  were  sensi- 
ble and  honest,  and  that  the  right  feeling  men  among  tiiem  would  lie  as  far 
from  stealing  a  negro  as  a  Soutliern  man  would. 

"When  Senator  Atchison  concluded  his  remarks,  the  sale  of  town  lots ) 
began,  and  thirty-four  were  sold  that  afternoon,  at  an  average  of  $63.00  each. ) 
Most  of  those  that  were  sold  were  some  distance  back  from  the  river,  and 
speailators  were  not  present,  so  far  as  it  could  be  determined,  and  lots  that  ^ 
were  sold  were  bought  mostly  by  owners  of  the  town.      Prices  ranged  from  ^ 
$35.00  to  $200.00." 

At  this  meeting  the  projects  of  building  a  hotel  and  establishing  a  news- 
paper were  discussed,  and  as  a  result,  each  of  the  original  100  shares  I 
was  assessed  $25.00,  and  in  the  following  spring  the  National  Hotel.  ' 
corner  of  Second  and  Atchison  streets,  was  built.  Dr.  J.  H.  Stringfcllow  and 
Robert  S.  Kelley  received  a  donation  of  $400.00  from  the  town  company,  to 
buy  a  printing  office  and  in  February,  1855,  the  Squatter  Sovereign,  which 
subsequently  did  so  much  for  the  pro-slavery  cause,  was  born. 

The  town  company  required  each  settler  to  build  a  house  at  least  sixteen 
feet  square  upon  his  lot,  so  that  when  the  survey  was  made  in   1855  many  ^ 
found  tliemselves  upon  school  lands.     Among  tiiose  who  put  up  homes  in 
1854  and  1855  were  James  T.  Darnell,  Archibald  Elliott,  Thomas  J.  C.  Dun-'? 
can,  Andrew  W.  Pebler,  R.  S.  Kelley,  F.  B.  \Vilson,  Henry  Kline  and  William  1 
Hassett.     The  titles  to  the  lands  owned  by  these  residents  remained  unsettled 
uiUil  1857.  when  titles  to  all  lands  within  the  townsite  and  fjpen  to  settlement  ' 


68  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY 

were  acquired  from  the  federal  government,  and  subsequently  the  title  to 
school  lands  was  secured  by  patents  from  the  Territory,  and  in  this  way  the 
town  company  secured  a  clear  title  to  all  lands  which  they  had  heretofore  con- 
veyed, and  re-conveyed  the  same  to  the  settlers  and  purchasers.  Dr.  J-  H. 
/  Stringfellow,  proprietor  of  North  Atchison,  an  addition  to  the  city  of  Atchi- 
I  son,  employed  J.  J.  Pratt  to  survey  that  addition  in  October,  1857.  It  con- 
sisted of  the  northeast  quarter  of  the  northeast  quarter  of  section  36,  township 
5,  range  20.  Samuel  Dickson,  who  was  the  proprietor  of  South  Atchison,  had 
that  addition  platted  in  May,  1858,  and  John  Roberts,  who  was  the  proprietor 
of  West  .Vtchison,  had  his  addition  surveyed  in  February,  1858,  a  few  months 
before  Samuel  Dickson  surveyed  South  Atchison.  C.  L.  Challiss'  addition 
was  surveyed  about  the  same  time.  Other  additions  to  the  corporate  limits  of 
Atchison  have  been  made,  and  are  as  follows :  Branchton,  Bird's  addition, 
Rrandner's  addition,  Bakewell  Heights,  Batiste  addition,  Florence  Park,  For- 
est Park.  Goodluie  Place.  Garfield  Park,  Highland  Park,  Home  Place,  How- 
ard Heights,  LaGrande  addition,  Lincoln  Park,  Llewellyn  Heights,  Lutheran 
Church  addition,  Mapleton  Place,  Merkles  addition,  Parker's  addition.  Park 
Place,  Price  Villa  addition.  River  View  addition.  Spring  Garden,  Style's  ad- 
dition, Bellvue  Heights,  and  Talbott  &  Company's  addition. 

Atchison  was  incorporated  as  a  town  by  act  of  the  Territorial  legislature, 
I  August  30.  1855,  but  it  was  not  incorporated  as  a  city  until  Februarj-  12,  1858, 
after  which  the  charter  was  approved  by  the  people  by  special  election,  March 
2,  1858.  In  the  fall  of  1856,  Atchison  had  obtained  a  great  many  advantages 
over  otlier  towns  along  the  river,  by  a  judicious  system  of  advertising.  The 
Squatter  Sovereign  printed  a  circular  Xo\ember  22,  1856,  which  was  scat- 
tered Ijroadcast.     The  circular  was  as  fnUows: 

"To  the  public,  generally,  but  particularly  to  those  persons  living  north 
of  the  Kansas  river,  in  Kansas  Territory : 

"It  is  well  known  to  many,  and  should  be  to  all  interested,  that  the  town 
of  Atchison  is  nearer  to  most  persons  living  north  of  tlie  Kansas  river,  tlian 
any  other  point  on  the  Missouri  river.  The  countn',  too,  south  of  the  Kansas 
river  above  Lecompton,  is  also  as  near  Atchison  as  any  other  Missouri  river 
town.  The  roads  to  Atchison  in  every  direction  are  very  fine,  and  always  in 
good  re])air  for  wagon  and  other  modes  of  travel.  The  countrv  opposite 
.•\tchison  is  not  excelled  by  an  section  of  Missouri,  it  being  portions  of  Buch- 
anan and  Platte  counties,  in  a  high  state  of  cultivation,  and  at  a  considerable 
distance  from  any  important  town  in  Missouri,  making  grain,  fruit,  provisions 
and  all  kinds  of  marketing  easily  procured  at  fair  prices;  a  matter  of  no  small 
consideration  to  settlers  in  a  new  countrv. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  69 

"The  great  fresh  water  lake,  from  wliich  the  fish  markets  of  St.  Josepli 
and  Weston  are  supplied,  is  also  williin  three  miles  of  Atchison. 

"Atchison  is  now  well  supplied  with  all  kinds  of  goods:  groceries,  flour, | 
corn,  meal,  provisions  and  marketing  of  all  kinds  are  abundant,  and  at  fair 
prices.  To  show  the  compatibility  of  Atchison  to  supply  the  demands  of  the 
country,  we  here  enumerate  some  of  the  business  houses,  viz :  Six  large  dry  r  '^' 
goods  and  grocery  stores,  wholesale  and  retail ;  six  family  grocery  and  pro- 
vision stores,  wholesale  and  retail ;  one  large  clothing  stQre ;  one  extensive  fur- 
niture store,  with  mattresses  and  bedding  of  all  sorts ;  one  stove,  sheet  iron  and 
tinware  establishment,  where  articles  in  that  line  are  sold  at  St.  Louis  prices ; 
several  large  warehouses  sufficient  to  store  all  the  goods  of  emigrants  and  trad- 
ers across  the  plains,  and  to  Kansas  Territory ;  one  weekly  newspaper — The 
Squatter  Sovereign — having  the  largest  circulation  of  any  newspaper  in 
Kansas,  with  press,  type  and  materials  to  execute  all  kinds  of  job  work ;  two 
commodious  lintels,  and  several  boarding  houses;  one  bakery  and  confection- 
er}';  three  blacksmitli  shops;  two  wagon  makers,  and  several  carpenter  shops: 
one  cabinet  maker ;  two  boot  and  shoe  maker  shops,  and  saddle  and  harness 
maker  shops;  one  extensive  butcher  and  meat  market;  a  first  rate  ferry,  on 
which  is  kept  a  magnificent  new  steam  ferry  boat  and  excellent  horse  toat, 
propelled  by  horses;  a  good  flat  boat,  and  several  skiffs;  saw  mills,  two  pro- 
pelled by  steam  and  one  by  horse-power ;  two  brick  yards,  and  two  lime  kilns. 

"A  fine  supply  of  professional  gentlemen  of  all  branches  constantly  on 
hand  equal  to  the  demand. 

"A  good  grist  mill  is  much  needed,  and  would  make  money  for  the  owner."  ' 

The  first  business  house  in  Atchison  was  established  by  George  T.  Chal-' 
liss,  at  the  corner  of  the  Levee  and  Commercial  streets,  in  August,  1854.  The 
National  Hotel  was  not  built  at  that  time,  so  Mr.  Challiss  established  a  tem- 
porary camp,  and  his  workmen  were  accommodated  under  an  elm  tree  near  the 
river.  The  Challiss  store  building  was  torn  down  in  1872.  George  T.  Chal- 
liss and  his  brother,  Luther  C.  Challiss,  were  clerking  in  a  dry  goods  store  at 
Booneville,  Mo.,  in  the  spring  of  1854.  George  T.  Challiss  returned  to  his 
old  home  in  New  Jersey  on  a  visit,  and  upon  his  return,  in  August,  he  came 
direct  to  Atchison.  He  came  by  boat  to  Weston,  Mo.,  where  he  met  P.  T, 
Abell,  president  of  the  town  company,  and  Abell  prevailed  upon  him  to  come 
to  Atchison  in  a  buggy,  crossing  the  river  here  on  George  Million's  ferry.) 
Mr.  Abell  donated  Mr.  Challiss  the  lot  upon  which  he  built  his  store,  and  he  ^ 
went  to  Rushville  and  bought  enough  cottonwood  lumber  to  build  it.  When 
he  arrived  in  Atcliison,  he  had  $4.50  in  money,  but  later  on  borrowed  $150.00  ' 


70  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

^  from  his  brother,  Luther  C.  Challiss,  at  Boonville.  He  enjoyed  a  good  busi- 
ness from  the  beginning,  and  carried  a  large  stock  of  both  dry  goods  and 
groceries. 

The  town  of  Atchison  was  the  one  big  outstanding  factor  in  Atchison 
county  when  the  territory  was  organized,  but  at  the  same  time  that  Abell  and 
Stringfellow  and  others  "were  shaping  up  the  town,"  others  were  busy  organ- 
izing the  county.  As  the  city  was  named  for  General  Atchison,  so  likewise  was 
the  county  at  the  time  of  its  creation  by  the  first  Territorial  legislature  that 
assembled  at  Pawnee.  The  first  board  of  county  commissioners  was  selected 
and  appointed  by  the  Territorial  legislature,  August  31,  1855.  and  was  com- 
V  posed  of  William  J.  Young,  James  ^I.  Givens  and  James  A.  Headley.  The 
first  meeting  of  the  board  was  held  September  17,  1855,  at  the  home  of  O.  B. 
Dickerson,  in  the  city  of  Atchison.  At  this  meeting  Ira  Norris  was  appointed 
clerk  and  recorder;  Samuel  Dickson,  treasurer;  Samuel  Walters,  assessor. 
William  McVay  had  received  an  appointment  as  sheriff  of  the  county  prior 
to  the  meeting  of  the  board,  direct  from  the  governor,  to  fill  the  office  tem- 
porarily until  his  successor  was  subsequently  appointed  and  qualified.  On 
the  i8th  of  September,  1855.  being  the  second  day  of  tlie  session  of  the  first 
board  of  county  commissioners,  Eli  C.  Mason  was  appointed  as  sheriff  to 
succeed  McVay,  and  Dudley  McVay  was  appointed  coroner.  Voting  precincts 
were  estaljlished  in  three  townships  preparatory  to  an  election  of  a  delegate 
to  Congress,  which  was  to  take  place  the  first  Monday  in  October,  1855.  At 
the  October  meeting  of  the  toard  of  county  commissioners,  block  10,  in  what 
•.,  is  now  known  as  Old  Atchison,  was  accepted  by  the  board  as  a  location  upon 
which  to  erect  a  court  house.  This  property  was  offered  to  the  county  by 
'  tlie  Atchison  town  company  for  the  purpose  of  influencing  the  board  to  make 
Atchison  tlie  county  seat.  The  conditions  of  the  gift  were  that  the  court  house 
was  to  be  built  of  brick  and  to  be  at  least  forty  feet  square.  In  the  following 
spring  ihe  town  company  donated  fifty  town  lots,  and  the  proceeds  of  these 
lots  were  to  be  used  in  the  construction  of  the  court  house.  In  June,  1857,  the 
court  house  was  ordered  built  and  it  was  to  be  two  stories  high,  the  first  story 
to  l)e  of  rock  and  tlie  second  story  of  wood.  It  was  24x18  feet  square:  how- 
ever, the  plans  were  subsequently  changed,  aiul,  liecause  of  the  gift  of  an 
"^  additional  fourteen  lots  by  the  town  company,  of  a  value  of  $6,000.00,  a  more 
pretentious  building  was  erected  in  1859.  with  a  county  jail  adjoining  it. 
Prior  to  the  erection  of  the  court  house,  there  was  a  spirited  contest  between 
Mt.    Pleasant,   Monrovia,   Lancaster  and   Sumner  over  tlie  (juestion  of  the 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  Jl 

countv  seat.     In  an  election  to  determine  the  location,  Atchison  received  a, 
majority  of  252  votes  over  all  competitors  for  tlie  county  seat.     The  estimated 
total  population  of  the  county  at  the  time  was  2,745. 

In  the  next  few  years  Atchison  grew  rapidly  and  the  dreams  of  Senator 
Atchison  and  his  associates  hade  fair  to  he  realized  on  a  large  scale.  The  popu- 
lation of  the  town  was  ahout  500,  and  yet  there  were  eight  hardware  stores.  / 
twelve  dry  goods  stores,  eighif^-holesale  grocery  stores,  nineteen  retail  grocery 
stores,  and  twenty-six  law  firms.     The  banking  business  was  controlled  by 
the  contracting  firms  of  A.  Majors  &  Company  and  Smoot,  Russell  &  Com-f' 
panv.     The  Atchison  branch  of  the  Kansas  Valley  Bank  was  the  first  in 
the  State  to  be  formed  under  the  legislative  act,  authorized  February  19,  1857, 
with  a  capital  stock  of  $300,000.00.     In  the  act,  John  H.  Stringfellow,  Joseph  / 
Plean  and  Samuel  Dickson  were  named  to  open  subscription  books.     An  or-( 
ganization  was  effected  in  the  spring  of  1858.  and  the  capital  stock  of  the 
local  organization  was  $52,000.00.     The  board  of  directors  was  composed  of 
Samuel  C.  Pomeroy,  president ;  W.  H.  Russell,  L.  R.  Smoot,  W.  B.  Waddell.  ^ 
F.  G.  Adams,  Samuel  Dickson  and  W.  E.  Gaylord.     There  was  considerable 
rivalry  between  Sumner  and  Doniphan  at  the  time,  and  shortly  after  the  organ- 
ization of  the  bank,  a  rumor,  which  was  supposed  to  have  started  in  Sumner, 
to  the  effect  that  the  bank  was  about  to  suspend,  caused  the  directors  to  pub- 
lish a  statement  of  its  condition,  showing  that  its  ^lesets  were  $36,638.00  and 
its  liabilities  $20,118.00.     S.  C.  Pomeroy  resigned  as  president  before  the  year 
was  out  and  was  succeeded  by  William  H.  Russell.     The  bank  subsequently 
had  its  name  changed  by  the  legislature  to  the  Bank  of  the  State  of  Kansas. 
Mr.  Russell,  the  second  president  of  the  bank,  make  his  home  in  Leavenworth-- 
and  was  an  active  pro-slavery  man,  being  treasurer  of  the  executive  commit-!''' 
tee  in  1856  to,  raise  funds  to  make  Kansas  a  slave  State.     This  bank  continued 
until  1866,  when  it  went  into  voluntary  liquidation  and  its  stockholders  wound  ' 
up  its  affairs.  ^^» 

One  of  the  most  imjiortant  institutions  in  .\tchison  in  the  early  days  was  »<^'''tl  ^ 


yf 


the  Massasoit  House,  opened  for  business  September   i,   1858,  in  charge  of      .w^ 


Tom  Murphy,  a  genial  proprietor,  who  conducted  it  for  many  years.  At  the 
same  time  there  were  three  other  hotels  in  operation  in  the  city.  Reference 
has  heretofore  been  made  to  the  National  Hotel,  which  was  elected  in  1855  In- 
popular  subscription.  It  was  a  plain  log  structure  on  the  north  side  of  Atchi- 
son street,  just  east  of  Second,  overlooking  the  river.  The  Tremont  House 
was  a  two-story  frame  structure  at  the  southeast  corner  of  Second  and  Main, 
v,an(l  the  Planters'  House  was  at  the  southwest  corner  of  Commercial  and  Sixtii 


A' 


M 


72  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

Streets  on  the  site  now  occupied  by  the  Exchange  National  Bank,  but  the  Mas- 
sasoit  House  was  the  leading  hotel  of  this  section  and  it  was  a  substantial, 
somewhat  imposing  frame  building  erected  at  the  northwest  corner  of  Second 
and  Main  streets  on  the  site  now  occupied  by  the  Wherrett-Mize  Wholesale 
Drug  House.  It  was  three  stories  high  with  a  basement  and  was  handsomely 
furnished.  It  did  a  large  business  and  was  the  lieadquarters  for  the  overland 
staging  crowds.  All  the  lines,  which  ran  in  every  direction,  out  of  Atchison  at/^ 
that  time  departed  from  the  Massasoit  House.  It  was  a  favorite  place  for 
political  gatherings,  and  from  its  balconies  many  speeches  were  made  by  leaders 
of  the  political  parties  of  that  day.  It  at  one  time  was  the  hiding  place  for  a 
number  of  slaves  who  had  been  secreted  in  the  liotel  by  their  master.  Horace 
Greeley,  the  famous  editor  of  the  Xcic  York  Tribune,  ate  liis  first  dinner  in 
'  Kansas  at  this  hotel,  and  Abraham  Lincoln  was  a  guest  on  the  day  that  John 
Brown  was  executed  at  Harper's  Fern-. 

Some  idea  of  the  magnitude  of  the  merchandising  that  was  carried  on  in 
Atchison  in  1858  may  be  gathered  from  the  fact  that  during  the  summer  of 
,  that  year  twenty-four  trains  comprising  775  wagons.  1,114  men,  7,963  oxen, 
I  142  horses,  1,286  mules  conveyed  3.730,905  pounds  of  merchandise  across 
the  Rocky  mountains  and  California.  One  single  train  that  was  sent  out  that 
year  consisted  of  105  wagons.  225  men,  i.ooo  oxen,  200  mules,  fifty  horses  and 
465,500  pounds  of  merchandise.  During  the  latter  part  of  1859  and  the  early 
months  of  i860,  forty-one  regtilar  traders  and  freighters  did  business  out  of 
Atchison.  During  nine  months  of  one  of  those  years,  the  trains  outfitted 
from  Atchison  were  drawn  by  mules  and  cattle  and  comprised  1,328 
wagons,  1,549  men,  401  mules  and  15,263  oxen.  The  Pike's  Peak  gold  mines, 
which  were  discovered  in  1858,  and  the.  prospecting  in  that  region  were  the 
causes  of  the  larger  part  of  this  enormous  business.  Denver  at  that  time  had  a 
population  of  about  2,500,  and  was  the  center  of  the  mining  region  around 
Pike's  Peak.  In  the  period  just  mentioned,  thirty-three  of  the  trains  that  left 
Atchison  were  destined  for  Denver.  One  of  these  trains  was  composed  of 
125  wagons,  carrying  750,000  pounds  of  merchandise.  It  extended  from  the 
levee  on  the  river  far  beyond  the  western  outskirts  of  the  city.  The  outfit 
was  managed  by  fifty-two  men,  twenty-two  mules  and  1,542  oxen.  Several 
of  the  trains  for  Denver  had  from  twenty  to  fifty  wagons.  One,  sent  out  by 
Jones  &  Carlwright,  had  fifty-eight  wagons  and  carried  over  3,000 
pounds  of  merchandise.  Among  the  trains  that  left  Atchison  during  the 
latter  part  of  1859  were,  one  for  Santa  Fe,  N.  M.,  another  for  Colorado  City, 
Colo.,  two  for  Green  River,  Wyo.,  and  four  for  Salt  Lake  City.     The  big- 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  73 

gest  overland  outfit  was  owned  by  Irwin.  Jackson  &  Company,  who  were 
Government  freigliters.  During  one  season  this  firm  sent  out  520  wagons. 
650  men,  75  mules  and  6,240  oxen.  This  firm  had  a  good  contract  fur  sup- 
plying the  military  posts  on  the  plains,  including  Forts  Kearr.ey,  Laramie. 
Bridger.  Douglas,  and  Camp  Floyd,  a  short  distance  from  Salt  Lake  City. 
In  addition  to  these  larger  dverland  staging  concerns  there  were  a  number  of 
lesser  outfits  sent  out  h\  jirivate  parties  in  Atchison,  with  one.  two  or  three 
wagons  each.  ]\Iost  of  the  freight  conveyed  across  the  plains  in  wagons  was 
brought  to  Atchison  in  steamboats,  which  unloaded  at  the  levee  extending 
along  two  or  three  blocks,  beginning  at  about  Atchison  street  and  running 
south.  Yerv  frequently  loaded  nx  trains  nearlv  a  mile  in  length  were  seen 
on  Commercial  street,  and  some  of  the  prairie  schooners  would  be  loaded  with 
hardware  or  some  other  dead  weight,  drawn  by  six  to  eight  yoke  of  cattle ; 
and  more  wagon  trains  were  loaded  and  departed  from  Atchison  than  from  any 
other  point  on  the  Missouri  river. 

The  act  of  the  Territorial  legislature  of  Kansas  incorporating  the  city 
of  Atchison  was  approved  February  12.  1858,  and  it  provided  for  the  election 
of  a  mayor  and  councilmen.  The  charter  was  voted  upon  and  accepted  by 
the  people  at  a  special  election  held  ]\Iarch  2,  1858,  and  the  first  ma^nr  ami 
council  were  elected  at  a  special  election  March  13.  1858.  The  charter  pro- 
vided for  an  annual  city  election  at  that  time  to  be  held  on  the  first  ^londay 
in  September,  and  consequently  the  first  mayor  and  councilmen  of  the  cit}-, 
elected  in  March,  held  their  offices  only  until  the  following  September.  Sam- 
uel C.  Pomeroy  was  the  first  mayor  of  the  city,  holding  his  office  from  March, 
1858,  until  May,  1859.  Pomeroy  was  one  of  the  prominent  Free  State  settlers 
and  was  one  of  its  most  popular  citizens.  His  election  as  mavor  was  the 
result  of  the  toss  of  a  coin.  A  temporary  truce  having  been  effected  between 
the  Southerners  and  the  Free  State  men,  it  was  agreed  that  a  compromise  in 
local  affairs  would  be  beneficial  to  the  community.  By  the  toss  of  a  coin  the 
Free  State  men  won  the  mayor  and  three  councilmen,  and  the  pro-slaver}-  men 
had  four  councilmen.  Pomeroy  was  named  by  tlie  Free  State  men  as  mayor. 
Pomeroy  subsequently  became  actively  identified  with  the  Massachusetts  Emi- 
grant Aid  Association,  in  the  distribution  of  aid  to  the  stricken  people  of 
Kansas  following  the  great  drouth  of  1S60.  and  it  was  largely  because  of 
his  identification  with  this  organization  that  he  was  enabled  to  place  aid  where 
it  would  do  the  most  good,  and  he  subsequently  became  one  of  the  first  I'nitcd 
States  senators  from  Kansas.  When  he  was  a  resident  of  Atchison  he  lived  at 
the  corner  of  Xorth  Terrace  and  Santa  I""e  streets,  but  later  he  moved  to  a 


74  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISOX  COUNTY 

tract  of  land  near  IMuscotali.  and  during  the  twelve  years  he  was  senator  he 
claimed  tlie  latter  i)lace  as  his  home.  It  was  when  he  asked  for  a  third  term 
as  United  States  senator  that  he  was  exposed  on  the  floor  of  the  State  senate 
by  Senator  York,  who  arose  in  his  place  and,  advancing  to  the  secretary's  desk, 
placed  $7,000.00  in  cash  thereon,  which  he  alleged  Pomeroy  had  given  him  to 
influence  his  vote.  Many  have  always  believed  that  Senator  Pomeroy  was 
greatly  wronged  liy  this  act  of  York.  Ex-Go\enior  George  \\'.  Glick.  him- 
self a  Democrat  and  a  leading  citizen  of  Atchison  in  the  early  days,  was  a  very 
warm  friend  of  Pomeroy  and  always  expressed  indignation  when  he  heard 
Pomeroy  abused,  not  only  about  his  conduct  in  connection  with  the  Emigrant 
Aid  Association,  but  also  in  connection  with  liis  downfall  politically.  It  was 
the  contention  of  Governor  Glick  that  Pomeroy's  fall  was  the  result  of  a  con- 
spiracy and  not  because  of  general  bribery.  However,  Pomeroy  never  rose  to 
political  prominence  after  this  incident  and  ended  his  days  in  Washington, 
D.  C,  wliere  he  lived  for  a  number  of  years  prior  to  his  death. 

Associated  with  Pomeroy  as  the  first  mayor  of  Atchison,  were  tlie  follow- 
ing citizens:  John  F.  Stein.  Jr.  register;  E.  B.  Grimes,  treasurer:  Milton  R. 
Benton,  marshal;  A.  E.  Mayhew,  city  attorney;  W.  O.  Gould,  city  engineer: 
M.  R.  Benton,  by  virtue  of  his  office  as  marshal,  was  also  street  commissioner; 
H.  L.  Davis,  assessor:  Dr.  J.  \\'.  Hereford,  city  physician.  Tlie  board  of 
appraisers  was  composed  of  Messrs.  Petfish.  Roswell  and  Gaylord.  The  first 
councilmen  were  William  P.  Childs.  O.  F.  Short.  Luther  C.  Challiss.  Corne- 
lius E.  Logan,  S.  F.  Walters.  James  A.  Headley,  Charles  Holbert.  John  F. 
Stein,  who  was  register,  resigned  his  office  in  August,  and  R.  L.  Pease  was 
appointed  to  succeed  him.  In  the  following  August  the  city  was  divided  into 
three  wards,  tlie  first  ward  I)eing  entitled  to  four  councilmen.  the  second  ward 
to  two.  and  the  third  ward  to  three.  At  the  first  meeting  of  the  council, 
which  was  held  March  15.  1858.  an  ordinance  was  adopted  providing  for  a 
special  election  for  the  purpose  of  submitting  a  proposition  to  take  $100,000.00 
of  stock  in  a  proposed  railroad  from  St.  Joseph,  Mo.,  to  some  point  opposite 
Atchison  on  the  Missouri  river.  The  election  was  held  and  the  stock  was 
subscribed  for.  Mayor  Pomeroy  was  appointed  agent  of  the  proposed  road, 
which  Tvas  to  be  known  as  the  Atchison  &  St.  Joseph  Railroad  Company.  A 
further  account  of  the  development  of  railroad  building  from  Atchison  will 
occur  in  a  subsequent  chapter.  The  council  at  this  session  also  fixed  tlie  sal- 
ary of  the  mayor,  and  in  spite  of  the  freedom  of  those  days,  saloons  were 
ordered  to  be  closed  on  Sunday,  and  other  stringent  re.gulations  were  passed 
in  connection  with  the  li(|Uor  traffic.  The  first  financial  statement  of  the 
city,  of  date  September  5,  1859,  is  as  follows: 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  75 

General  city  tax,  1858   $  5,927.70 

Fines  imposed  by  mayor's  court   186.50 

Dray  and  wagon  licenses 192.00 

Dram  shop  licenses 1,787.76 

Beer  house  licenses    ioi-33 

Shows 130.00 

Billiard  tables    225.00 

Registry  of  dogs 50.00 

Assessment  on  C  street  from  River  to  Fourth.  .  3,381.00 

Total $12,008.29 

Amount  of  scrip  and  orders  issued  on  general 

fund  to  December  15,  1858 $  6,317.17 

Amount  of  scrip  and  orders  issued  on  general 

fund  to  September  5,  1859 3,140.53 

Scrip  issued  toward  building  jail 1,675.00 

Scrip  issued  for  grading  streets,  curbing,  etc..  .    10.105.39 

Total     $21,238.09 

General  deficit $  9,229.79 


The  fact  that  Mayor  Pomeri)y  had  strongly  urged  in  his  inaugural  address 
,  the  importance  of  grading  and  improving  the  streets  of  the  city  "especially 
Atchison,  Second  and  Fourth  streets,  and  the  levee,"  possibly  accounts  for 
the  indebtedness  of  the  city  at  so  early  a  date.  There  was  a  general  inclina- 
tion among  the  citizens  of  Atchison  to  build  a  modern  city  in  accordance  with 
the  standards  of  tiie  times,  and  therefore  they  were  anxious  to  follow  tlie 
mayor's  advice  to  put  their  streets  and  alleys  in  order. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  and  at  the  same  time  one  of  the  most  diffi- 
cult tasks  in  tracing  the  settlement  of  a  community,  is  to  correctly  catalogue 
the  establishment  of  the  first  settler,  the  first  house,  the  first  business  insti- 
tution, and  the  first  of  everj'thing,  and  it  could  with  safety  be  said  that  this 
is  not  only  an  interesting  and  difficult  task  but  it  is  well  nigh  an  impossible 
one.  This  is  not  to  be  wondered  at  when  we  take  into  account  the  rush  and 
confusion  which  always  attend  the  settlement  of  a  new  community.  How- 
ever, it  has  now  become  an  established  fact  that  George  M.  Million  was  the 


yd  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

first  white  settler  in  the  Territory,  with  Samuel  Dickson  a  close  second.  There 
was  some  dispute  about  who  built  the  first  house  in  the  town  of  Atchison,  but 
we  have  resolved  all  doulit  in  favor  of  Dickson,  just  as  we  have  decided  that 
George  T.  Challiss  established  the  first  business  house.  The  Challiss  brothers, 
George.  Luther  and  William  all  played  an  important  part  in  the  very  early 
history  of  the  county.  They  were  in  business  and  in  the  professions,  and 
they  were  all  land  owners,  selecting  the  choicest  tracts  "close  in"  and  holding 
onto  them,  none  too  wisely  or  too  well,  for  their  tenacity  in  this  respect 
later  resulted  in  their  undoing.  The  leading  lawyers  in  the  county  during 
those  days  were  j\I.  J.  Ireland,  A.  G.  Otis,  Isaac  Hascall,  James  A.  Headier, 
A.  E.  Mayhew,  J.  T.  Hereford,  P.  H.  Larey,  Joseph  P.  Carr  and  B.  F.  String- 
fellow.  Horton,  Foster,  Ingalls,  and  General  Bela  M.  Hughes  came  later. 
Hascall  carried  a  card  in  the  Squatter  Sovereign,  advertising  his  legal  head- 
quarters as  the  Border  Ruffian  Law  Office. 

In  addition  to  the  names  of  mercliants  and  professional  men  heretofore 
given,  "Andreas'  History  of  Kansas"  gives  the  following  list :  Grafton  Thom- 
assen,  the  slave  owner,  ran  a  sawmill.  Thomassen's  name  appears  in  the 
records  of  Atchison  county  in  connection  with  land  transfers  as  Grafton 
Thomason;  Luther  C.  Challiss,  who  occupied  a  store  on  the  levee,  45  by  100 
feet  which  he  filled  with  dn*-  goods  and  groceries,  and  advertised  "such  an 
assortment  as  was  never  before  offered  for  sale  in  the  upper  country"  ;  Samuel 
Dickson,  a  merchant  and  politician  and  also  an  auctioneer,  on  the  north  side  of 
C  street ;  Lewis  Burnes,  M.  P.  Rively  and  Stei)hen  Johnson  carried  stocks  of 
assorted  merchandise ;  A.  J.  G.  Westbrook,  a  grocer,  and  Patrick  Lauglilin, 
who  fled  from  Doniphan  on  account  of  the  murder  of  Collins,  the  Free  State 
man,  was  a  tinner ;  William  C.  Null  and  Albert  G.  Schmitt  operated  a  ware- 
house and  carried  a  general  stock  of  merchandise  at  the  corner  of  Second  and 
C  streets;  Charles  E.  ^^'oolfolk  and  Robert  H.  Cavell  had  a  large  store  and 
warehouse  at  the  steamboat  landing ;  George  M.  Million  operated  the  Pioneer 
Saloon ;  John  Robertson  conducted  a  saddlery  and  harness  business ;  Messrs. 
Jackson  &  Ireland  were  a  contracting  firm  with  a  shop  over  Samuel  Dickson's 
store;  Uncle  Sam  Clothing  Store,  at  the  corner  of  C  and  Third  streets,  was 
conducted  by  Jacob  Saqui  &  Company ;  Giles  B.  Buck  sold  stoves  on  C  street ; 
O.  B.  Dickson  was  proprietor  of  the  Atchison  House:  Drs.  J.  II.  Stringfellow 
and  D.  M.  McVay  were  the  leading  physicians :  and  it  is  interesting  to  note 
that  Washburn's  Great  American  Colossal  Circus,  which  was  the  first  in 
Kansas,  gave  two  exhibitions  in  Atchison,  July  31,  1856.  This  aggregation 
carried  three  clowns,  a  full  brass  and  string  band  and  an  immense  pavilion,  and 
many  other  novel  and  attractive  features. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISOX  COUNTY  yj 

Fully  lift}-  new  buildings  were  erected  during  the  spring  and  summer 
of  1856. 

During  this  period  in  the  historj"  of  the  count}'.  Free  State  people  began , 
to  come  into  their  own.  They  grew  bolder,  following  the  compromise  with 
the  pro-slaven.-  citizens,  over  the  question  of  the  distribution  of  citi.-  officers 
and  because  of  other  concessions  that  were  made  by  the  pro-slaver}"  citizens  for 
the  general  good  of  the  commimity.  It  was  not  strange,  therefore,  that  some 
of  the  less  tactful  and  politic  Free  Stale  leaders  should  over-reach  themselves 
at  such  a  time.  \\'hile  the  "Reign  of  Terrorism"  under  the  Stringfellow 
regime  was  on,  the  Free  State  men  in  Atchison  count}-  considered  discretion 
the  better  part  of  valor.  They  were  ver}-  quiet,  with  few  exceptions,  of  whom 
Pardee  Butler  was  a  conspicuous  exam.ple,  but  they  were  nevertheless  _quite 
numerous  in  the  coimt}",  and  particularly  was  this  the  case  in  and  around  Mon- 
rovia. Eden  and  Ocena ;  in  fact,  there  was  an  organization  of  Free  State  men 
in  the  coimt}-  as  early  js  1857,  and  several  quiet  meetings  Were  held  that  vear  : 
and  at  Monrovia  a  society  \\:as_formed,  of  which  Franklin  G.  Adams  was  the 
chief  officer  and  spokesman. 

Early  in  May.  1857.  Senator  Pomeroy  and  the  Free  State  men  bought 
the  Squatter  Sozxreign  from  Dr.  Stringfellow.  and  Mr.  Adams  and  Robert 
McBratney  became  its  editors.  Mr.  Adams  was  just  as  ardent  a  Free  State 
man  as  Dr.  Stringfellow  was  the  other  wa}".  so  the  policy  of  tlie  paper  was 
completely  reversed.  Judge  Adams  was  a  lawyer  and  partner  of  John  T- 
Ingalls  for  a  while.  He  represented  Atchison  count}-  in  the  constitutional 
convention  that  met  in  Mineola  March  23.  1858  and  which  subsequentlv  ad- 
journed to  Leavenworth.  Caleb  May,  G.  M.  Fuller,  C.  A.  Woodwonh  and 
H.  E.  Baker  were  the  other  delegates  from  Atchison  coimt}-.  Judge  Adams 
was  later  one  of  the  useful  men  of  Kansas,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death  he 
was  secretar}-  of  the  State  Historical  Societ}-.  which  position  he  filled  with 
credh  and  honor  for  many  years.  On  August  22,  1858.  following  the  local 
compromise  with  the  pro-slavery  leaders.  Judge  Adams  concluded  the  time 
was  ripe  to  invite  James  H.  Lane,  the  great  Free  State  leader,  to  Atchison,  to 
make  a  speech.  He  consequently  served  notice  in  his  paper  that  Lane  would 
be  in  Atchison  October  19.  As  soon  as  it  was  generally  kno\\-n  that  Lane  had 
been  inrited  to  speak  in  Atchison  a  number  of  the  more  rabid  pro-slaver\-  men 
concluded  that  the  speaking  would  not  take  place.  On  the  other  hand.  Judge 
Adams  was  just  as  determined  that  Lane  would  have  a  public  meeting  in 
Atchison.  For  the  purpose  of  insuring  order  on  that  occasion  Adams  in- 
vited a  number  of  strong  and  reliable  Free  State  friends  from  Leavenworth 


78  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

to  come  up  to  Atchison  and  see  that  fair  play  was  done.  The  invitation  to 
the  Leavenworth  Free  Soilers  was  accepted  with  alacrity  and  they  arrived  on 
the  moming  of  the  day  Lane  was  billed  to  make  hi's  speech  and  brought  with 
them  their  side  arms  as  a  matter  of  precaution.  They  made  the  office  of 
Adams,  Swift  &  Company  their  headquarters  while  here.  Shortly  after  the 
arrival  of  the  Leavenworth  contingent  and  while  sitting  in  his  office  Judge 
Adams  noticed  a  crowd  gathering  on  Commercial  street,  near  Fifth.  Sus- 
pecting that  the  crowd  had  gathered  for  no  good  purpose,  Judge  .Adams 
and  six  of  his  friends  started  for  the  scene  of  what  appeared  to  him  to  be 
a  disturbance.  On  their  way  they  met  Caleb  A.  Woodworth,  Sr.,  hatless 
and  apparently  in  trouble.  As  Judge  Adams  stopped  to  make  inquiries  of  Mr. 
Woodworth  regarding  his  trouble  somebod}^  from  the  rear  assaulted  him 
with  a  heavy  blow  on  the  cheek.  Instead  of  following  the  Biblical  injunc- 
tion he  did  not  turn  his  other  cheek,  but  swung  quickly  in  his  tracks  and  lev- 
elled a  pistol  at  his  assailant,  who  was  accompanied  by  a  crowd  of  his  friends, 
all  armed  and  with  blood  in  their  eyes.  As  Judge  Adams  was  alx)ut  to  pull 
the  trigger  of  his  gun  a  friend  of  Judge  Adams  siiouted,  "Don't  shoot  yet !" 
following  which  admonition  all  of  the  crowd  displayed  cocked  revolvers  and 
aimed  them  in  the  direction  of  Judge  .Adams  and  liis  crowd.  Observing  that 
I  the  Free  Soilers  meant  business,  the  pro-slavery  men  discreetly  withdrew 
'  without  further  trouble,  and  the  Free  Soil  men  returned  to  the  office  of  Judge 
vXdam.s.  It  was  then  detemiined  that  the  meeting  should  he  an  out-of-door 
one,  and  as  tliey  passed  out  into  the  street,  again  the  pro-slavery  advocates 
mixed  freely  with  the  Free  Soilers.  A.  J.  W.  Westbrook,  of  the  "Home 
Guards,"  mounted  on  a  prancing  horse,  rode  among  the  crowd,  flourishing 
a  cocked  gim,  apparently  seeking  to  kill  Judge  Adams  at  the  first  favorable 
opportunity.  It  has  been  doubted  that  Westbrook  meant  business,  but  his 
conduct  had  the  effect  of  stirring  up  his  followers  who  avowed  that  Jim 
Lane  should  not  speak  in  Atchison  that  night.  His  threatening  attitude  ap- 
parently had  the  desired  effect,  for  the  Free  Soil  men  decided  that  it  was  not 
necessarj-  for  the  existence  of  their  cause  that  Jim  Lane  should  speak  and 
therefore  postponed  the  speaking.  Judge  Adams  was  not  altogether  pleased 
but  he  was  finally  prevailed  upon  to  return  liome  without  attempting  further 
trouble.  Later  in  the  day  a  party  of  Free  Soil  men  met  General  Lane  on  the 
outskirts  of  the  city,  returning  from  Doniphan  where  he  had  been  speaking, 
and  prevailed  upon  him  not  to  come  to  Atchison.  This  was  not  the  first 
attempt  of  Lane  to  visit  Atchison  county.  He  was  entertained  at  dinner  in 
1855  at  the  home  of  Dr.  J.  H.  Stringfeliow,  whose  house  occupied  the  site 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COLXTY  79 

where  the  home  of  Ex-Gk)vernor  W.  ].  Bailey  now  stands.  The  fact  that 
Lane  was  a  guest  of  Dr.  Stringfellow  will  appear  strange  to  those  who  knew 
nothing  of  the  Stringfellow  family.  While  they  were  belligerent  pro-slavery 
advocates,  the}-  were  always  high  class  men  with  decent  instincts  and  there- 
fore it  would  not  be  unu.sual  for  them  to  open  their  home  to  so  violent  an 
opponent  of  theirs  as  Lane  was.  The  eastern  papers,  in  giving  an  account 
of  Lane's  entertainment  at  the  Stringfellow  home,  stated  that  the  dinner  was 
a  very  elaborate  one,  mcluding  oysters,  plum  pudding,  terrapin  and  cham- 
pagne. Mrs.  Stringfellow  told  E.  W.  Howe  in  1894  that  Lane  came  to  the 
house  about  1 1  o'clock  in  the  morning  attended  by  a  body-guard  of  four 
men  and  inquired  for  Dr.  Stringfellow.  The  Doctor  was  away  at  the  time, 
but  was  expected  about  noon.  The  men  said  that  they  would  wait,  where- 
upon Mrs.  Stringfellow  knew  that  she  would  probably  have  them  for  dinner. 
Her  girl  was  just  getting  ready  to  go  somewhere  on  an  errand  and  was 
asked  to  remain  at  the  house.  Dr.  Stringfellow  came  in  about  noon  and 
when  the  two  men  met  in  the  yard  Stringfellow  asked  Lane  if  he  was  not 
afraid  to  call  at  his  house.  "I  am  not  afraid,"  Lane  re]jlied.  "to  call  on  a 
gentleman  anywhere."  This  gallantiT  cajitured  Mrs.  Stringfellow's  admira- 
tion and  she  invited  Lane  and  his  body-guard  to  dinner,  which,  contrar}-  to 
the  report  in  the  eastern  papers,  was  a  very  simple  one.  Mrs.  Stringfellow, 
in  her  inten-iew  with  Mr.  Howe,  said  that  it  was  as  follows:  Coffee,  hot 
biscuits  and  butter,  cold  pie,  preserves  and  milk;  no  terrapin,  no  oysters,  no 
champagne,  no  plum  pudding.  Lane  called  at  the  house  on  a  matter  of  busi- 
iness  and  Mrs.  Stringfellow  said  that  Lane  and  his  body-guard  were  very 
Icindly  genteel  men.  Two  or  three  weeks  later,  when  Mrs.  Stringfellow 
was  alone  in  the  house,  she  saw  a  wagon  pass  in  the  road  with  three  or  four 
men  lying  down  in  it.  Presently  another  wagon,  similarly  loaded,  attracted 
her  attention.  Then  came  four  men  and  a  woman  on  horseback  and  sev- 
eral men  on  foot.  The  people  came  from  down  town,  or  from  southwest  of 
town.  The  circumstances  were  peculiar,  and  Mrs.  Stringfellow  climbed  on 
top  of  a  table  and  watched  the  men  through  the  upper  sash  of  a  window.  They 
stopped  in  a  little  glade  northeast  of  the  house,  when  the  woman  dismounted 
from  the  horse,  took  off  the  skirt  and  turned  out  to  be  Jim  Lane.  He  stood 
beside  the  horse  and  talked  possibly  half  an  hour.  Mrs.  Stringfellow  is  cer- 
tain the  speaker  was  Lane,  because  she  had  seen  him  only  a  few  weeks  be- 
fore, and  he  rode  the  white  horse  he  had  ridden  when  he  stopped  at  her 
house,  and  the  same  four  men  composed  the  body-guard.  Lane  had  threat- 
ened to  make  a  speech  in  the  town  but  had  been  warned  not  to,*as  he  had  been 


8o 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 


warned  two  years  earlier.  He  made  his  speech  in  spite  of  the  warning,  but 
his  audience  was  composed  of  his  friends  only.  A  half  hour  after  Lane  dis- 
appeared over  the  hill  toward  the  farm  then  owned  by  John  Taylor,  some 
distance  south  of  the  Orphans'  Home,  forty  mounted  southerners  appeared 
looking  for  him.  Mrs.  Stringfellow  knew  John  Scott,  the  leader,  and  told  him 
of  the  incident.  The  men  laughed  and  then  gave  three  rousing  cheers  for  Jim 
Lane,  who  had  outwitted  them. 


Forest  Park,  Atfliison,  Kansas 


While  there  was  a  tremendous  traffic  across  the  plains  from  Atchison 
in  1857,  1858  and  1859.  and  for  a  number  of  years  later  the  "town  was  alive 
with  business,"  it  is  only  fair  to  record  that  the  town  itself  was  not  a  thing 
of  beauty  and  a  joy  forever,  in  spite  of  the  efforts  of  Mayor  Pomeroy  and 
the  city  fathers  who  put  the  city  in  debt  to  the  extent  of  89,000,  September 
5.  1859,  for  public  improvements. 

Frank  A.  Root  in  his  admirable  book,  "The  Overland  Stage  to  Cali- 
fornia." published  in  1901.  has  this  to  say  in  part  upon  his  arrival  here  in 
November,  1858: 

"It  was  in  November,  1858,  that  I  first  set  foot  on  the  levee  in  Atchison. 
I  stepped  from  the  steamer.  'Omalia.'  which  boat  was  discharging  its  cargo 
of  freight  at  the  ffiot  of  Commercial  street.     At  that  time  the  place  was  a 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  8l 

\ery  small  town.  I  took  up  my  residence  in  Atchison  the  following  spring, 
having  this  time  come  up  the  river  on  a  steamboat  from  Weston  where  I  had 
been  employed  as  a  compositor  in  the  office  of  the  Platte  Argus.  On  land- 
ing at  Atchison  I  had  a  solitarv  dime  in  my  pocket,  and.  after  using  that  to 
pay  for  my  lunch,  I  started  out  in  search  of  a  job.  A  sign  over  the  office 
which  read:  'Freedom's  Champion,  John  A.  Martin,  Editor  and  Publisher,' 
attracted  my  attention.  It  hung  above  the  door  of  the  only  newspaper  office 
in  the  city  at  that  time,  but  preparations  were  then  being  made  by  Gideon  O. 
Chase,  of  Waverly,  N.  Y.,  to  start  the  Atchison  Union,  which  was  to  be  a 
Democratic  paper.  I  secured  a  place  in  the  Champion  office,  beginning  work  ' 
the  following  morning.  As  I  walked  about  the  town  I  remember  of  hav- 
ing seen  but  four  brick  buildings  on  Commercial  street.  A  part  of  the  second 
stor}'  of  one  of  them,  about  half  a  square  west  of  the  river,  was  occupied  by 
the  Champion.  The  Massasoit  House  was  the  leading  hotel.  The  Planters, 
a  two-story  frame  house,  was  a  good  hotel  in  those  early  days,  but  it 
was  too  far  out  to  be  convenient,  located  as  it  was,  on  the  corner  of  Com- 
mercial and  Sixth  streets.  \\''est  of  Sixth  there  were  but  few  scattering 
dwellings  and  perhaps  a  dozen  business  houses  and  shops.  The  road  along 
Commercial  street,  west  of  Sixth,  was  crooked,  for  it  had  not  been  graded 
and  the  streets  were  full  of  stumps  and  remnants  of  a  thick  growth  of  under- 
brush that  had  previously  been  cut.  A  narrow,  rickety  bridge  was  spanning 
White  Clay  creek  where  that  stream  crosses  Commercial  street  at  Seventh 
street.  Between  Sixth  and  Seventh  streets,  north  of  Commercial  street  there 
v/as  a  frog  pond  occupying  most  of  the  block,  where  the  boys  pulled  dog- 
grass  in  highwater,  and  where  both  boys  and  girls  skated  in  winter.  The 
Exchange  hotel  on  Atchison  street,  between  Second  and  the  Levee,  built  of 
logs — subsequently  changed  to  the  National — was  the  principal  hotel  of  Atch- 
ison, and  for  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century  stood  as  an  old  familiar  land- 
mark, built  in  early  territorial  days. 

"Atchison  was  the  first  Kansas  town  visited  by  Horace  Greeley,  ft  was 
Sunday  morning,  May  15,  1^59,  a  few  days  before  beginning  his  overland 
journey  across  the  continent  l)y  stage.  He  came  through  Missouri  bv  the 
Hannibal  &  St.  Joseph  Railroad,  thence  down  the  Missouri  river  from  St. 
Joseph  on  the  'Platte  Valley,'  a  steamer  then  running  to  Kansas  Cit\-  in 
connection  with  trains  on  the  Hannibal  &  St.  Joseph  Railmad.  It  was  in 
the  old  Massasoit  House  that  Greeley  wrote  on  Kansas  soil,  his  first  letter  to 
the  Tribune.     During  the  latter  part  of  the  afternoon  he  was  driven  over  the 


82  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

city  in  a  carriage,  John  A.  Martin  being  one  of  the  party.  The  city  was  a 
favorite  place  of  Albert  D.  Richardson,  the  noted  correspondent  of  five 
eastern  newspapers. 

"It  was  at  Atchison  that  Abraham  Lincoln,  on  his  first  visit  to  Kansas, 
spoke  to  a  crowded  house  on  'The  Issues  of  the  Day,'  December  2.  1859, 
the  date  that  old  John  Brown  was  executed  in  Virginia.  Lincoln  spoke  in 
the  Methodist  church,  which  then  stood  on  the  hill  at  the  comer  of  Fifth  and 
Parallel  streets.  The  little  church  was  a  frame  building,  dedicated  in  May, 
'-1859,  and  overlooked  a  considerable  portion  of  the  city.  The  liouse  after- 
wards became  quite  historic,  for  during  the  early  part  of  the  Civil  war,  the 
patriotic  Rev.  Milton  Mahin,  a  stanch  Union  man,  from  Indiana,  in  a 
patriotic  speech,  soon  after  the  Civil  war  broke  out,  had  the  nene,  and  was 
the  first  minister  of  the  Gospel  in  Atchison,  to  raise  the  Stars  and  Stripes 
over  his  house  of  worship."  D.  W.  Wilder,  in  his  "Annals  of  Kansas,"  one 
of  the  most  wonderful  books  of  its  kind  ever  published,  says  that  .Miraham 
Lincoln  arrived  in  Ehvood,  which  is  just  across  from  St.  Joseph,  December 
I,  1859.  and  made  his  speech  there  that  evening.  He  was  met  at  St.  Joseph 
by  M.  ^^'.  Delahay  and  D.  \\'.  Wilder.  The  speech  that  Lincoln  delivered 
at  Elwood  and  at  Atchison  was  the  same  speech  that  he  subsequently  delivered 
at  the  Cooper  Institute,  New  York  City,  and  was  considered  as  one  of  the 
ablest  and  clearest  ever  delivered  by  an  American  statesman. 

Atchison  county  was  making  forward  strides  at  a  rapid  pace  and  the  fu- 
ture held  out  every  promise  of  prosperity,  but  in  1859  "a  great  famine  fell  upon 
the  land."  It  did  more  to  depopulate  Kansas  than  all  the  troubles  of  preced- 
ing years.  The  settlers  in  the  Territory  were  able  to  fight  border  ruffians 
with  more  courage  than  they  could  endure  starvation,  and  during  all  of  their 
earlier  troubles  they  confidently  looked  forward  to  the  time  when  all  of  their 
political  difficulties  would  be  settled  and  prosperity,  peace  and  contentment 
would  be  their  share  in  life.  During  the  years  of  1855,  1856  and  1857  the  cit- 
izens of  the  Territory  were  unable  to  take  advantage  of  the  then  favorable 
seasons  to  do  more  than  raise  just  sufficient  for  their  immediate  needs.  Dur- 
in  the  next  year  immigration  to  Kansas  was  large  and  the  new  settlers  had 
but  little  time,  in  addition  to  building  their  homes,  to  raise  barely  enough 
for  home  consumption,  so  in  1859  Kansas  had  only  enough  grain  on  hand  to 
last  until  tlie  following  harvest.  The  drouglit  commenced  in  June,  and  from 
the  nineteenth  of  that  month  until  November,  i860,  not  a  shower  of  rain  fell 
of  any  consequence.  By  fall  the  ground  was  parched  and  the  hot  winds  that 
blew  from  the  south  destroyed  vegetation  and  the  wells  and  springs  went 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  83 

ihy.  There  were  a  few  localities  on  bottom  lands  along  the  Missouri  river 
where  sufficient  crops  were  raised  to  supply  the  immediate  population,  but 
over  60,000  people  in  Kansas  faced  starvation  in  the  fall  of  i860.  Thirty 
thousand  settlers  left  the  Territory  for  their  old  homes,  from  which  they 
came,  abandoning  their  claims  and  all  hope  of  success  in  Kansas.  An  end- 
less procession  crossed  the  border  from  day  to  day.  About  70,000 
inhabitants  remained,  of  whom  it  was  estimated  40,000  were  able 
to  go  through  the  winter.  As  soon  as  the  news  of  this  situation  reached  the 
East,  movements  were  inaugurated  for  the  relief  of  the  sufferers  in  Kansas. 
S.  C.  Pomeroy  was  appointed  general  agent  of  northern  Kansas.  He  did 
much  to  raise  liberal  contributions  in  New  York,  Wisconsin.  Indiana,  Illinois 
and  Ohio,  and  the  contributions  were  all  sent  to  Atcliison,  from  which  place 
they  were  distributed  to  the  different  counties  of  the  State.  The  total  re- 
ceipts of  provisions  for  distribution  up  to  March  15,  1861,  were  8,090,951 
pounds,  and  the  total  distribution  at  Atchison,  exclusive  of  liranch  depots, 
was  6,736,424  pounds.  In  spite  of  all  of  this  assistance  over  30,000 
settlers  in  Kansas  that  year  suffered  privation  and  almost  starvation. 

It  was  during  this  frightful  travail  that  Kansas  as  a  State  was  bom. 
On  January  21,  1861,  Jefferson  Davis  and  a  number  of  other  snuthern  sen- 
ators left  the  United  States  Senate  and  on  that  dny  the  bill  for  the  admission 
of  Kansas  under  the  Wyandotte  constitution,  which  had  been  laid  before  the 
House  of  Representatives  in  February,  i860,  was  called  up  by  W.  H.  Seward, 
and  passed  the  Senate  by  a  vote  of  thirty-six  yeas  to  sixteen  nays.  One  week 
later  the  bill  came  up  in  the  House  on  motion  of  Galusha  A.  Grow,  of  Penn- 
sylvania, who  introduced  the  first  bill  for  the  admission  of  Kansas  into  the 
Union,  and  while  the  motion  was  out  of  the  regular  order,  it  was  passed  by 
a  vote  of  119  yeas  to  forty-two  nays.  On  January  29  the  bill  was  signed 
by  President  Buchanan,  and  free  Kansas  joined  the  Union. 

The  following  are  the  names  of  the  cit}-  officials  of  Atchison  March  i, 
1916:  Dr.  C.  C.  Finney,  mayor;  Victor  L.  King,  city  clerk;  Walter  E.  Brown, 
city  attorney;  C.  A.  Wright,  city  treasurer;  Frank  S.  Altman,  city  engineer; 
D.  S.  Beatty,  police  judge;  William  H.  Coleman,  chief  of  police;  John  Comp- 
ton,  fire  marshal ;  Jerome  Van  Dyke,  street  commissioner ;  Owen  P.  Grady, 
meat  inspector  and  license  collector;  Fred  Stutz,  sanitan^  sergeant;  Frank  J. 
Roth,  building  commissioner;  John  Compton,  purchasing  agent;  Dr.  T.  E. 
Horner,  city  physician.  Councilmen :  Louis  Weinman,  president:  first  ward, 
Louis  Weinman,  F.  F.  Bracke ;  second  ward,  Joseph  Schott,  C.  A.  Brown ; 
third  ward,  H.  M.  Ernst,  John  R.  Schmitt ;  fourth  ward,  W.  C.  Linville,  Fred 
Snyder;  fifth  ward.  Fay  Kested,  Walter  North. 


CHAPTER  VII. 


TOWNS,  PAST  AND  PRESENT. 


SUMNER,  ITS  RISE  AND  FALL OCENA LANCASTER — FORT  WILLIAM ARRING- 

TON MUSCOTAH EFFINGHAM HURON OLD     MARTINSBURG BUNKER 

HILL LOCUST      GRO\^ HELENA CAYUGA KENNEKUK KAPIOMA 

MASHENAH- — ST.  NICHOLAS CONCORD PARNELL SHANNON ELM- 
WOOD CUMMINGS\aLLE EDEN  POSTOFFICE POTTER MOUNT  PLEAS- 
ANT  lewis'   point FARLEY'S  FERRY. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  subjects  for  the  local  historian  is  tlie  rise  and 
fall  of  town  companies  and  towns,  within  the  confines  of  Atchison  county. 
Perhaps  no  county  in  the  State,  or  for  that  matter,  no  county  in  the  United 
States,  has  been  immune  from  the  visitations  of  town  boomers.  It  is  difficult 
in  this  enterprising  age,  with  all  the  knowledge  that  we  now  have  at  liand,  to 
understand  how  it  was  possible  for  anybody,  though  lie  was  ever  so  enthusias- 
tic, to  conceive  tlie  idea  that  there  was  any  future  for  many  of  the  "towns" 
that  were  born  in  Atchison  county  in  the  early  days.  Yet,  it  is  found  that 
there  was  in  the  breasts  of  many  promoters  a  feeling  that  Atchison  county 
offered  unlimited  possibilities  for  the  establishment  and  growth  of  towns  and 
cities.  One  need  only  search  the  records  on  file  in  the  office  of  the  register  of 
deeds  in  this  county  to  discover  numerous  certified  plats  of  towns  which  were 
born  to  blusli  unseen  and  waste  their  fragrance  on  the  desert  air.  In  some  in- 
stances the  records  are  quite  complete  and  autlientic,  and  contain  much  infor- 
mation with  reference  to  the  origin,  growth  and  final  decay  of  these  nascent 
municipalities.  In  other  cases  nothing  has  come  down  to  posterity,  save  the 
merest  fragmentary  data,  of  which  the  plat,  containing  the  name  of  the  town 
and  of  its  organizer,  its  location  and  the  number  of  blocks,  streets  and  alleys, 
constitute  the  major  part. 

Reference  has  heretofore  been  made  to  the  founding  and  the  organization 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  8$ 

of  the  city  of  Atchison,  which  became  and  now  remains  the  county  seat  of 
Atchison  county.  The  city  played  such  an  important  part  in  the  early  history 
of  the  county  that  its  story  has  been  woven  into  the  general  fabric  of  this 
history,  and  therefore  further  reference  to  the  city  of  Atcliison  will  not  be  made 
in  this  chapter. 

SUMNER. 

Perhaps  the  m<ist  important,  although  not  the  oldest,  town  established  in 
Atchison  county  outside  of  the  city  of  Atchison  was  Sumner.     A  peculiar 
aroma  of  legendary  glory  still  clings  to  this  old  town,  which  was  located  three  ' 
miles  below  Atchison,  on  the  Missouri  river. 

Its  founder  was  John  I\  Wheeler,  a  }-oung  man  who  came  to  the  Terri- 
tory when  about  twenty-one  }ears  of  age,  and  who  has  been  described  as  "a 
red-headed,  blue-eyed,  consumptive,  slim,  freckled  enthusiast  from  Massachu- 
setts." 

Atchison  at  this  time  was  a  strong  pro-slaver>'  town,  and  no  abolitionist 
was  a  welcome  settler  in  her  midst.  For  this  reason  Sumner  sprang  into 
existence.  It  was  a  dream  of  its  founder  to  make  Sumner  an  important  for- 
warding point,  one  of  its  claims  being  the  fact  that  it  was  the  most  westerly 
of  any  of  the  Missouri  river  towns  in  Kansas. 

In  1856  the  site  was  surveyed  and  platted,  and  the  name  "Sumner"  given 
the  new  town,  in  honor  of  George  Sumner,  one  of  the  original  stockholders, 
and  not  for  his  brother,  the  Hon.  Charles  Sumner,  United  States  senator,  of 
Massachusetts,  as  many  people  suppose. 

To  bring  Sumner  before  the  public  Mr.  Wheeler  engaged  an  artist  named 
Albert  Conant  to  come  out  and  make  a  drawing  of  it,  and  this  was  later  taken 
to  Cincinnati,  and  a  colored  lithograph  made  from  it.  which  was  widely  cir- 
culated. From  copies  of  this  lithograph  still  extant  it  must  be  admitted  that 
the  artist  did  not  slight  the  town  in  any  particular. 

In  the  fall  of  1857  the  Sumner  Town  Company  began  the  erection  of  a 
large  brick  hotel.  Samuel  Hollister  had  the  contract,  his  bid  being  $16,000. 
The  brick  used  in  the  construction  were  made  on  the  ground,  and  the  lumber 
used  in  the  construction  work  came  by  steamboat  from  Pittsburgh,  Pa.  The 
hotel  was  completed  in  the  summer  of  1858,  and  at  last  accounts  the  town 
company  still  owed  Mr.  Hollister  $3,000.  Some  years  later  the  brick  used  in 
the  hotel  were  gathered  and  cleaned  and  hauled  to  Atchison  and  used  the  con- 
struction of  a  building  owned  by  the  late  John  J.  Tngalls,  located  at  108-110 
South  Fourth  street. 


86  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

In  the  fall  of  1857  Cone  Brothers  (John  P.  and  D.  D.)  brought  a  print- 
ing outfit  to  Kansas,  and  were  induced  to  locate  in  Sumner,  where  they  sliortly 
begun  the  publication  of  The  Sumner  Gazette,  the  first  issue  of  which  appeared 
on  September  12.  During  the  political  canvass  that  fall  they  also  issued  a 
daily.  The  Gazette  was  issued  until  1861  when  it  suspended,  its  publishers 
'  believing  that  it  was  the  only  paper  in  Kansas  that  outlived  the  town  in  which 
it  started. 

Among  those  engaged  in  business  in  Sumner  on  October  i.  1857,  the 
Daily  Gazette  shows  the  following  : 

John  P.  Wheeler,  attorney  and  counsellor  at  law,  commissioner  of  deeds, 
dealer  in  real  estate,  etc. 

Kahn  &  Fassler,  general  store,  on  Front  street,  between  Washington  ave- 
nue and  Chestnut  street. 

Mayer  &  Rohrmann,  carpenters  and  builders. 

Barnard  &  Wheeler,  proprietors  of  the  Sumner  Brick  Yard. 

^^'m.  M.  Reed,  contractor,  Atchison  and  Sumner. 

John  Armor,  steam  saw  mill,  in  the  city. 

Butclier  &  Brothers,  general  store  on  Front  street,  between  \\'ashington 
avenue  and  Olive  street. 

Allen  Green,  painter  and  glazier. 

S.  J.  Bennett,  boot  and  shoe  store,  corner  of  Washington  avenue  and 
Fourth  street. 

Arthur  M.  Claflin,  general  land  agent,  forwarding  and  commission  agent. 

J.  P.  Wheeler  and  A.  M.  Claflin,  lumber,  office  with  the  Sumner 
Company. 

H.  S.  Baker,  proprietor  of  Baker's  Hotel,  corner  of  Front  and  Olive 
streets,  near  steamboat  landing. 

A.  Barber,  general  merchandise.  Front  street,  between  Washington  ave- 
nue and  Olive  street. 

Lietzenburger  &  Co.,  blacksmiths,  wagon  makers,  etc..  Cedar  street,  be- 
tween Third  and  Fourth  streets. 

D.  Xewcomb,  M.  D.,  office  in  postoffice  building,  corner  of  Third  street 
and  Washington  avenue.  Mr.  Newcomb  also  dealt  in  lime,  and  on  September 
24,  received  a  large  and  select  stock  of  hardware,  stoves,  etc. 

When  the  Territorial  legislature  of  1858  met,  a  bill  was  introduced,  incor- 
porating the  Sumner  Company,  Cyrus  F.  Currier,  Samuel  F.  Harsh,  J.  \N. 
Morris,  Isaac  C.  Losse  and  Jolm  !'.  Wlieelcr,  their  associates  and  successors, 
constitutin  gtlie  company.     The  act  also  provided  that  the  corporation  should 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  8/ 

have  the  power  to  purchase  and  hold,  and  enter  by  preemption  and  otherwise, 
any  quantity  of  land  where  the  town  of  Sumner  is  now  located,  not  to  exceed 
one  thousand  acres,  etc. 

A  ferry  at  Sumner  was  also  incorporated  by  the  legislature  of  1858,  J.  \A'. 
Morris.  Cyrus  F.  Currier  and  Samuel  Harsh  being  the  incorporators.  This 
boat  plied  between  Atchison  and  Sumner  and  the  Missouri  side. 

In  1S58  Samuel  Hollister  built  a  steam  sawmill,  adding  a  gristmill  later. 

By  the  end  of  1858  Sumner  had  outstripped  its  rival,  Atchison,  in  popula- 
tion. ■  and  steps  were  taken  looking  towards  the  incorporation  of  the  town. 
Early  in  the  beginning  of  the  legislature  of  1859,  articles  of  incorporation  were 
passed  and  received  the  approval  of  Governor  Samuel  Medary  on  February  9. 
These  articles  of  incorporation  were  later  amended  by  an  act  passed  by  the 
first  State  legislature,  which  was  approved  June  3,  1861. 

The  decline  of  Sumner  began  with  the  drought  which  started  in  the  fall- 
of  1859  and  prevailed  through  the  year  i860.  In  June,  i860,  a  cyclone  struck 
the  town  and  either  blew  down  or  damaged  nearly  every  building,  this  calamity 
being  followed  in  September  by  a  visitation  of  grasshoppers,  all  of  which  were 
potent  factors  in  wiping-  Sumner  off  the  map.  Some  of  the  houses  which 
could  be  moved  were  taken  to  Atchison,  and  some  to  farms  in  the  immediate 
vicinity. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  accounts  that  appeared  about  Sumner  was 
written  by  H.  Clay  Park,  an  old  citizen  of  Atchison,  who  for  many  years  was 
editor  and  part  owner  of  the  Atchison  Patriot.  It  would  not  be  just  either 
to  Mr.  Park  or  to  Sumner,  were  this  account  not  perpetuated  in  this  volume, 
and  it,  therefore,  appears  in  full  as  follows : 

"the  rise  and  fall  of  SUMNER. 

"Three  miles  south  of  Atchison,  Kansas,  is  the  site  of  a  dead  city,  whose 
streets  once  were  filled  with  the  clamor  of  busy  traffic  and  echoed  to  the  tread 
of  thousands  of  oxen  and  mules  that  in  the  pioneer  days  of  the  Great  ^\'est 
transported  the  products  of  tiie  East  across  the  Great  American  Desert  to  the 
Rocky  mountains.  It  was  a  city  in  which  for  a  few  years  twenty-five  hundred 
men  and  women  and  children  lived  and  labored  and  loved,  in  which  many  lofty 
aspirations  were  born,  and  in  which  several  young  men  began  careers  that 
became  historical. 

"This  city  was  located  on  what  the  early  French  voyagers  called  the  'Grand 
Detour'  of  the  Missouri  river.  No  mure  rugged  and  ])icturesque  site  for  a 
city-    or    one     more     inaccessible    and     with     mure    vuipropitious    environ- 


88  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

ments  could  have  been  selected.  It  was  literally  Ijuilt  in  and  on  the  everlast- 
ing hills,  covered  with  a  primeval  forest  so  dense  that  the  shadows  chased  the 
sunbeams  away.  It  sprang  into  existence  so  suddenly  and  imperceptibly  it 
might  almost  have  been  considered  a  creation  of  the  magician's  wand.  It  was 
named  Sumner  in  honor  of  the  great  Massachusetts  senator.  Its  official  motto 
was  'Pro  lege  et  grege"  (For  tlie  law  and  tlie  people).  This  would,  in  the 
light  of  subsequent  events,  have  been  more  suggestive:  'I  shall  fall,  like  a 
bright  exhalation  in  the  evening.' 

"Sumner's  first  citizens  came  mostly  from  Massacliusetts,  and  were  im- 
bued with  the  spirit  of  creed  and  cant,  self-reliance  and  fanaticism  that  could 
have  been  born  only  on  Plymouth  Rock.  Tliey  had  come  to  the  frontier  to 
make  Kansas  a  free  State  and  to  build  a  city,  within  whose  walls  all  previous 
conditions  of  slavery  should  be  disregarded  and  where  all  men  born  should  be 
regarded  equal.  The  time — 1856 — was  auspicious.  Kansas  was  both  a  great 
political  and  military  battlefield,  upon  which  the  question  of  the  institution  of 
slaver}-  was  to  be  settled  for  all  time. 

"The  growth  of  Sumner  was  phenomenal.  A  lithograph  printed  in  1857 
shows  streets  of  stately  buildings,  imposing  seats  of  learning,  church  spires  that 
pierced  the  clouds,  elegant  hotels  and  theaters,  tlie  river  full  of  floating  pal- 
aces, its  levee  lined  with  bales  and  barrels  of  merchandise,  and  the  white  smoke 
from  numerous  factories  hanging  over  the  city  like  a  banner  of  peace  and 
prosperity.  To  one  who  in  that  day  approached  Sumner  from  the  east  and 
saw  it  across  the  river,  which  like  a  burnished  mirror,  reflected  its  glories,  it 
did  indeed  present  an  imposing  aspect. 

"One  day  the  steamboat  Duncan  S.  Carter  landed  at  Sumner.  On  its 
hurricane  deck  was  John  J.  Ingalls,  then  only  twenty-four  years  old.  As  his 
eye  swept  the  horizon  his  prophetic  soul  uttered  these  words:  'Behold  the  home 
of  the  future  senator  from  Kansas.'  Here  the  young  college  graduate,  who 
since  that  day  became  the  senator  from  Kansas.  lived  and  dreamed  until  Sum- 
ner's star  had  set  and  Atchison's  sun  had  risen,  and  then  he  moved  to  Atchison, 
bringing  with  him  Sumner's  official  seal  and  the  key  to  his  hotel. 

"Here  lived  that  afterwards  brilliant  author  and  joumalist,  Albert  D. 
Richardson,  whose  tragic  death  some  years  ago  in  the  counting  room  of  the 
New  York  Tribune  is  well  remembered.  His  'Beyond  the  Mississippi"  is  to 
this  day  the  most  fascinating  account  ever  written  of  the  boundless  West. 

"Here  lived  the  nine-year-old  Minnie  Hauk,  who  was  one  dav  to  Ijecome 
a  renowned  prima  donna  and  charm  two  continents  with  her  voice,  and  who 
was  to  wed  the  Count  \\'artegg.  Minnie  was  born  in  poverty  and  cradled  in 
adversity.     Her  mother  was  a  poor  washerwoman  in  Sumner. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISOX   COUNTY  89 

"Here  lived  John  E.  Remsburg,  the  now  noted  author,  lecturer  and  free- 
thinker. Mr.  Remsburg  has  probably  delivered  more  lectures  in  the  last 
thirty  years  than  any  man  in  America.  He  is  now  the  leader  of  the  Free- 
Thought  Federation  of  America. 

"Here  Walter  A.  \\'ood,  the  big  manufacturer  of  agricultural  implements, 
lived  and  made  and  mended  wagons.  Here  Lovejoy,  'the  Yankee  preacher," 
preached  and  prayed.  Here  lived  'Brother'  and  'Sister'  Newcomb,  from  whom 
has  descended  a  long  line  of  zealous  and  eminent  MethocTists.  Here  was 
born  Paul  Hull,  the  well  known  Chicago  journalist. 

"And  Sumner  was  the  city  tliat  the  Rev.  Pardee  Butler  lifted  up  his  hands 
and  blessed  and  prophesied  would  grow  and  wax  fat  when  the  'upper  landing' 
would  sleep  in  a  dishonored  and  forgotten  grave,  as  he  floated  by  it  on  his 
raft,  clad  in  tar  and  feathers.  The  'upper  landing'  was  the  opprebrious  title 
conferred  by  Sumner  upon  Atchison.  The  two  towns  were  bitter  enemies. 
Sumner  was  'abolitionist;'  Atchison  was  'border  ruffian.'  In  Atchison  the 
'nigger'  was  a  slave;  in  Sumner  he  was  a  fetich.  It  was  in  Atchison  that  the 
'abolition  preacher.'  Pardee  Butler,  was  tarred  and  feathered  and  set  adrift  on 
a  raft  in  the  river.  He  survived  the  tortures  of  his  coat  of  degradation  and 
the  'ciuick-holes'  of  the  Missouri  river  and  lived  to  become  a  prohibition  fanatic 
and  a  Democratic  Presidential  elector. 

"Jonathan  Lang,  alias  'Shang,'  the  hero  of  Senator  Ingalls"  'Catfish  Aris- 
tocracy,' and  the  'last  mayor  of  Sumner,'  lived  and  died  in  Sumner.  When  all 
his  lovely  companions  had  faded  and  gone  'Shang'  still  pined  on  the  stem. 
The  senator's  description  of  this  type  of  a  vanished  race  is  unicjue : 

■  "  'To  the  most  minute  observer  his  age  was  a  (juestion  of  the  gra\'est 
douljt.  He  might  have  been  thirty ;  he  might  have  Ijeen  a  century,  witli  no 
violation  of  the  probabilities.  His  hair  was  a  sandy  sorrel,  something  like  a 
Rembrandt  interior,  and  strayed  around  his  freckled  scalp  like  the  top  laver 
of  a  hayrick  in  a  tornado.  His  eyes  were  two  ulcers,  half  filled  with  pale 
blue  starch.  A  thin,  sharp  nose  projected  above  a  lipless  nioulh  that  .seemed 
always  upon  the  point  of  breaking  into  the  most  grievous  lamentations,  and 
never  opened  save  to  take  whiskey  and  tobacco  in  and  let  oaths  and  saliva  out. 
A  long,  slender  neck,  yellow  and  wrinkled  after  the  manner  of  a  lizard's 
belly,  bore  tin's  dome  of  thought  upon  its  summit,  itself  projecting  from  a  mis- 
cellaneous assortment  of  gent's  furnishing  goods,  which  covered  a  frame  of 
unearthly  longitude  and  unspeakable  emaciation.  Thorns  and  thongs  sui)plied 
the  place  of  buttons  upon  the  costume  of  this  Bnmimel  of  the  bottom,  coarsely 
patched  beyond  recognition  of  the  original  fabric.     The  coat  had  been  con- 


go  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

structed  for  a  giant,  the  pants  for  a  pigmy.  They  were  too  long  in  the  waist 
and  too  short  in  the  leg,  and  flapped  loosely  around  his  shrunk  shanks  high 
above  the  point  where  his  fearful  feet  were  partially  concealed  by  mismated 
shoes  that  permitted  his  great  toes  to  peer  from  their  gaping  integinnents,  like 
the  heads  of  two  snakes  of  a  novel  species  and  uncommon  fetor.  This  princely 
phenomenon  was  topped  with  a  hat  which  had  neither  band  nor  brim  nor 
crown : 

"  'If  lliat  could  shape  be  called  which  shape  has  none. 

"  'His  voice  was  high,  shrill  and  querulous,  and  his  manner  an  odd  mix- 
ture of  fawning  servility  and  apprehensive  effronteiy  at  the  sight  of  a  "damned 
Yankee  abolitionist,"  whom  he  hated  and  feared  next  to  a  negro  who  was 
not  a  slave.' 

"The  only  error  in  the  senator's  description  of  'Shang'  is  that  'Shang' 
was  'abolitionist'  himself,  and  'fit  to  free  the  nigger.' 

'Shang'  continued  to  live  in  Sumner  until  every  house,  save  his  miser- 
able hut,  had  vanished  like  tlie  baseless  fabric  of  a  vision.  He  claimed  and 
was  proud  of  the  title,  'the  last  mayor  of  Sumner.'  He  died  a  few  years  ago, 
and  a  little  later  lightning  struck  his  cabin  and  it  was  devoured  1)y  flames. 
And  thus  passed  aw^ay  the  last  relic  of  Sumner. 

"In  tlie  flood  tide  of  Sumner's  prosperity,  1856  to  1859 — fnr  Jiefore  that 
it  was  nothing,  after  that  nothing — it  had  ambition  to  become  tlie  county  seat 
of  the  newly  organized  county  of  Atchison.  J.  P.  Wheeler,  president  of  the 
Sumner  Town  Compan)-,  was  a  member  of  the  lower  house  of  the  Territorial 
legislature,  and  he  'logrolled'  a  bill  through  that  body  conferring  upon  Sumner 
the  title  of  county  seat,  Init  the  Atchison  'gang'  finally  succeeded  in  getting 
the  bill  killed  in  the  senate.  Subsequently,  October,  1858,  there  was  an 
election  to  settle  the  vexed  question  of  a  county  seat.  Atchison  won ;  Sumner 
lost. 

,  "About  this  time  Atchison  secured  its  first  railroad.     Tlie  smoke  from 

the  locomotive  engines  drifted  to  Sumner  and  enveloped  it  like  a  pall.  The 
decadence  was  at  liand,  and  Sumner's  race  to  extinction  and  oblivion  was  rapid. 
One  dav  there  was  an  exodus  of  citizens ;  the  liouses  were  torn  down  and  the 
timbers  thereof  cartered  away,  and  foundation  stones  were  dug  up  and  carried 
hence.  Successive  summers'  rains  and  winters'  snows  furrowed  streets  and 
alleys  beyond  recogniiiDn  and  filled  foundation  excavations  to  the  level,  and 
ere  long  a  tangled  mass  of  briers  and  brambles  hid  away  the  last  vestige  of  the 
once  busy,  ambitious  city.  The  forest,  again  unvexed  by  ax  nr  saw.  asserted 
liis  dominion  once  more,  and  tuday.  beneath  the  shadow  cast  by  mighty  oaks 
and  sighing  cottonwoods.  Sumner  lies  dead  and  forgotten." 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  9I 

In  the  above  article,  reference  is  made  1j\-  Mr.  Park  to  Jonathan  Lang, 
and  it  is  important  in  this  connection  to  print  herewith  an  excerpt  from  the 
Atchison  Daily  Globe,  December,  1915,  relating  to  this  interesting  character, 
which  follows : 

"The  reunion  of  the  Thirteenth  Kansas  infantry  at  Hiawatha  Tuesday 
recalls  that  the  late  Jonathan  G.  Lang,  self-styled  'Mayor  of  Old  Sumner,' 
and  hero  of  John  J.  Ingalls'  'Catfish  Aristocracy,'  was  a  soldier  in  this  regi- 
ment, and  was  the  butt  of  many  jokes  on  the  part  of  his  comrades  in  camp  as 
he  was  in  the  days  of  civil  life  at  old  Sumner.  Thomas  J.  Payne,  a  sergeant 
in  the  Thirteenth,  now  living  in  California,  relates  an  amusing  story  of  'Old 
Shang,'  as  Lang  was  generally  called  by  his  comrades :  When  the  regiment  was 
mustered  into  service  on  September  28,  1862,  and  the  newlv  assigned  officers 
^^■ere  reviewing  their  troops  at  Camp  Stanton,  in  Atchison,  tlie  tall,  gaunt  form 
of  Lang  (for  he  was  nearly  seven  feet  tall  and  very  angular)  towered  above  the 
rest  of  the  men  like  the  stately  cottonwood  above  the  hazelbnish.  Riding  up 
and  down  the  lines,  and  scanning  the  troops  with  critical  eye  to  see  that  there 
was  no  breech  of  ranks  or  decorum,  the  gaze  of  Colonel  Bowen  could  not  help 
but  fall  upon  the  lofty  and  lanky  form  of  Lang,  rising  several  heads  above 
any  of  his  comrades.  The  colonel  paused,  and  pointing  his  finger  at  the 
grenadier  form  in  the  ranks,  shouted  in  thunderous  tones,  'Get  down  off  that 
stump.'  A  ripple  of  suppressed  laughter  immediately  passed  along  the  lines, 
and  when  Colonel  Bowen  saw  his  mistake  he  promptly  revoked  his  order  with 
a  hearty  chuckle  and  rode  on  towards  the  end  of  the  column.  And  not  until 
twenty  years  later,  when  all  that  was  mortal  of  old  Lang — his  nearly  seven 
feet  of  skin  and  bones — was  laid  way  to  moulder  with  the  ruins  of  old  Sum- 
ner, did  he  finally  'get  down  off  of  that  stump.'  He  rests  at  the  entrance  of 
the  Sumner  cemetery  and  his  grave  is  marked  with  one  of  those  small,  regula- 
tion slabs  such  as  are  furnished  by  the  Government  for  the  graves  of  dead 
soldiers  and  bears  this  simple  inscription :  'J.  G.  Lang,  Co.  K.  13th  Kansas  In- 
fantry.' There  are  two  other  members  of  the  Thirteenth  Kansas  buried  at 
Sumner.  They  are,  John  Scott,  of  Company  D,  and  Albred  Brown,  of  Com- 
pany F." 

Another  article  relating  to  Old  Sumner,  which  is  entertaining  and  instruc- 
tive, was  written  by  E.  W.  Howe,  and  is  taken  from  the  Historical  Edition  of 
the  Atchison  Daily  Globe,  issued  July  16,  1894: 

"The  founder  of  Sumner  was  Jolin  P.  Wheeler,  a  red-headed,  blue-eyed, 
consumptive,  slim,  freckled  enthusiast  from  Massachusetts.  He  was  a  sur- 
veyor by  profession,  and  also  founded  the  town  of  Hiawatha.     He  was  one 


92  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

of  the  adventurers  who  came  to  Kansas  as  a  result  of  the  excitement  of  1855- 
'56,  and  was  only  twenty-one  years  old  when  he  came  West.  ^lost  of  the  men 
w^ho  had  much  to  do  with  early  Kansas  history  were  young. 

"The  town  was  not  named  for  Charles  Sumner,  as  is  generally  supposed, 
but  for  his  brother,  George  Sumner,  one  of  the  original  stockholders.  At  that 
time  Atchison  was  controlled  by  Southern  sympathizers — P.  T.  Abell,  the 
Stringfellows,  the  ^^IcVeys.  A.  J.  Westbrook  and  others — and  abolitionists 
were  not  welcome  in  the  town.  It  was  believed  that  a  city  \\ould  be  built 
within  a  few  miles  of  this  point,  as  it  was  favorable  for  overland  freighting, 
being  farther  West  than  any  other  point  on  the  Missouri  river.  On  the  old 
French  maps  Atchison  was  known  as  tlie  "Grand  Detour,"  meaning  the  great 
bend  in  the  river  to  the  westward. 

"Being  a  violent  abolitionist,  John  P.  Wheeler  determined  to  establish 
a  town  where  abolitionists  would  be  welcome,  and  Sumner  was  the  result. 
The  town  was  laid  out  in  1856,  and  the  next  year  \\'heeler  had  a  lithograph 
made,  whicli  he  took  East  for  use  in  booming  his  town. 

"Among  others  captured  by  means  of  this  lithograph  was  John  J.  Ingalls. 
Wheeler  and  Ingalls  were  both  acquainted  with  a  Boston  man  of  means  named 
Samuel  A.  Walker.  Wheeler  wanted  Walker  to  invest  in  Sumner,  and  as 
Walker  knew  that  Ingalls  was  anxious  to  go  West,  he  asked  him  to  stop 
at  Sumner  and  report  upon  it  as  a  point  for  the  investment  of  Boston  money. 

"Mr.  Ingalls  arrived  in  Sumner  on  the  4th  of  October.  1858,  on  the 
steamer  Duncan  S.  Carter,  which  left  St.  Louis  four  days  before.  The  town 
then  contained  about  two  thousand  people,  five  hundred  more  than  Atchison ; 
but  Sumner  was  already  declining,  and  Mr.  Ingalls  did  not  advise  his  friend. 
Walker,  to  invest. 

"A  hotel  building  costing  $16,000.00.  had  been  Iniilt  by  Samuel  Hollister. 
A  famous  steamboat  cook  had  charge  of  the  kitchen  in  the  old  days,  and  the 
stages  running  between  Jefferson  City  and  St.  Joe  stopped  there  ever\-  day  for 
dinner.  Jefferson  City  was  then  the  end  of  the  railroad — the  Pacific  Railroad 
of  Missouri,  now  the  Missouri  Pacific — which  runs  through  the  deserted  site 
of  Sumner,  and  directly  over  the  foundation  of  the  wagon  factory  built  by 
Levi  A.  Woods.  This  wagon  factory  was  one  of  the  results  of  Wheeler's 
audacious  lithograph,  and  few  wagons  were  actually  manufactured.  The 
factory  was  heavily  insured,  and  burned. 

"Albert  R.  Richardson  was  a. citizen  of  Sumner,  when  Mr.  Ingalls  arrived 
there ;  also  James  Hauk,  the  father  of  Minnie  Hauk,  who  has  since  become 
famous  as  a  singer  in  grand  opera.     James  Hauk  was  a  carpenter,  whose  wife 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  93 

* 

operated  a  boarding  house.  Minnie  Hauk  waited  on  the  table,  and  was  noted 
among  the  boarders  as  a  smart  Httle  girl  with  a  long  yellow  braid  down  her 
back,  who  could  play  the  piano  pretty  well.  The  next  year  Hauk  made  a 
house  boat  and  floated  down  the  river  to  New  Orleans. 

"When  John  J.  Ingalls  went  to  Sumner,  a  young  man  of  twenty-four, 
he  took  great  interest  in  sucli  characters  as  Archie  Boler  and  Jonathan  Grander 
Lang.  Lang  was  a  jug  fisherman  in  tlie  river,  melon  raiser,  truck  patch 
farmer  and  town  drunkard.  Ingalls  says  that  Lang  was  reall}-  a  Ijright  fellow. 
He  had  been  a  dragoon  in  the  Mexican  War,  and  his  stories  of  experiences 
in  the  West  were  intensely  interesting.  Ingalls  used  to  go  out  in  Lang's 
boat  when  he  was  jugging  for  catfish  and  spend  hours  listening  to  his  talk. 
Finally  Ingalls  wrote  his  'Catfish  Aristocracy,'  and  Lang  recognized  himself 
as  the  hero.  He  was  very  indignant  and  threatened  to  sue  Ingalls,  having  been 
advised  by  some  jackleg  lawyer  that  the  article  was  libelous.  Lang  lived  on 
a  piece  of  land  belonging  to  Ingalls  at  the  time,  and  Ingalls  told  the  writer  of 
this  the  other  day  that  it  was  actually  true  that  he  settled  wih  Lang  for  a  sack 
of  flour  and  a  side  of  bacon.  Lang  served  in  the  Civil  war,  and  long  after  its 
close,  when  his  old  friend  was  president  of  the  United  States  Senate,  he  secured 
him  a  pension  and  a  lot  of  Ijack  ])ay.  But  this  he  squandered  in  marrying. 
His  pension  money  was  a  curse  to  him.  for  it  only  served  to  put  a  lot  of 
wolves  on  his  trail. 

"When  the  war  brnke  <:iut  tiie  Atciiisun  men  who  objected  to  abolitionists 
settling  in  their  town  were  driven  out  of  the  country,  and  this  attracted  a 
good  many  of  the  citizens  of  Sumner.  But  its  death  blow  came  in  June.  iS6o, 
when  nearly  eveiy  house  iii  the  place  was  either  blown  down  or  badly  dam- 
aged by  a  tornado.  This  was  the  first  and  only  tornado  in  the  history  of 
this  immediate  section." 

Reference  is  made  in  both  of  these  articles  to  John  J.  Ingalls,  who  arrived 
in  Sumner  from  Boston,  Mass.,  October  4,  1858.  Mr.  Ingalls  was  a  graduate 
of  Williams  College  a  sliorl  time  before,  and  at  the  time  he  decided  to  go  West 
he  was  a  student  in  a  law  office  in  Boston,  where  his  attention  was  first  called 
to  Sumner  by  an  elaborate  lithograph  of  the  town  displayed  by  Mr.  Wheeler, 
the  promoter.  Tiie  impressions  of  Mr.  Ingalls  upon  his  arrival  in  Sumner 
are,  therefore,  ]jertinenl  and  convey  some  idea  of  the  shock  he  received  when 
he  landed  at  the  Sumner  levee.  In  a  letter  which  lie  subscquenth'  wrote  describ- 
ing the  event,  he  said  ; 

"That  chromatic  trium])li  of  lithographed  mendacity,  supplemented  b\-  the 
loquacious  embellishments  of  a  lively  adventurer  who  has  been  laying  out  lown 


94  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

sites  and  staking  off  corner  lots  for  some  years  past  in  Tophet,  exhibited  a 
scene  in  which  the  attractions  of  art,  nature,  science,  commerce  and  religion 
were  artistically  blended.  Innumerable  drays  were  transporting  from  a  fleet 
of  gorgeous  steambooats  vast  cargoes  of  foreign  and  domestic  merchandise 
over  Russ  pavements  to  colossal  warehouses  of  brick  and  stone.  Dense,  wide 
streets  of  elegant  residences  rose  with  gentle  ascent  from  the  stores  of  the 
tranquil  stream.  Numerous  parks,  decorated  with  rare  trees,  shrubbery  and 
fountains  were  surrounded  with  the  mansions  of  the  great  and  tlie  temples  of 
their  devotion.  The  adjacent  eminences  were  crowned  with  costly  piles  which 
wealth,  directed  by  intelligence  and  controlled  b}^  taste,  had  erected  for  the  edu- 
cation of  the  rising  generation  of  Sumnerites.  The  only  shadow  upon  the 
enchanting  landscape  fell  from  the  clouds  of  smoke  that  poured  from  the  tower- 
ing shafts  of  her  acres  of  manufactories,  while  the  whole  circumference  of 
the  undulating  prairie  was  white  with  endless,  sinuous  trains  of  wagons,  slowly 
moving  toward  the  mysterious  region  of  the  Farther  West." 

OCENA. 

Ocena  was  laid  out  in  Atchison  county  in  1853,  and  for  a  time  it  gave 
promise  of  becoming  an  important  place.  Ocena  was  located  on  the  northeast 
bank  of  Stranger  creek,  on  what  is  known  as  the  McBride  farm,  in  the  south 
half  of  the  northeast  quarter  of  section  22,  township  6,  range  19,  about  a  mile 
north  of  the  present  site  of  Pardee.  The  first  postoffice  in  Center  township, 
and  one  of  the  first  in  Atchison  county,  was  establislied  at  Ocena  with  William 
Crosby  as  postmaster  in  August,  1855.  In  1856,  T.  C.  McBride  was  appointed 
postmaster,  and  served  until  the  office  was  removed  to  Pardee  in  1858,  when 
S.  G.  Moore  was  appointed  postmaster. 

T.  C.  McBride  was  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Center  township,  having 
arrived  there  in  March,  1856,  and  settled  on  the  land  on  wliich  the  town  of 
Ocena  was  built.  He  was  one  of  the  early  merchants  of  the  place,  having  a 
small  store,  in  which  he  kept  the  postoffice.  The  mail  was  caried  from  Atchi- 
son to  Ocena  by  stage.  McBride  was  a  Tennesseean,  born  in  1826.  In  the 
fall  of  1857,  in  a  grove  on  the  McBride  farm,  the  first  church  service  in  that 
section  was  held.     It  was  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  denomination. 

Ocena  was  the  first  important  stopping  place  west  of  Atchison.  The  old 
Sqttatter  Sovereign,  of  Atchison,  in  its  issue  of  December  5,  1857.  contained 
the  following  advertisement  of  the  town :  "The  tnith  plainly  told  will  show 
that  Ocena  is  alreadv  a  citv.     The  surface  of  the  earth  was  so  moulded  bv 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  95 

the  plastic  hand  of  tlie  Creator  tliat  a  few  jioints  in  the  witle  expanse  of  Nature 
were  destined  to  ecHpse  all  otiiers.  Ocena  is  one  of  tliose  points.  Located 
as  it  is,  on  the  northeast  bank  of  Stranger  creek,  in  the  county  of  Atchison, 
where  roads  leading  from  Doniphan  and  St.  Joe  to  Lecompton  are  intersected 
by  roads  leading  from  Atchison  to  Grasshopper  Falls  and  Osawkee ;  and  also 
being  upon  the  great  thoroughfare  running  up  and  down  the  valley  of  the 
Stranger,  it  offers  more  inducements  for  a  large  and  ]jrosperous  inland  town 
than  any  other  place  in  Kansas  Territory.  All  persons  anxious  to  thrive  and 
desirous  of  obtaining  a  home  on  reasonable  terms  will  do  well  to  settle  in 
Ocena.  For  further  particulars  in  reference  to  the  town  apply  to  Isaac  S. 
Hascall,  president,  or  M.  C.  Finney,  secretary." 

Freedom's  Champion,  in  its  issue  of  July  3,  1858,  says  of  the  town : 
"Ocena,  besides  having  the  most  musical  name,  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
places  in  Kansas.  A  postoffice  has  been  established  there  and  several  new 
buildings  are  being  erected.     It  is  destined  to  be  a  thriving  little  place." 

Ocena  was  killed  by  Pardee,  a  town  which  was  started  a  short  distance 
to  the  south  of  it,  but  neither  amounted  to  much  from  a  municipal  and  busi- 
ness standpoint.  Pardee  is  now  only  a  country  village.  It  was  first  platted  as 
a  town  by  James  Brewer,  in  the  string  of  1857,  and  was  named  in  honor  of 
Pardee  Butler,  of  border  warfare  fame.  In  the  winter  of  1856  Mr.  Butler 
preached  iiis  first  sermon  in  Pardee,  the  services  being  held  in  the  sciiool 
house,  which  had  been  completed  during  the  previous  fall,  and  opened  by 
James  Brewer  in  December.  Caleb  May,  the  first  settler  in  Center  township, 
was  the  first  president  of  the  Pardee  Town  Company.  Pardee  Butler  was 
afterwards  president;  Milo  Carleton,  secretary;  Wm.  J.  May,  treasurer;  S.  G. 
Moore,  A.  Elliott  and  W.  Wakefield,  trustees.  Mr.  Moore  opened  the 
first  store  in  Pardee  in  1858,  and  became  the  first  postmaster  as  aforestated. 
Mr.  Carleton  put  a  wind  gristmill  in  operation  at  Pardee  at  an  early  day, 
but  it  was  destroyed  by  a  storm. 

LANCASTER. 

Lancaster  is  one  of  the  oldest  towns  in  the  county.  In  the  issue  of 
October  16,  1858,  of  Freedom's  Champion,  the  following  advertisement  with 
reference  to  Lancaster  appears : 

"LANCASTER. 

"Lancaster  City  is  the  name  of  a  new  town  just  springing  into  existence. 
It  is  located  10  miles  direct  west  of  our  city  (Atchison)  Atchison  county,  K.  T., 
on  the  east  half  of  Section  32,  Township  5,  Range  19,  the  great  military  road 


g6  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON"   COUNTY 

to  Fts.  Kearney,  Laramie,  Bridge,  and  to  Santa  Fe,  Utah,  Washington  Ter- 
ritory, Gadson  Purchase,  CaHfornia,  Xew  Mexico,  etc.,  passes  through  the 
town  site.  Also  roads  leading  from  Nebraska  City,  St.  Joseph,  Doniphan, 
and  to  Grasshopper  Falls,  Topeka,  Lecompton  and  Lawrence. 

"A  more  beautiful  situation  for  a  large  and  prosperous  city  could  not  be 
found  in  the  Territory,  or  the  Great  \\'est.  Its  site  is  rolling  and  dry,  climate 
healthy  and  salubrious  as  heart  could  wish  for.  The  surrounding  country 
cannot  be  surpassed  for  its  magnificent  undulating  prairies,  being  one  of  the 
most  fertile  agricultural  regions  in  the  whole  country. 

"Excellent  coal,  building  stone  and  timber,  within  two,  and  two  and  a 
half  miles.  This  town  has  been  under  way  but  little  over  two  months,  and 
notwithstanding  the  hard  times,  quite  a  number  of  buildings  are  already 
erected,  among  which  will  be  found  a  large  and  commodious  hotel,  a  good 
store,  blacksmith  and  carpenter  shops,  post  office,  etc.,  etc.  Arrangements 
are  made  for  the  erection  of  several  more  dwelling  houses,  also  for  the  erection 
during  this  montli.  of  a  Union  church,  Tthe  first  in  the  county )  and  with  liberty 
heretofore  unequalled  in  Kansas,  Mr.  J.  W.  Smith,  the  President  of  the  Com- 
pany, authorizes  us  to  say  that  he  will  give  good  lots  gratis  to  mechanics,  lab- 
orers, and  others,  who  will  apply  for  them  soon,  or  who  will  erect  improve- 
ments on  them  in  six  months,  worth  S200  or  more.  This,  we  think,  a  good 
chance  for  men  who  want  a  comfortable  home  in  the  best  section  if  our  coun- 
try. The  company  now  offer  to  sell  lots  or  shares  at  reasonable  rates,  and  are 
prepared  to  make  warrantee  deeds  for  the  same,  having  purchased  the  site 
and  obtained  the  title  for  the  same  of  the  Government  of  the  United  States 
on  the  26th  day  of  June,  1858.  Persons  wishing  to  live  in  an  interior  town, 
will  do  well  to  visit  Lancaster  before  investing  elsewhere." 

While  this  little  town  did  not  prove  to  be  all  that  its  promoters  expected 
of  it,  it  continued  as  a  good  trading  point  for  many  years,  and  in  1916  remains 
one  of  the  prosperous  communities  of  the  county.  In  addition  to  the  one  bank 
which  it  supports,  reference  to  which  has  already  been  made,  Lancaster,  in 
1915,  has  seven  stores,  a  two-room  public  school,  three  churches,  one  eleva- 
tor, one  lumber  yard,  a  good  hotel  and  a  garage.  In  191 5  its  enterprising  citi- 
zens built  an  electric  high  tensioned  line  connecting  with  the  Effingham  line 
out  of  Atchison,  to  supply  the  town  with  electric  lights,  and  its  citizens  are  now 
enjoying  all  the  benefits  of  electricity. 

About  80,000  bushels  of  grain,  and  an  average  of  seventy-five  cars  of 
live  stock  are  shipj)ed  out  of  Lancaster  annually.  Its  merchants  are  enter- 
prising and  prosperous,  and  many  comfortable  and  commodious  homes  have 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  97 

been  built  in  this  little  town.  It  is  located  in  one  of  the  finest  agricultural 
sections  of  the  county,  and  the  surrounding  country  is  in  a  state  of  high  culti- 
vation, and  peopled  by  prosperous  and  thrift)-  farmers. 

PORT  WILLIAM. 

In  the  Squatter  Sovereign  of  March  ii,  1S56,  publisiied  at  Atchison,  ap- 
peared the  following  advertisement  of  Port  William : 

"This  new  and  beautiful  town  site  is  situated  on  the  Missouri  river,  in 
Kansas  Territory,  three  or  four  miles  above  tlie  town  of  latan,  in  the  heart  of 
the  most  densely  populated  part  of  Kansas ;  surrounded  b_\-  the  finest  soil 
and  timber  in  that  Territory,  with  a  permanent  landing,  commanding  a  \iew 
of  the  river  for  several  miles  above  and  below.  The  principal  part  of  said 
town  is  located  on  a  bed  of  stone  coal  of  the  liest  quality.  Arrangements  are 
being  made  to  have  said  stone  coal  bed  opened  and  wrought  1)y  a  joint  stock 
company  early  in  the  spring,  at  which  time  there  will  be  a  sale  of  lots.  There 
is  now  in  course  of  erection  a  good  steam  saw  mill,  which  will  be  in  successful 
operation  in  a  few  weeks ;  also,  a  large  and  commodious  tavern  is  in  process  of 
erection,  wliich  will  be  opened  for  the  accommodation  of  the  public  in  a  short 
time.  Persons  wishing  to  procure  lots  immediately  will  have  opportunity  of 
so  doing  by  calling  on  Henry  Bradley  or  Jonathan  Hartman,  both  of  whom  are 
authorized  agents  to  sell  and  dispose  of  lots,  and  one  or  both  may  at  all 
times  be  found  on  the  premises  ready  to  accommodate  purchasers  upon  the 
most  liberal  terms.  H.  B.  Wallace,  Amos  Rees,  Henry  Debard,  H.  C.  Brad- 
ley, H.  B.  Herndon,  James  G.  Spratt,  W.  C.  Remington.  James  W.  Bradley, 
P.  J.  Collins,  trustees." 

Of  the  above  named  trustees  Judge  James  G.  Spratt,  W.  C.  Remington 
and  Henry  Debard  were  prominent  citizens  of  Platte  county,  Missouri,  and 
members  of  the  town  company  that  incorporated  Port  William  in  1855.  James 
M.  and  Henry  Bradley  and  H.  B.  Herndon  were  also  members  of  this 
comi)any.  Henry  Deliard  was  a  Kentuckian,  jjorn  in  Clark  county,  November 
24,  1801,  and  came  to  Platte  county  at  an  early  day,  later  removing  to  Kansas. 
He  was  a  prominent  Mason,  and  took  an  active  ])art  in  Masonic  work  in 
Missouri  for  many  years.  He  was  a  cat)inet  maker,  l)ut  did  not  work  much 
at  his  trade.     He  died  in  Platte  City,  October  5,  1875. 

Amos  Rees  was  born  at  Winchester,  Va.,  December  2,  1800,  and  came  to 
Missouri  at  an  early  age,  locating  in  Platte  county,  March  i,  1845.  For  many 
years  he  was  a  prominent  attorney  of  that  county.     He  moved  to  Kansas  in 

7 


9$  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

1855,  and  died,  December  29,  1885.  Dr.  H.  B.  Wallace,  who  was  interested  in 
Port  William,  was  a  physician  at  Platte  City,  and  a  member  of  the  town 
board  in  1858.  He  invested  largely  in  St.  Jose,  and  the  war  reduced  him 
almost  to  poverty.  He  died,  February  24,  1863.  Judge  Paxton,  in  his 
"Annals  of  Platte  County,"  simply  mentions  him  as  having  married  the 
"beautiful  and  accomplished  Ann  E.  Owen." 

J.  Butler  Chapman  arrived  in  Kansas  in  the  spring  of  1854,  made  a  trip 
over  the  tcrritor\-,  and  then  published  a  small  volume,  entitled  "History  of 
Kansas  and  Emigrant's  Guide."  He  refers  to  Port  William  as  "Williamsport, 
a  prospective  town  a  short  distance  above  Kickap<Jo."  "Tlie  bluffs,"  lie  con- 
tinues, "are  high  and  precipitous,  and  the  land  broken  until  you  reach  the 
high  rolling  prairie  back  some  three  miles.  The  whole  country  is  settled  on 
with  a  view  of  preemption." 

A  company  known  as  the  Port  William  Sharp's  Rifles,  numbering  eighty- 
one,  rank  and  file,  was  formed  at  Port  \\'illiam,  in  October,  1856.  The  com- 
missioned officers  elected  were  James  Adkins,  captain;  Henry  C.  Bradley, 
first  lieutenant;  James  M.  Bradley,  second  lieutenant;  S.  Bowman,  third  lieu- 
tenant. The  company  was  enrolled,  or  was  intended  to  be  enrolled,  in  the 
first  regiment,  first  brigade,  northern  division  of  the  Kansas  militia,  and 
applied  for  arms  and  commissions.  The  Port  W'illiam  Town  Company  was 
incorporated  by  an  act  of  the  Territorial  legislature  in  1855  and  the  town 
company  was  composed  of  William  C.  Remington,  James  G.  Spratt,  Henr>- 
Debard,  James  M.  Bradley,  Henry  Bradley,  Horace  B.  Herndon  and  William 
B.  Almond. 

General  William  B.  Almond,  one  of  the  incorporators  of  Pt.  \\'illiam.  was 
a  noted  man  in  the  West  in  the  early  days.  He  was  a  Vir^nian,  whtj  came 
to  Platte  county,  Missouri,  when  the  Platte  Purchase  was  opened,  and  settled 
near  the  Buchanan  county  line.  At  a  very  early  period  he  had  been  connected 
with  the  American  Fur  Company,  and  as  a  mountaineer  had  many  adventures. 
During  the  thirties  he  was  a  brigadier  genera'  of  the  State  militia  in  Missouri. 
He  was  one  of  the  foremost  "Forty-niners"  to  California,  leading  a  company 
to  the  land  of  gold,  among  whom  was  Ben  HoUaday,  afterwards  famous  as 
the  originator  of  the  "pony  express"  and  other  \\'estern  enterprises,  \\liile  in 
California  General  Almond  distinguished  himself  as  a  I'erritorial  judge  in  San 
Francisco.  Returning  to  Platte  county  in  1851  he  was  elected  circuit  judge, 
was  a  candidate  for  lieutenant  governor,  and  filled  other  offices  and  places  of 
distinction  and  prominence.  He  was  also  connected  with  mercantile,  milling 
/  and  other  enterprises.  He  li\ed  for  some  time  in  Topeka  and  Leavenworth, 
and  died  at  the  latter  place  in  i860. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  99 

Judge  James  G.  Spratt,  anotlier  of  the  promoters  of  old  Port  William, 
was  also  a  man  of  some  prominence.  He  came  to  the  West  from  Smith 
county,  Virginia,  where  he  was  born,  1826,  and,  like  General  Almond,  settled 
in  Platte  county  at  a  very  early  day.  In  1843  he  was  appointed  a  justice  of 
the  peace  in  Platte  county,  and  was  afterwards  deputy  county  clerk,  probate 
judge  and  held  other  positions.  For  some  time  he  was  engaged  in  the  prac- 
tice of  law,  and  was  in  partnership  with  Hon.  Joseph  E.  Merryman,  in  Platte 
City.  In  1864  he  went  to  Montana  where  he  became  a  mine  speculator.  He 
died  November  13,  1881,  and  his  remains  were  brought  back  to  Platte  for 
burial.  W.  H.  Spratt,  a  brother  of  Judge  Spratt,  was  at  one  time  sheriff 
of  Platte  county. 

William  C.  Remington  was  another  pioneer  of  Platte,  like  General  Al- 
mand  and  Judge  Spratt,  a  A'irginian  by  birth,  who  came  west  at  a  very  early 
day.  He  was  one  of  the  early  assessors  of  Platte  county,  and  subsequently 
was  elected  circuit  clerk.  He  was  one  of  the  trustees  of  the  Platte  City  Town 
Company  when  it  was  incorporated  in  1843.  He  was  also  a  memlier  of  the 
compan}-  that  laid  off  the  town  of  St.  Mary's  at  the  mouth  of  Bee  creek  in 
1S57,  but  no  lots  were  ever  sold.  Mr.  Remington  was  one  of  the  early  mer- 
chants of  Platte  City,  one  of  the  proprietors  of  the  Platte  City  Weekly  Atlas, 
and  was  interested  in  various  other  enterprises.  His  handsome  brick  resi- 
dence in  Platte  City  was  among  those  burned  by  federal  orders  in  July,  1864. 
He  died  December  20,  1864,  in  Omaha,  where  he  was  operating  a  hotel. 

Of  Plenry  Debard,  another  member  of  the  PYirt  William  Town  Company, 
the  writer  has  not  yet  found  any  record.  The  Bradleys  lived  in  Platte  county, 
opposite  Port  William  for  many  years,  moved  over  to  the  Kansas  side  early  in 
1854,  and  with  Squire  Horace  B.  Hemdon  started  the  old  town.  The  Brad- 
leys  opened  a  general  store  and  James  M.  Bradley  was  appointed  postmaster 
when  the  postoffice  was  established  in  April,  1855.  Squire  Plerndon  was  one 
of  the  earliest  justices  of  the  peace  in  Kansas,  and  had  much  business  in  his 
court  in  the  early  days,  as  Port  William  was  one  of  the  roughest  of  the 
l)order  towns. 

Port  William  was  located  eight  miles  below  Atchison.  It  is  one  of  the 
most  interesting  localities  from  a  historical  standpoint  in  Atchison  county  and 
northeastern  Kansas.  It  is  one  of  the  oldest  settlements  in  Kansas,  ami  for 
a  time  in  the  early  days  was  one  of  the  promising  villages  of  the  territory. 
In  fact,  it  was  of  enough  importance,  not  in  size,  but  as  a  prospecti\-e  po])ulace, 
lo  be  mentioned  by  travelers  of  that  time,  as  one  of  the  [irincipid  towns  of 
Kansas.     Father  Pierre  Jean  de  Smet,  the  Jesuit  missionary,  in  a  letter  written 


I(X)  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

F"ebruary  26,  1859,  says :  "A  great  number  of  towns  and  villages  have  sprung 
up  as  if  by  enchantment  in  the  Territories  of  Kansas  and  Nebraska.  The  prin- 
cipal towns  of  Kansas  are  \\  yandotte.  Delaware,  Douglas,  Mar\-sville,  lola, 
Atchison,  Ft.  Scott,  Pawnee.  Lecompton,  Neosho,  Richmond,  Tecumseh. 
Lawrence,  Port  William.  Doniphan,  Paola,  Alexandria,  Indianola,  Easton, 
Leavenworth  and  others."  The  history  of  old  Doniphan,  Sumner  and  Kick- 
apoo  has  long  l>een  well  established,  but  that  of  Port  William  has  been  neglected 
and  has  remained  obscure.  Port  \\'illiam  never  was  much  of  a  town,  as  were 
its  rivals,  Doniphan.  Sumner  and  Kickapoo,  but  it  was  proposedly  in  the  race 
for  municipal  supremacy  in  the  pioneer  days,  and  though  its  star  may  never 
have  attained  the  ascendency,  its  story  is  at  least  worthy  of  preser\-ation  in  the 
archives  of  Atchison  county  history. 

Port  William  was  started  in  1856  by  Henry  and  James  M.  Bradley.  John 
T.  and  Albred  Bailey,  and  Jonathan  Hartman.  The  two  Bradleys  and  John 
T.  Bailey  composed  the  town  company.  The  Bradleys  conducted  a  general 
store,  and  a  postoffice  was  established  in  April,  1855.  with  Henry  Bradley  as 
first  postinaster.  This  was  the  first  postoffice  in  \\'alnut  township.  Jona- 
than Hartman  owned  and  operated  a  sawmill,  the  first  in  Atchison  county, 
in  1854,  and  made  the  first  lumber  ever  sawed  in  the  county.  There  were 
several  saloons,  and  later  a  blacksmith  shop,  a  carpenter  shop  and  other  small 
industries  were  started.  It  has  been  surmised  by  someone  that  Port  Williams, 
as  it  is  sometimes  called,  was  named  for  a  Missouri  river  steamboat  captain 
named  Williams,  as  steamboats  often  tied  up  at  the  place  in  the  early  days. 
There  are  others  who  believe  it  was  so  called  for  the  late  "Uncle  Frank"  W'\\- 
liams,  one  of  the  fathers  of  the  colored  settlement  which  was  started  in  that 
vicinity  at  a  later  day.  The  correct  name  of  the  place,  however,  is  Port 
\\'illiam,  instead  of  Port  Williams,  and  it  is  known  that  it  was  so  named  more 
than  fifty  years  ago,  or  nearly  twenty  years  before  "Uncle  Frank"  Williams 
settled  there.  The  correct  origin  of  the  name  is  probably  given  by  the  late 
W.  J.  Bailey,  of  Atchison,  who  was  one  of  the  very  first  settlers  of  that 
vicinity.  He  said  that  in  1854  a  man  named  William  Johnson  came  across 
from  the  settlement  about  latan.  Mo.,  and  took  up  the  claim  on  wliich  Port 
William  was  afterwards  built.  It  was  a  likely  claim  and  Johnson  soon  had 
trouble  on  his  hands  in  holding  the  property.  Several  men  tried  to  chase  him 
off  with  gims.  but  Johnson  managed  to  make  sucli  a  good  defense  as  to  repel 
them.  He  stayed  in  his  cabin  a  week,  not  daring  to  come  out  for  fear  of  being 
sliot.  He  won  out  and  held  the  claim.  Tiie  other  fellows  tlien  referred  to 
his  cabin  as  Fort  William  (that  was  his  first  name).     Soon  after  Jake  Yunt, 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  lOI 

from  Missouri,  established  a  liand  ferryboat,  and  b_\-  and  by  steamboats  began 
to  land  there.  Then  the  name  was  changed  to  Port  William,  and  this  is  the 
proper  name  of  the  place,  although  on  the  Alissouri  Pacific  statit)n  board  now- 
standing  there  it  is  marked  "Port  Williams." 

There  are  but  few  men  who  came  to  Atchison  county  earlier  than  W.  J. 
Bailev.  of  Atchison.  He  crossed  the  river  from  Platte  county  on  June  12, 
1854,  and  settled  at  Port  \\'illiam,  and,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  years"  resi- 
dence in  Colorado,  has  lived  in  this  county  ever  since.  Luther  Dickerson, 
who  was  generally  known  as  the  "oldest  inhabitant,"  came  here  the  same  month 
that  Mr.  Bailey  did.  \\'lien  Mr.  Bailey  first  arrived  at  Port  ^^'illiam  he  built 
a  one  room  cabin  on  his  claim  near  that  place,  and  to  do  so  was  obliged  to  drag- 
logs  with  one  horse  a  distance  of  a  mile  and  a  half.  In  1853  he  brought  liis 
cattle  over.  He  said  the  grass  all  over  this  county  was  ankle  deep  and  afforded 
fine  pasturage.  There  was  no  town  at  Atchison  then,  but  Challiss  Bros,  con- 
ducted a  store  on  the  river  bank,  and  George  Million  operated  a  hand  ferry- 
boat.     ^Ir.  Bailey  worked  for  Million  three  years. 

"Those  were  happy  times,"  said  Mr.  Bailey,  "we  met  aroui-id  among 
neighboring  cabins  and  had  parties.  When  we  had  a  fiddle  we  danced."  For 
several  years  Mr.  Bailey  was  with  afreighting  crow  between  Ft.  Leaven- 
worth and  Ft.  Kearney,  most  of  the  time  as  a  wagon-master.  They  gener- 
all\-  drove  twentv-si.x  wagons  w-ith  six  yoke  of  oxen  to  each  wagon  and  hauled 
Government  supplies.  Once  they  were  surrounded  by  Indians  and  were  in 
imminent  danger  of  being  annihilated,  when  General  Harney  with  a  company 
of  troops  came  to  their  rescue  and  chased  the  red-skins  to  Ash  Hollow,  near 
Ft.  Kearney,  where  a  bloody  skirmish  took  place  and  the  Indians  were  routed. 
Speaking  of  old  Port  ^^'illiam,  Mr.  Bailey  said:  "Although  laid  out  as  an 
investment,  the  town  was  a  failure.  The  little  creek  flowed  through  the  center 
of  the  tow-n,  dividing  the  stores  and  saloons  from  the  sawmill,  blacksmith 
shop  and  carpenter  shop.  No  city  government  encased  the  stream  with  cement 
tilii-ig,  and  the  best  bridge  the  town  ever  afforded  was  built  by  felling  a  cotton- 
wood  tree  across  the  stream."  Port  William  had  its  "tow-n  bullies"  and  fights 
were  of  frequent  occurrence.  Mr.  Bailey  said  that  the  "town  bullies"  were 
Dan  McLoud,  Bill  Pates  and  Bob  Gibson.  "It  was  common,"  he  said,  "for 
farmers  to  go  to  Port  William  every  Saturday  afternoon  to  witness  the  fights 
and  drunks."  On  one  occasion  a  man  was  badly  shot  u])  and  .uiotiicr  jumped 
into  the  river  and  swam  across.  Mr.  Bailey  said  the  first  election  there  con- 
tained 250  ballots,  although  only  sixty  people  voted.     There  were  two  ballot 


I02  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

boxes,  one  controlled  by  the  pro-slavery  and  the  other  by  the  Free  State  people. 
Eight  or  ten  men  stood  around  the  balloting  places  with  guns,  and  people  voted 
five  or  six  times,  though  under  different  names. 

The  "village  blacksmith"  of  old  Port  Wiliam,  and  one  of  the  early 
justices  of  the  peace  of  Walnut  township,  was  Thomas  J.  Payne,  later  living 
at  Canyon  City,  Colo.  Mr.  Payne  settled  at  Port  William.  March  i8, 
1855.  and  was  one  of  the  pioneer  blacksmiths  of  Kansas.  He  operated  black- 
smith shops  at  three  of  the  old  towns  of  Atchison  county.  Port  \\'^illiam,  Sum- 
ner and  Mt.  Pleasant.  He  was  appointed  a  justice  of  the  peace  by  Governor 
Shannon,  in  1856.  The  office  of  "county  squire"  was  of  more  importance 
in  those  stirring  times  than  it  is  now.  Mr.  Payne's  son,  Charles  Sumner 
Payne,  was  the  first  child  born  at  old  Sumner.  His  birth  occurred  September 
25.  1857.  He  was  named  by  the  to\vn  company,  who  made  out  and  pre- 
sented to  him  a  deed  for  a  lot  in  the  once  thriving  city.  Another  son  was 
bom  at  Sumner  on  the  day  that  John  Brown  was  hanged,  and  was  named 
for  the  great  abolitionist.  A  third  son  was  named  for  Jim  Lane.  Thomas  J. 
Payne  enlisted  as  a  private  in  Company  F,  Thirteenth  Kansas  infantry,  al 
Atchison,  August  20,  1862.  and  was  later  promoted  to  orderly  sergeant.  He 
was  discharged  at  Ft.  Smith,  Ark.,  October  29,  1864.  Then  he  was  imme- 
diately appointed  by  the  secretary'  of  war  first  lieutenant  of  Company  B,  First 
Regiment  of  Kansas  infantry,  colored.  He  took  part  in  many  engagements, 
and  was  mustered  out  in  August,  1865.  He  was  born  in  Georgetown,  Ohio, 
the  town  in  which  General  Grant  was  born.  There  are  few  men  in  Kansas 
who  have  served  as  a  justice  of  the  peace  longer  than  Mr.  Payne.  He  held 
the  office  in  Atchison  county  for  a  number  of  years,  at  Robinson.  Kan.,  for 
eighteen  years,  and  later  at  Horton,  Kan.,  for  several  years. 

The  old  Horace  B.  Herndon  farm  at  Port  \\'illiam,  now  owned  and  occu- 
pied by  Frank  Bluma,  Sr.,  was  known  as  the  "Old  Indian  farm,"  in  the  early 
days.  According  to  W.  J.  Bailey  it  was  socalled  because  an  Indian  known  as 
"Kickapoo  John"  located  on  it  previous  to  the  settlement  of  Kansas  bv  the 
whites  and  was  still  living  there  with  numerous  other  Indians  when  Mr.  Bailey 
first  came  to  that  locality.  Mr.  Bailey  said  that  the  butts  of  tepee  poles  could 
be  seen  sticking  in  the  ground  on  the  site  of  Port  \\'illiam  for  some  time  after- 
wards. In  1854  Horace  B.  Herndon  preempted  the  "Old  Indian  farm," 
built  a  cabin  thereon  at  the  southwest  corner  of  the  field  near  the  creek, 
and  put  an  old  negro  slave  in  it  to  hold  the  claim  for  him.  The  old  darkey 
died  and  was  buried  in  the  family  burying  ground  on  the  farm  about  1855. 
He  was  probably  the  first  colored  man  who  ever  lived  and  died  in  what  after- 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  IO3 

wards  became  famous  as  the  "Port  William  colored  settlement."  This  was 
about  twenty  years  before  this  community  became  generally  settled  by  colored 
people.  The  old  Herndon  family  residence,  one  of  the  landmarks  of  this 
region,  is  still  standing  and  is  occupied  by  Frank  Bluma  and  family.  There 
is  evidence  that  the  "old  Indian  farm"  was  occupied  by  Indians  long  before 
"Kickapoo  John's"  time  for  the  old  field  is  strewn  with  various  fragments 
representing  the  stone  age  and  prehistoric  times.  Mr.  Herndon  died  a  number 
of  years  ago.  He  was  another  of  the  early  justices  of  the  peace  of  \\'alnut 
township  and  was  generally  known  as  "Squire"  Herndon.  He  was  also  a 
public  administrator  for  Atchison  county,  and  was  one  of  the  most  prominent 
citizens  of  the  southern  part  of  the  county  for  many  years.  He  was  the  father 
of  Mrs.  Henry  King  and  James  Herndon.  residents  of  Round  Prairie.  Mrs. 
King,  then  Miss  Virginia  Herndon,  was  the  "belle"  of  the  old  town  of  Port 
William,  and  was  a  social  favorite  throughout  this  section  of  the  county. 

Another  early  settler  of  Port  William  was  Henry  Luth,  the  veteran  car- 
penter, who  moved  from  Atchison  to  Leavenworth.  Mr.  Luth  lived  in  Port 
William  for  several  years  in  the  early  fifties,  remo\'ing  to  Atchison  in  1857. 
He  built  many  of  the  first  houses  in  this  section  of  the  country.  A  large  wal- 
nut cupboard  and  other  furniture  in  Mr.  Luth's  home  he  made  from  walnut 
timber  cut  at  Port  William  and  sawed  into  lumber  at  the  old  Hartman  saw- 
mill at  that  place.  Mr.  Luth  had  a  little  shop  at  Port  \\^illiam  in  wliich  he 
made  furniture.  Henry  Hausner.  Atchison's  well  known  commission  mer- 
chant, took  a  claim  at  Port  William  in  1855,  but  was  cheated  out  of  it.  Andy 
Brown,  for  many  years  an  Atchison  flagman,  was  an  early  settler  of  Port  Wil- 
liam. ^^'ith  Thomas  Taylor,  now  living  at  Perry,  Kan.,  he  crossed  the  river 
to  Kansas  on  Jake  Yunt's  ferry  just  above  Port  William  in  1854.  Mr. 
Brown's  father  had  taken  a  claim  at  Port  ^^'illiam  and  Ta_\lor  one  adjoining  it. 
The  latter  helped  Samuel  Dickson  build  his  caljin  shanty  on  the  site  of  Atchison 
in  the  fall  of  1854. 

Ex-Sheriff  Fred  Hartman,  of  this  county,  now  deceased,  lived  at  Port 
William  in  the  early  days.  His  father,  Jonathan  Hartman,  in  1854,  put  into 
operation  at  that  place  one  of  the  very  first  sawmills  in  the  Territory.  It 
furnished  lumber  for  many  of  the  first  houses  in  this  section.  The  lumber  was 
sawed  from  the  fine  timber  which  grew  along  Little  Walnut  creek.  Fred 
Hartman  said  that  in  1856  Bob  Gibson  brought  his  famous  "Kickapoo  Rang- 
ers" to  Port  William  for  the  purpose  of  lynching  his  father,  Jonathan  Hart- 
man, on  account  of  his  most  avowed  Free  Soil  principles.  They  stayed  around 
a  while,  and  as  Mr.  Hartman  did  not  seem  to  be  the  least  bit  intimidated,  they 


I04  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY 

finally  left  and  never  molested  him  again.  It  was  during  this  time  that  Pardee 
Butler  was  placed  on  a  raft  at  Atchison  and  set  adrift  in  the  river.  He  landed 
just  above  Port  William,  and  went  at  once  to  Mr.  Hartman's  for  assistance. 
Not  deeming  it  safe  for  Mr.  Butler  to  remain  in  Port  William,  JN'Ir.  Hartman 
took  him  out  to  the  home  of  Jasper  Oliphant,  about  two  miles  west  of  the  vil- 
lage, where  he  stayed  at  night  and  finally  reached  his  home  in  safety.  Jasper 
Oliphint  was  anotlier  of  the  earliest  settlers  of  tliis  locality.  He  was  assassi- 
nated some  vears  ago  Ijy  Bob  Scruggs,  a  desperate  character,  who  at  the  same 
time  sliot  and  killed  julin  ( iroff,  another  prominent  Walnut  township  citizen, 
and  Scruggs  was  captured  and  hanged  to  a  tree  near  Oak  ]\Iills.  The  tragic 
deaths  of  two  such  substantial  citizens  as  Mr.  Oliphint  and  Mr.  Groff  produced 
a  profound  sensation  throughout  Walnut  township.  In  tlie  spring  of  1857 
Jonathan  Hartman  sold  his  sawmill  and  mo\ed  tn  a  I'arm  near  the  present  site 
of  Pamell,  where  he  died.  Fred  Hartman  sen-ed  during  the  war  in  the  Thir- 
teenth Kansas  with  Thomas  J.  Payne,  mentioned  elsewhere. 

The  wagon  road  leading  from  Port  William  westward  to  the  "old  military 
road."  bears  the  unique  distinction  of  crossing  the  same  creek  fourteen  times 
in  a  di.stance  of  less  than  three  miles.  It  is  not  believed  that  there  is  another 
creek  in  Atchison  county  that  is  crossed  an  equal  nunil)er  of  times  by  one 
road.  Little  W'alnut  creek,  which  empties  into  the  Missouri  river  at  Port 
William,  has  its  source  near  the  Leavenworth  county  line.  It  flows  nurtlnvard 
through  a  heavilv  timbered  country,  and  is  one  of  the  prettiest  little  streams  in 
.Atchison  county.  It  was  formerly  called  Bragg's  creek,  after  "Jimmy" 
Braesfs,  an  earlv-dav  Missouri  Pacific  section  foreman,  who  lived  on  its  banks. 
Braggs  afterward  moved  to  Holton,  where  he  died  and  tlie  name  of  the  creek 
was  changed  to  Little  Walnut,  after  its  neighbor.  Walnut  creek.  wlu"ch  empties 
into  the  river  at  Dalby,  about  two  miles  above. 

ARRINGTOX. 

Arrington  is  located  on  the  Union  Pacific  railroad  in  the  southwest  part 
of  the  county.  This  town  was  platted  August  20,  1884.  and  its  original  pm- 
moters  were  R.  A.  Van  Winkle,  D.  S.  Henecke,  John  Ballinger,  D.  D.  High, 
D.  A.  Benjamin,  J.  M.  Roberson,  Michael  Baker.  J.  S.  Hopkins,  Ira  Tabor  and 
George  W.  Drake.  Its  streets  are  numbered  one  to  four,  and  its  cross  streets 
are  called  Fountain  avenue,  Delaware  street  and  h'orest  avenue.  Arrington 
has  three  general  stores,  one  elevator  and  a  bank.  During  good  crop 
vears,  as  high  as  125  cars  of  grain  and  live  stock  are  shipped  from  its  station, 
and  its  stores  do  a  good  business,  rendering  fine  service  to  the  surrounding 
territorv. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  IO5 

At  one  time  prior  to  1890  medicinal  springs  were  locattd  at  Arrington 
and  it  was  quite  a  resort  during  the  summer  munllis  for  people  living  in  Udrlh- 
eastern  Kansas.  The  town  has  a  good  hotel,  and  in  addition  to  its  merchandise 
establishments  it  supports  a  physician  and  se\eral  churches. 

For  many  years  a  mill  was  conducted  on  the  Delaware  ri\er  u])on  which 
Arrington  is  located,  operated  by  water  jiower.  This  mill  was  built  by  John 
Reider  in  1867,  who  also  operated  it  both  as  a  sawmill  and  as  a  grain  mill.  In 
1874  W.  H.  Stockton  joined  Mr.  Reider.  and  these  two  men  built  a  two-story 
frame  mill,  liut  they  operated  it  rmly  one  day,  as  it  was  mysteriously  burned 
the  following  night.  Shortly  thereafter  Mr.  Reider,  undismayed  and  undis- 
couraged,  associated  with  himself  Albert  Ingler,  and  remembering  his  previous 
disastrous  experience  with  fire,  'Sir.  Reider  built  a  stone  mill.  This  fimi  con- 
ducted a  successful  business  for  a  number  of  years,  drawing  patronage  for  a 
distance  of  sixty  miles,  but  in  1879,  Mr.  Ingler  met  an  untimely  death,  by 
drowning  as  he  was  crossing  the  river,  a  few  feet  below  where  the  Arrington 
ftridge  stands.  Mr.  Reider  sold  his  interest  to  D.  S.  Heneks,  who  ran  the 
mill  until  1906.  when  John  W.  Young  became  its  owner.  He  subsequently 
turned  it  over  to  George  W.  Stone,  since  which  time  it  has  been  in  possession 
of  various  owners,  and  in  19x6  is  owned  by  Burt  ^NlcCulley.  It  has  not  been 
operated  since  1908,  and  stands  in  ruins. 

A  history  of  Arrington  would  be  incomplete  without  the  mention  of 
the  name  of  Ransom  A.  Van  Winkle,  who  was  the  first  settler  in  Kapioma 
town.ship,  and  the  founder  of  the  town.  Captai'n  Van  Winkle  was  born 
November  25,  1818,  in  Wayne  county,  Kentucky.  He  was  a  Hollander  bv 
descent,  and  at  one  time  his  great-grandfather,  Michael  Van  \\'inkle,  owned 
an  interest  in  13,000  acres  of  land  within  twelve  miles  of  New  York  Citv, 
which  was  sold  just  prior  to  the  Re\olutionary  war,  for  twentv-fi\e  cents  an 
acre.  Van  \^'inkle  recei\ed  the  rudiments  of  his  education  in  a  Kentucky  log 
school  house,  but  was  for  two  years  a  cadet  at  West  Point  and  received  a 
good  education.  He  was  married  twice  and  had  a  varied  experience  in  busi- 
ness, at  one  time  owning  a  large  interest  in  coal  lands  in  Kentuck\-.  He 
removed  U>  St.  Joseph,  Mo.,  in  1849,  and  i'n  September,  1855,  came  to  Kan- 
sas and  built  the  first  claim  cabin  on  the  Grassho])per,  or  wlial  is  now  the 
Delaware  river,  above  Valley  Falls,  in  Kapioma  township.  He  also  built 
the  first  steam  sawmill;  sawed  the  first  lumber,  and  built  ihe  first  frame 
house,  and  taught  the  first  sclmol  in  Kapioma  townshi]).  and  was  the  first 
po.stmaster  at  Arrington.  He  always  took  an  active  part  in  ])olilics  in  the 
county  and  was  a  stanch  Republican.     He  was  a  prominent  P'ree  State  man 


I06  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

in  the  early  struggle  in  Kansas  and  contributed  liberally  to  the  cause  and 
worked  hard  in  its  Ijelialf.  He  was  a  justice  of  the  peace  in  Papioma 
township  for  fourteen  years :  postmaster  five  years ;  trustee  of  Kapioma 
township  eight  years;  a  member  of  the  legislature  in  1861  and  1862  and 
county  commissioner  of  Atchison  county  for  six  years.  He  was  patriarchal 
in  appearance  and  was  a  conspicuous  figure  for  many  years  in  Republican 
conventions  in  Atchison  county. 

MUSCOTAH. 

The  name  of  "Muscotah"  is  of  Indian  origin,  but  when,  why  and  by 
whom  it  was  applied  to  a  town,  seems  to  be  a  question.  "Andreas'  History 
of  Kansas."'  in  a  brief  historical  mention  of  the  town  of  Muscotah,  says :  "The 
name  ^luscotah.  written  in  Indian  style,  Musco-tah,  signifies  'Beautiful 
Prairie,'  or  "Prairie  on  Fire.'  "  Andreas  does  not  give  any  authority  for 
this  statement,  but  on  page  1343  in  a  biographical  sketch  of  \\'illiam  D. 
Barnett.  one  of  tlie  earliest  settlers  of  Muscotah,  he  says  that  Mr.  Barnett 
did  not  name  the  town,  but  that  it  was  named  by  Paschal  Pensoneau.  the  old 
Kickapoo  trader  and  interpreter.  Mr.  Kessler  was  a  blacksmith  among  the 
Kickapoos  at  an  early  day. 

Maj.  C.  B.  Keith  was  one  of  the  founders  of  Muscotah,  and  an  early 
agent  fnr  the  Kickapoo  Indians.  In  a  letter  under  date  of  December  8,  1908, 
Mrs.  Keith,  the  widow  of  Major  Keith,  wrote  that  Muscotah  was  named  by 
her  husband  and  her  two  brothers,  William  P.  and  John  C.  Badger.  She 
corroborates  Andreas  in  his  statement  that  the  name  signifies  "Beautiful 
Prairie,"  or  "Prairie  on  Fire."  and  says  that  Muscotah  should  be  accented 
on  the  last  syllable.  She  further  says  that  Paschal  Pensoneau  may  have 
suggested  the  name,  and  incfdentally  adds :  "He  was  interpreter  for  my 
brother,  William  P.  Badger,  who  was  Indian  agent  under  President  Buch- 
anan, and  later  for  my  husband  under  Lincoln.  He  was  a  good  friend  for 
both  of  my  brothers  and  Major  Keith,  and  accompanied  my  husband  to 
Washington  with  the  head  chiefs  when  they  made  their  treaty.  The  original 
Muscotah  was  on  a  fine  site  and  justified  the  name." 

There  is  a  town  i'n  the  old  Kickapoo  country-,  in  Illinois,  named  Mas- 
coutah,  and  believing  it  to  be  synonymous  with  the  Atchison  county  name, 
though  slightly  different  in  orthography  and  pronunciation,  Milo  Custer, 
of  Heyworth.  111.,  the  well  known  authority  on  the  Kickapoos.  wrote:  "As 
to  the  meaning  of  the  names  Muscotah  and  Mascoutah,  they  are  synonymous 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 


107 


witli  the  old  .Algonquin  word,  Masko-teh,  meaning  'prairies.'  The  Kick- 
apoo  word  for  prairies  was  one  among  others  that  I  failed  to  get  when  I 
visited  the  tribe  in  Kansas  in  October,  1906.  However,  I  am  of  the  opinion 
that  the  word  was  originally  derived  from  Ma-shi  0-shkoo-teh,  meaning 
'Big  Fire,'  and  that  it  referred  to  the  great  prairie  fires  which  swept  over 
the  country.  In  fact  I  have  seen  the  opinion  advanced  b}-  some  other  author- 
ity, but  cannot  now  recall  the  name."  When  the  Kickapoos  lived  in  Illinois 
there  was  a  band  called  the  Mas-cou-tins,  which  Maj.  FI.  W.  Beckwith,  the 
highest  authority  on  the  Illinois  tribes,  says  was  the  Indian  name  for  "Indians 
of  the  Prairie."  Hence  it  is  evident  that  the  name  Aluscotah  is  at  least  a 
derivation  of  the  word  "prairie,"  whether  a  "beautiful  prairie"  or  "prairie 
of  fire." 

The  plat  <>f  the  Muscotah  Town  Company  was  filed  Ijy  W.  P.  Badger, 


Scene  on  Main  Street,  Muscotah,  Kansas 


one  of  its  proprietors,  June  5,  iS^j,  and  the  town  is  located  in  section  34, 
township  5,  range  17,  on  the  Central  Branch  railroad,  near  the  western  edge 
of  the  county.  Its  streets  run  from  one  to  thirteen,  and  its  cross  streets  are 
named  Pawpaw,  Flm,  Vine,  \Valnul,  Mulberry,  Hickory  and  Oak.  Follow- 
ing the  construction  of  the  Central  Branch  railroad  William  Oslxtrn  filed 
another  plat  of  the  town,  and  several  amendments  have  since  been  made 
to  it.  Muscotah  has  ahvavs  been  an  important  trading  point,  and  one  of  the 
prosperous  (owns  of  ihe  county.     In    1916  there  were  three  general  stores. 


io8 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUXTY 


New  Muscotah  School   Building.     Erccteil   I'.Hii.  at  a  cost  of  $-20,0(Mt. 

one  hardware  store,  two  banks,  two  elevators,  one  kiniber  vard.  two  cream 
stations,  two  barber  shops,  one  harness  shop,  two  drug  stores,  two  res- 
taurants, a  hotel,  private  boarding  house,  two  garages  and  blacksmith  shops. 
The  town  also  has  four  practicing  physicians,  including  an  osteopath,  and  one 
dentist.  The  first  general  store  was  established  by  Xels  Brown  in  1868,  and 
a  year  later  Watson  &  Guy  put  in  a  general  hardware  store.  Hagerman  & 
Roach  conducted  a  grain  business  in  1865,  and  the  first  elevator  was  built 
in  1874.  Several  serious  fires  have  destroyed  much  property  in  Muscotah, 
the  largest  being  known  as  the  Watson  fire,  which  occurred  in  188,:;.  de- 
stroying much  property.  The  first  mayor  of  the  tow'n  was  Dr.  William  P. 
Badger,  who  was  eelcted  in  1882.  All>ert  Harrington  was  the  first  post- 
master, in  1866.  The  first  physician  to  locate  in  the  present  limits  of  Mus- 
cotah was  Dr.  L.  N.  Plummer,  who  came  there  hi  T86g.  Tn  1868  a  Dr. 
Heath  located  a  few  miles  out  from  Muscotah,  but  never  lived  in  the  town. 
Dr.  S.  M.  Riggs  came  in  1872  and  he  and  Dr.  Plummer  are  both  active 
physicians  in  the  practice  in  19 16,  together  with  Dr.  O.  O.  Barter  and  Dr. 
F.  A.  Bermen.  Years  before  Muscotah  was  established  there  was  a  small 
settlement  nearby  where  there  were  a  few  houses  and  a  postoffice  located 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  IO9 

about  where  the  Robert  Russell  farm  is.  John  Keeley,  an  enterprising  early 
settler,  built  a  flouring  mill  on  the  Grasshopper  ri'\-er,  now  known  as  the 
Delaware,  in  1869.  Mr.  Keeley  did  considerable  business  with  the  farmers 
in  the  surrounding  territory,  Init  business  finally  fell  off  and  the  mill  was 
washed  away  by  high  water  in   1895. 

Muscotah  is  an  important  shipping  point,  and  the  annual  shipment  of 
grain  amounts  to  $150,000  to  $200,000.  Much  live  stock  is  also  shipped 
from  Muscotah,  and  during  the  year  191 5  fifty-two  cars  of  cattle,  hogs  and 
horses  were  shipped  to  the   Kansas   City  and   St.   Joseph  markets. 

Muscotah  is  also  a  city  of  churches  and  schools.  The  Congregational 
church  was  established  in  1866.  The  pastor  of  this  church  in  1916  is  Rev. 
Fred  Gray,  who  preaches  to  a  congregation  of  about  150.  \Mien  this  church 
was  organized  its  members  worshipd  in  the  home  of  Robert  Russell,  which 
was  at  that  time  in  the  depot,  and  the  church  edifice  which  is  now  occupied 
was  built  in  1914. 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  church  was  established  about  1876;  it  now  has 
a  membership  of  120,  and  its  pastor  is  Rev.  Rollo  J.  Fisher. 

The  Advent  Christian  church  was  organized  in  1889,  and  its  first  pas- 
tor was  Rev.  Marshall  McCollough. 

^Mission  Hall  is  maintained  by  unattached  and  unorganized  Christians. 
It  holds  meeting  several  times  a  week,  including  two  services  on  Sunday. 

The  public  school  system  of  Muscotah  includes  an  accredited  high  school, 
in  which  two  foiu^-year  courses  are  offered,  together  with  a  general  and  col- 
lege preparatory  course.  R.  E.  De\-or  is  superintendent  of  schools,  and  the 
officers  of  the  school  board  are:  J.  F.  Thompson,  president;  W.  D.  Roach, 
treasurer:  R.  A.  Allison,  secretar}-.  The  first  school  house  within  the  pres- 
ent limits  of  the  town  was  built  in  1870,  but  was  subseciuently  destroyed  by 
fire  when  another  school  was  built  in  1885.  A  six  room  school  was  erected, 
and  it  was  also  destroyed  by  fire  in  January,  1916.  A  movement  is  now 
under  way  to  build  a  new,  handsome,  modern  school  building,  to  accommo- 
date twelve  grades,  together  with  manual  training,  domestic  science  and  a 
gymnasium. 

Muscotah  is  supplied  with  electricity  by  high  tension  line  from  Atch- 
ison, and  in  1916  it  has  forty-two  street  lamps  and  fiftv-five  private  con- 
sumers. 

In  addition  to  being  a  town  of  churches  and  schools,  Muscotah  also  has 
several  active  lodges.  The  Masonic  lodge  was  organized  December  20, 
1871,  by  E.   D.   Hillyer,  of  Grasshojiper  Falls,  on  a  dispensation  issued  by 


I  lO  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

the  grand  edge;  the  charter  was  issued  October  17,  1872,  and  the  officers 
installed  November  16,  1872.  The  first  officers  were:  Ben  F.  Freeland, 
Willi'am  X.  Kline,  Thomas  H.  Phillips,  B.  G.  Merrill.  D.  M.  Stillman,  \V. 
Bullock  and  I.  C.  Archer. 

Purity  Council  No.  293,  Knights  and  Ladies  of  Security,  was  chartered 
July  6,  1895,  with  John  Edward  Lewis,  president.  It  had  ten  charter  mem- 
bers and  in  1916  there  was  a  membership  of  seventy,  with  George  W.  Rork, 
president,  and  Mrs.  Carl  Rork,  secretary. 

Modem  Woodmen  was  chartered  in  August.  1898.  The  present  offi- 
cers are  W.  F.  Murray,  V.  H.  Little  and  G.  W.  Harris.  There  are  also 
active  lodges  of  the  Mystic  Workers.  Eastern  Star  and  Royal  Neighbors. 

Muscotah's  new  combination  grade  and  high  school,  which  will  take 
the  place  of  the  one  destroyed  by  fire,  will  cost  approximately  $20,000,  and 
will  be  a  fire-proof  structure  of  brick  and  concrete.  When  completed  it  will 
be  one  of  the  best  school  buildings  of  its  kind  in  any  town  the  size  of  Mus- 
cotah  in  the  State.  The  present  city  officials  of  INIuscotah  are :  William 
Buckles,  mayor;  R.  A.  Hillyer,  J.  G.  Burbank,  W.  D.  Roach,  R.  H.  Trial 
and  R.  A.  AUison,  councilmen ;  H.  M.  Turner,  city  clerk;  E.  M.  Hicks, 
police  judge,  and  S.  B.  Liggatt,  marshal. 

EFFINGHAM. 

Effingham,  the  seat  of  Atchison  county  high  school,  is  an  incorporated 
town,  located  sixteen  miles  west  of  Atchison,  on  the  Central  Branch  rail- 
road, and  was  first  platted  by  William  Osborne  April  4.  1868,  who  built  the 
first  hundred  miles  of  the  Central  Branch  railroad,  and  is  located  on  a  part 
of  the  southwest  quarter  of  section  15  and  the  northwest  quarter  of  section 
22,  township  6,  range  18.  The  original  plat  contained  only  eight  blocks 
and  was  subsequently  cancelled.  February  6.  1871,  Major  W.  F.  Downs, 
land  commissioner  of  tlie  Central  Branch  railroad,  filed  another  plat  in 
which  one  block  was  dedicated  as  a  public  park  and  the  streets  numbered 
from  one  to  ten,  with  cross  streets  as  follows :  Elizabeth,  Seabun,-,  Howard, 
George,  William,  and  John.  At  the  opening  of  the  Central  Branch  railroad 
Effingham  enjoyed  quite  a  boom  and  it  has  remained  one  of  the  finest  towns 
in  northeastern  Kansas  ever  since. 

There  was  a  settlement  around  Effingham  for  a  number  of  vears  prior 
10  the  location  of  the  townsite,  and  it  was  quite  a  trading  point.  Effingliam 
is  located  on  a  broad  sweep  of  prairie  land,  but  there  is  very  little  of  romance 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 


III 


or  legend  connectetl  with  tlie  town.  There  is  one  thing',  linwever,  for  which 
it  has  ahva\s  lieen  noted,  and  to  this  extent  Effingham  occui)ies  an  nnique 
place  in  the  tow  ns,  not  only  of  Atchison  county,  but  of  Kansas,  namely :  It 
lias  never  been  without  a  good  liotel.  The  original  hotel  was  known  far  and 
wide  throughout  the  country  and  was  conducted  by  Aunt  Betty  Benton,  a 
famous  cook,  who  n^t  imly  gave  her  guests  good  things  to  eat,  Init  made 
of  her  hotel  a  favorite  stojiping  place  fur  the  tra\'eling  ])ul)lic  on  account  of 
the  hospitable  way  in  which  she  ran  it.  L'ncle  Jack  Martin  succeeded  Aunt 
Betty  and  for  many  }ears  thereafter  kept  up  tlie  liigh  standard  set  by  her. 
Then  came  Thomas  F.  Cook,  whose  kindly  welcome  made  friends  for  him 


rl,    L.I 


ciiiu   Wi-st.   I'.i  I  iH;i!i;iiii,   Kansas 


among  the  Iiundreds  of  visitors  that  came  to  Effingham  from  vear  to  year, 
and  who  never  left  his  hotel  without  a  full  meal.  Mr.  Cook  was  succeeded 
by  Mrs.  Frank  Pitman,  and  she  in  turn  was  succeeded  by  Mrs.  Davis,  who, 
in  1915,  is  conducting  the  hotel  at  Effingham  and  maintains  the  high  stan- 
dard of  excellence  of  food  and  iiospitality  set  by  her  predecessors. 

Among  the  early  merchants  of  Effingham  was  Hon.  Milton  R.  Benton, 
who  was  born  in  Madison  county,  Kentucky  May  3,  1815.  Tie  immigrated 
to  Kansas  in  1857;  located  in  Atchison,  where  he  resided  until  1867,  during 
which  year  he  moved  to  his  farm  in  .\tchison  county,  near  Effingham.  He 
was  the  first  marshal  of  the  city  of  .\tchison,  having  been  elected  in  1858. 
In  1863  he  was  elected  mayor  of  the  city,  and  in  1864  was  elected  a  member 


I  12 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 


of  the  council.  He  served  as  a  member  of  the  senate  in  the  Territorial  coun- 
cil of  1859;  in  the  State  legislature  in  1864,  and  for  three  years  as  trustee  of 
Center  township.  Benton  township,  in  which  Effingham  is  located,  was 
named  for  him.  He  was  educated  as  a  Democrat,  but  before  he  cast  his 
fi'rst  vote  identified  himself  with  the  anti-slavery  movement  and  became  a 
Free  State  man  in  Kansas,  1uit  in  after  years  he  supported  Horace  Greeley 
and  became  identified  with  the  Democratic  party.  In  addition  to  farming 
he  was  in  the  real  estate  business  in  Effingham. 

.\.  I-".  Achenbach  was  one  of  the  early  liverymen  of  Effingham,  and  also 
was  George  P.  Allen,  who  was  a  dealer  in  hardware  and  grain ;  Ball  &  Her- 


Presbyterian  Cluircli.   Rffhi^'liaiii.  K.insa.s 


ron,  dealers  in  harness :  Joel  M.  Ketch,  hardware  merchant :  J.  E.  McCor- 
mick.  butcher:  .\lonzo  Spencer,  grocer;  James  Xesbitt.  lumber  dealer,  and 
Simeon  Walters,  contractor  and  carpenter. 

P.  J.  O'Meara  was  a  pioneer  merchant  of  Effingham,  and  was  a  native 
of  Ireland,  having  been  born  in  the  county  of  Tipperary  March  27.  1820. 
He  first  settled  in  Miami  county,  where  he  received  his  education,  and  in 
1865  he  moved  to  Atchison  and  went  into  the  grocerv  business  on  Com- 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  II3 

mercial  street,  between  Third  and  Fonrth,  later  mo\ing  to  Effingham  when 
the  townsite  was  located,  and  huilt  one  of  the  first  store  buildings.  He  did 
a  large  and  paying  business,  and  his  popularity  was  shown  by  the  people 
of  Effingham  in  electing  him  their  first  mayor. 

Effingham  in  1915  had  two  hardware  stores,  one  drug  store,  four  gen- 
eral stores,  two  banks,  two  garages,  two  barber  shops,  one  cream  station, 
one  clothing  store,  three  restaurants,  one  hotel,  one  livery,  and  two  elevators. 
Effingham  is  also  a  city  of  churches  having  one  Catholic  church,  one  Pres- 
byterian church,  Methodist  church.  Christian  church  and  Lutheran  church. 
Its  citizens  are  enterprising  and  progressive,  and  in  19 14  the  city  council 
secured  a  twentv-four  hour  electric  light  service  over  high  tension  line  from 
Atchison.  The  elevators  are  owned  by  the  Farmers'  Mercantile  xA-Ssociation, 
and  Snyder,  Smith  &  Company.  Tom  Tucker  and  Beckman  &  Thomas  are 
big  live  stock  shippers,  and  they  ship  from  ninety-five  to  one  hundred  cars 
of  live  stock  out  of  Effingham  every  year,  and  the  elevators  ship  over  one 
hundred  cars  of  grain  every  year. 

The  ]iresent  city  officials  who  have  been  so  diligent  and  faithful  in  their 
services  to  Effingham  are  as  follows : 

J.  W.  Wlallach,  mayor:  A.  J.  Sells,  city  clerk:  G.  M.  Snyder,  council- 
man: L  Ebert,  councilman;  D.  Richter,  councilman;  James  F^arrell,  council- 
man ;  E.  J.  Kelley,  councilman ;  J-  W.  Atcheson,  marshal ;  J.  A.  Harman, 
city  treasurer. 

HURON. 

Huron  is  located  on  the  Omaha  branch  nf  the  Missouri  Pacific  railway, 
in  Lancaster  township,  seventeen  miles  northwest  of  Atchison.  The  town- 
site  was  originally  the  property  of  Col.  D.  R.  Anthony,  of  Leavenworth. 
Mr.  Anthony  donated  the  railroad  company  twenty  acres  of  land  and  the 
right  nf  way  for  one  mile.  The  surveys  were  made  and  the  town  named 
and  platted  on  May  18,  1882.  Within  six  weeks  after  completion  of  the  sur- 
veys five  dwellings  were  erected  and  the  business  interests  of  the  town  were 
well  represented.  W.  D.  Starr  was  the  first  postmaster,  and  by  the  end  of 
the  first  year  there  were  rn'er  fifty  dwellings  in  the  town,  and  among  the 
first  buildings  to  be  erected  were  the  Presbyterian  and  Baptist  cb.urches. 
Colonel  .\nthnny  donated  lots  upon  which  to  build  the  churches.  J.  D.  Car- 
penter opened  the  fi'rst  hotel  in  Huron.  Mr.  Carpenter  came  to  Kansas  in 
1874  and  located  on  a  farm  near  Huron,  and  when  the  town  was  organized 
he  moved  there  and  opened  his  hotel.     \^^  C.  Rucker  was  one  of  the  earlv 

8 


1 14  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

lumber  dealers  of  Huron.  He  came  from  Corning,  where  he  was  engaged 
in  the  general  merchandise  business,  and  moved  to  Huron  when  the  town 
was  platted.  Capt.  George  W.  Stabler,  for  many  years  a  resident  of  Huron, 
was  one  of  the  prominent  politicians  and  characters  of  the  county.  He  was 
bom  at  Stablersville,  Baltimore  county.  Maryland,  in  1839,  w^here  his  ances- 
tors had  lived  for  over  200  years.  He  moved  to  Kansas  in  1858.  set- 
tling in  Lancaster  township.  He  enlisted  as  a  private  in  Company  D,  Second 
Kansas  infantry,  in  1861,  for  100  days,  and  at  the  expiration  of  that  time 
he  re-enlisted  in  the  Second  Kansas  calvary;  was  made  sergeant  and  was 
mustered  out  in  1865  and  returned  to  his  farm,  subsequently  moving  to 
Huron.  In  1866  he  was  elected  to  the  legislature,  and  in  1871  and  1872 
served  as  deputy  United  States  marshal.  He  had  been  justice  of  the  peace, 
at  the  time  of  his  death,  a  few  years  ago.  for  over  twenty  years. 

Old  Huron  was  tlie  original  settlement  near  the  present  townsite  of 
Huron,  and  was  an  important  trading  point  for  many  years  prior  to  the 
establishment  of  the  new  townsite  following  the  laying  of  the  railroad  to 
Omaha.  There  were  many  early  settlers  of  importance  in  and  around  Huron, 
among  whom  was  Capt.  Robert  AV'hite.  Captain  White  came  to  Kansas  in 
1857  and  bought  the  squatter  rights  of  Charles  Morgan  and  preempted  a 
quarter  section  of  land  in  Lancaster  township,  near  Huron. 

The  birth  of  the  first  white  child  in  Atchison  county,  of  which  there  is 
any  record,  occurred  in  Lancaster  township.  The  child  was  Miss  Frances 
Miller,  who  was  bom  Alay  9.  1855.  Her  father  was  the  late  Daniel  Miller, 
an  Ohioan  by  birth,  and  lived  near  DeKalb,  Mo.,  in  1841.  In  1854  he  looked 
over  northeastern  Kansas  and  settled  on  Independence  creek,  twelve  miles 
north  of  Atchison,  early  in  1855,  near  the  northeastern  corner  of  Lancaster 
township.  Mr.  Miller  sold  his  quarter  section  in  1858,  after  he  had  proven 
up  on  it,  to  Thomas  Butcher,  a  new  arrival  in  Kansas  from  Brownville,  Pa., 
for  $3,000.  Mr.  Butcher  built  a  flouring  mill  on  this  land,  which  was  run 
by  water  from  Independence  creek.  Butcher  subsequently  sold  the  plant  to 
A.  J.  Evans,  who  ran  it  as  a  "custom  mill"  until  August.  1865,  when  it  was 
destroyed  by  high  water,  caused  by  heavy  rains. 

Samuel  \\'ymore,  for  whom  Wymore,  Nebraska  was  named,  was  a  res- 
ident of  Lancaster  township,  near  Huron,  in  the  fifties  and  early  sixties, 
and  ran  a  sawmill  by  horse  power,  about  three  miles  north  of  I^ncaster, 
in  1858.  Mr.  \\'ymore  sold  his  first  bill  of  lumber  to  Captain  Robert  White 
for  $100  in  gold,  and  at  that  time  it  was  more  money  than  Wymore  had 
ever  .seen  at  one  time,  and  he  was  so  nervous  during  the  following  night  that 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  II  5" 

he  could  not  sleep  and  continually  stirred  the  fire  in  the  stove  so  that  he 
could  count  the  money  from  the  light  that  it  made.  Wymore  was  unedu- 
cated. He  could  neither  read  nor  write,  and  he  was  said  to  have  been  worth 
over  $150,000  before  1875. 

Isaac  E.  Kelly,  a  young  man  from  Pennsylvania,  taught  one  of  the  first 
schools  in  Lancaster  township,  in  one  of  the  settlers  preemption  cabin,  near 
Eden  postoffice  in  i860.  He  went  to  war  in  1861  and  marched  with  Sher- 
man to  the  Sea. 

The  first  mowing  machine  in  Atchison  count)'  was  brought  to  Lancas- 
ter township,  two  miles  west  of  where  Huron  now  is,  by  Joel  Hiatt,  in  1859, 
who  sold  it  to  Capt.  Robert  White,  who  cut  hay  with  it  several  seasons. 
The  machine  was  a  Ball,  and  a  crude  affair.  The  first  reaper  to  harvest 
grain  in  the  county  was  owned  by  the  late  M.  J.  Cloyes,  who  also  lived  in 
Lancaster  township,  not  many  miles  from  Huron.  Mr.  Cloyes  bought  the 
reaper  in  the  early  sixties.  The  grain  was  raked  off  by  a  man  lashed  to 
a  post  on  a  platfoiTn  four  or  five  feet  to  the  rear  of  the  cycle.  This  reaper 
was  a  Buckeye  machine,  and  was  sold  by  J.  E.  Wagner,  the  hardware  mer- 
chant of  Atchison. 

The  forty  acre  tract  of  land  upon  which  the  home  of  Edward  Perdue 
stands,  a  few  miles  east  of  Huron,  was  traded  for  a  mowing  machine  by  the 
owner  in  1865. 

Bethel  church,  located  southwest  of  Huron,  is  supposed  to  be  the  oldest 
church  in  the  county,  outside  of  Atchison.  It  was  built  by  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church  (South),  about  1870,  and  is  still  in  use  in  19 15. 

Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  Huron  is  located  in  the  midst  of  a  very  inter- 
esting part  of  Atchison  county,  and  while  the  town  did  not  reach  the  pro- 
portions that  its  original  promoters  had  hoped  for  it,  it  is  one  of  the  good 
towns  of  the  county.  The  following  are  the  business  houses  in  Huron  in 
19LS: 

J.  M.  Delany — General  merchandise. 

E.   P.   Perry — General  merchandise. 

W.   E.   English — Hardware,   implements   and   furniture. 

H.  T.  Harrison — Grocer. 

Dr.  Wiley  Jomes — Drug  store. 

John  L.  Snavly — Restaurant  and  postmaster. 

Mrs.  Alta  Wilson — Hotel. 

C.   E.    Mathew — Lumber. 

Loren  Horton — Meat  market. 


Il6  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

A.  F.  Allen — Grain,  coal,  live  stock  and  automobile  supplies. 
Baker-Corvvell — Grain  company. 
A.  Morehead — Barber. 
W.  Hildman — Blacksmith. 
Riley  &  Son — Livery  bam. 

Over  200,000  bushels  of  grain  are  shipped  from  Huron  annually  and 
the  a\erage  shipment  of  live  stock  amounts  to  about  forty  cars. 

OLD     MARTINSBURG. 

Martinsburg  was  laid  out  near  the  present  site  of  Potter  in  the  early 
days.  It  is  not  generally  known,  even  among  the  old  settlers,  that  there 
was  such  a  place.  George  Remsburg  said  that  this  was  due  probably  to 
the  fact  that  Martinsburg  was  born  dead.  It  was  conceived  in  the  town 
craze  of  early  territorial  times,  but  it  came  a  still-bom  infant  and  its  pro- 
moters succeeded  in  viewing  it  only  long  enough  for  it  to  give  a  feeble  gasp 
and  fall  back  dead  again.  Though  this  proposed  municipal  enterprise  of 
pioneer  days  did  not  materialize,  it  was,  nevertheless,  an  interesting  and  im- 
portant fact  of  local  history,  hitherto  unrecorded,  that  such  a  town  was 
actually  staked  off  and  laid  out  in  Atchison  county  at  a  very  early  period. 
The  only  old-timers  wlio  remembered  it  were  James  B.  Low,  of  Colorado 
Springs,  formerly  of  Mount  Pleasant,  "Uncle  Joe"  Potter,  and  \\'.  J.  (Jack) 
Bailey.  All  three  settled  in  the  southern  part  of  Atchison  county  in  1854. 
Mr.  Low  settled  with  his  parents  in  Walnut  township  in  the  fall  of  that  year, 
and  says  that  Martinsburg  was  laid  out  tliat  fall.  It  was  situated  in  what 
is  known  as  the  Mercer  bottom,  on  land  Ijelonging  to  Felix  Corpstein  and 
P^red  Poss,  in  the  west  half  of  section  24,  a  little  nortlieast  of  the  present 
site  of  Potter,'  or  immediately  adjoinitig  it.  What  is  known  as  the  Mercer 
spring,  one  of  the  finest  in  this  section,  was  included  in  the  town  site.  Mr. 
Low  and  his  brother  went  out  to  look  at  the  place  in  the  fall  of  1854  and 
decided  to  spend  the  winter  there.  It  consisted  at  that  time  of  a  few  liuts 
and  a  small  store,  and  never  amounted  to  any  more  than  a  village,  if  it  could 
be  called  that,  although  Mr.  Low  says  the  town  site  originally  comprised 
about  100  acres,  and  a  few  lots  were  actually  sold.  The  store  was  a  small 
frame  building,  erected  by  one  Alex  Hayes,  wlio  had  pre\iously  taken  a 
claim  on  Plum  creek,  near  Kickapoo.  Mr.  Low  thinks  this  was  the  first 
frame  building  in  Atchison  county.     Hayes  carried  a  small  stock  of  goods. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  II7 

Tliis  was  long  before  the  town  of  Mt.  Pleasant,  in  the  same  vicinity,  was 
ever  dreamed  of,  and  even  before  Tom  Fortune  opened  a  store  there.  It 
seems  that  the  chief  promoters  of  Martinsburg  were  two  brothers  named 
Martin :  hence  the  name.  Not  much  is  known  concerning  them,  or  what 
became  of  them.  "Uncle  Joe"  Potter  says  that  one  of  them  came  to  h-is 
house  on  one  occasion  wlien  he  and  his  brother,  Marion  Potter,  were  mak- 
ing rails.  Martin  stood  around  a  while  and  finally  insinuated  that  they 
were  foolish  for  working  so  hard, , and  ih  a  confidential  way,  "just  the  same 
as  told  them,"  as  Mr.  Potter  expressed  it,  that  they  could  make  lots  of  money 
and  make  it  easy  stealing  horses,  whereupon  Marion  Potter  promptly  or- 
dered him  off  of  the  place,  and  told  him  never  to  return.  James  Low's  father 
bought  the  town  site  of  Martinsburg  in  the  fall  of  1855  and  moved  onto  it 
in  the  spring  of  1856,  converting  it  into  a  farm.  Thus  perished  Martinsburg. 
Even  the  name  did  not  survive  in  the  memory  of  the  settlers,  and  it  was 
only  by  accident  that  it  was  recently  recalled  after  a  lapse  of  fifty-four 
years.  At  an  early  day  the  locality  became  known  as  Mercer's  Bottom,  after 
Joe  Mercer,  one  of  the  earliest  settlers,  and  it  is  known  by  that  name  today. 
It  is  not  known  \\hat  became  of  Mercer.  James  Low  sa}-s  the  last  time  he 
saw  him  was  in  Den\'er.  in  1S5Q.  ]\Iercer  was  a  queer  character.  It  is  told 
of  him  that  he  lived  in  a  little  cabin  and  sulisisted  principally  on  mussels, 
which  he  found  in  Stranger  creek.  Alex  Hayes,  the  Martinsburg  store- 
keeper, has  also  been  lost  trace  of,  but  Dick  King  says  there  was  an  old- 
timer  named  Alexander  Hayes,  who  died  many  years  ago  and  was  buried 
in  the  Sapp  graveyard  at  Oak  Mills.  The  town  site  of  Martinsburg  was  a 
favorite  camping  place  for  soldiers  and  emigrants  passing  over  the  old 
Military  road  in  the  early  days  on  account  of  the  fine  spring,  the  large 
meadows  and  the  protection  of  the  hills  around  it.  To  catch  this  tide 
of  emigration  was,  in  all  probability,  the  object  of  those  pioneer  town  pro- 
jectors in  selecting  this  site. 

BUNKER     HILL. 

There  appears  to  be  nn  data  available  which  enables  the  historian  to 
determine  exactly  where  this  town  was  located,  but  a  prospectus  publica- 
tion March  18,  1858,  in  Freedom's  Champion,  states  that  it  was  on  Inde- 
pendence creek,  within  ten  miles  of  Atchison  and  twenty-five  miles  of  St. 
Joseph.  Its  chief  promoter  was  Dr.  Charles  F.  Kob,  of  Atchison.  Dr.  Kob 
was  a  German  physician  and  surgeon,  who  located  in  Atchison  at  an  early 


Il8  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

date.  He  had  been  a  surgeon  in  the  anny,  and  a  member  of  the  Massachu- 
setts and  Connecticut  medical  societies.  He  hved  and  practiced  medicine  in 
Boston  for  some  time.  About  the  only  advantage  for  Bunker  Hill,  set  forth 
in  the  prospectus,  was  that  coal  was  found  around  the  place,  but  Bunker 
Hill  never  seemed  to  have  any  coal  in  her  bunkers.  She  failed  to  flourish 
and  no  Bunker  Hill  monument  perpetuates  her  memory. 

LOCUST    GROVE. 

Locust  Grove  was  never  laid  out  as  a  town  site.  It  was  a  stopping 
place  on  the  old  stage  route  to  Topeka,  and  the  postoffice  from  Mount 
Pleasant  was  moved  there  in  1862. 

HELENA. 

Helena  was  located  and  named  in  this  county,  and  the  plat  thereof  was 
filed  March  t8,  1857,  by  James  L.  Byers,  one  of  the  proprietors  of  the  town 
company,  and  was  located  on  the  north  half  of  section  28,  township  5,  range 
r8,  on  the  Little  Grasshopper  river,  in  Grasshopper  township,  at  the  cross- 
ing of  the  old  Military'  road,  five  miles  north  of  the  present  site  of  Effing- 
ham. The  town  appears  on  an  old  township  map  of  eastern  Kansas,  pub- 
lished by  Whi'tman  &  Searl,  of  Lawrence,  in  1856.  It  shows  it  to  have 
been  on  the  east  branch  of  Grasshopper  river,  about  fifteen  miles  west  of 
Atchison,  and  north  of  the  Ft.  Laramie  and  California  roads. 

CAYUGA. 

Cayuga  was  laid  out  by  a  New  York  colony  in  1856,  and  was  named 
for  Cayuga,  N.  Y.  It  was  also  in  Grasshopper  township,  on  the  old 
Military  road,  one  and  one-half  miles  from  Lancaster  township  line  on  part 
of  the  east  half  of  section  18,  township  3,  range  18.  It  was  sun-eyed  by 
Dr.  A.  C.  Tator,  and  the  plat  was  filed  October  9,  1857,  by  George  L.  Will- 
son.  Provision  was  made  in  the  town  site  for  a  public  park  and  a  young 
ladies'  seminary.  It  was  claimed  that  it  had  at  one  time  400  inhabitants. 
Among  the  members  of  the  town  company  were  Messrs,  Smooks,  Fuller, 
Higby,  Athcrton,  Ontis,  Meeker,  WMlliam  Adams,  Chase  and  Dr.  Taylor. 
The  land  on  which  the  town  was  located  was  "junked"  as  a  claim  by  a  Mrs. 
Place,  and  thereafter  the  town  gradually  went  out  of  existence.  It  i's  said  to 
have  had  a  good  two-storv  hotel  and  a  number  of  business  houses. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  II9 

KENNEKUK. 

In  the  plat  which  Royal  Baldwin,  president  of  the  town  company,  filed 
April  6,  1859,  the  name  of  this  town  is  given  as  Kennekuck.  It  was  located 
on  the  southeast  quarter  and  the  southwest  fractional  quarter  of  section  3, 
township  3.  range  17.  Its  streets  were  sixty  feet  wide,  except  Broadway, 
which  was  100  feet  wide,  and  Market  street,  which  was  eighty  feet  wide. 
One  block  was  donated  for  a  market  house,  and  another  block  for  a  park, 
for  religious  and  educational  purposes.  The  streets  were  numbered  from 
I  to  10  and  the  cross  streets  were  named  as  follows:  Elm,  Linn,  Cedar, 
Poplar,  Broadway,  Market,  Walnut,  Weld,  Perry  and  Baldwin.  The  town 
site  was  vacated  by  the  board  of  county  commissioners  December  15,  187 1. 
Kennekuk  was  a  station  on  the  Overland  stage  route,  twenty-four  miles  west 
and  north  of  Atchison.  During  the  overland  stage  days  Thomas  Perry  ran 
an  eating  station  there,  and  Mrs.  Perry,  who  was  a  grand  cook,  always  had 
a  smoking  hot  dJnner  ready  with  the  best  of  coffee,  for  the  occupants  of  the 
stage  coaches.  In  the  early  days  dances  were  held  in  the  Perry  home,  and 
Hon.  D.  ^^^  wilder,  the  author  of  the  celebrated  "Annals  of  Kansas,"  used 
to  trip  the  light  fantastic  toe  there,  and  it  is  said  that  he  courted  the  girl 
who  afterwards  became  his  wife,  in  the  Perry  home. 

Frank  .A.  Root,  who  was  an  express  messenger  on  the  overland  stage, 
says,  in  his  book,  that  Kennekuk  was  the  first  "home"  station  out  from  Atch- 
ison, and  the  drivers  were  changed  there.  In  1863  it  was  a  little  town  of 
perhaps  a  dozen  houses  with  one  store  and  a  blacksmith  shop.  The  Kick- 
apoo  Indian  Agency  was  one  of  the  most  prominent  buildings  there,  and  was 
located  near  the  old  road  in  the  northwestern  part  of  the  town.  The  town 
was  laid  out  by  William  H.  Wheeler,  a  surveyor  and  speculator,  and  was 
named  for  the  Kickapoo  chieftain,  John  Kennekuk.  George  Rcmsburg  says 
that  the  town  was  platted  in  June,  1854,  but  the  dedication  on  the  original 
plat  in  the  court  house  would  indicate  that  it  was  platted  on  the  date  first 
mentioned  in  this  sketch. 

Hon.  A.  J.  White,  the  son  of  Capt.  Robert  White,  and  at  one  time  a 
meml)er  of  the  legislature  from  this  county,  and  one  of  the  leading  farmers 
of  the  county,  claims  that  Royal  Baldwin  was  the  first  white  settler  in  Ken- 
nekuk, and  that  he  was  appointed  Indian  agent  for  the  Kickapoos  there  by 
President  Pierce  before  Kansas  was  opened  for  settlement.  Mr.  Remsburg 
also  says  that  many  noted  travelers  stopped  at  Kennekuk,  including  Mark 
Twain. 


I20  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

KAPIOMA. 

According  to  Captain  Elberhant.  of  Golden.  Colo.,  the  Kickapoo  Indians 
once  had  a  village  on  the  Grasshopper  river  in  Atchison  county,  called  Ka- 
pioma.  after  the  chief  of  the  band,  and  it  is  from  this  source  that  Kapioma 
township  took  its  name.  Captain  Berthoud  says  that  Father  Duerinck,  a 
native  of  Belgium,  who  was  probably  the  first  Jesuit  priest  in  Atchison 
county,  gave  the  pronunciation  of  the  name  of  his  Atchison  county  station 
as  Kah-pi-oma,  accent  on  the  syllable  "Kali." 

In  an  affidavit  of  H.  H.  Skiles,  volume  69,  page  63,  in  the  records  of 
the  office  of  the  register  of  deeds  of  Atchison  county,  Kansas,  the  following 
appears : 

"This  affiant  further  states  that  there  was  in  1857  and  1S58  a  com- 
panj'  formed,  called  and  known  as  the  Kapioma  City  Company,  and  the  in- 
dividuals composing  that  company  were  B.  Gray.  S.  C.  Russell,  W.  \V.  Wes- 
ton. H.  H.  Skiles  and  W.  Y.  Roberts,  who  united  themselves  together  for 
the  purpose  of  laying  out,  locating  and  establishing  a  town  called  Kapioma, 
on  what  was  then  known  as  Grasshopper  creek,  just  north  of  its  confluence 
with  Straight  creek,  in  the  western  borders  of  Atchison  county.  Kansas. 
The  entire-  purpose  and  scheme  in  laying  out  and  establishing  a  town  fell 
through  and  was  wholly  and  totally  abandoned  by  all  and  every  person  con- 
nected with  it  without  prejudice  to  any  one,  and  the  title  to  the  land  in- 
tended by  the  company  to  become  town  property  reverted  to  the  original 
owner.     The  law  required  to  establish  a  town  was  never  complied  with." 

MASHENAH. 

r^Iashenah.  apparently,  was  to  be  a  rival  town  of  Kennekuk.  The  cold 
and  quiet  records  now  on  file  in  the  court  house  would  convey  the  idea  that 
Royal  Baldwin  must  have  fallen  out  with  the  original  promoters  of  Kenne- 
kuk and  decided  to  establish  a  town  of  his  own,  so,  accordingly,  he  filed  a 
plat  of  this  town  Septemlx;r  21,  1857,  showing  it  to  be  located  in  the  north- 
east quarter  and  the  northwest  quarter  of  section  2,  township  5,  range  17. 
One  block  was  set  aside  for  a  college  and  another  for  a  park.  Its  streets 
were  numbered  i  to  21,  and  the  cross  streets  were  named  as  follows:  Oak, 
Pine.  Plum,  Vine,  Elm.  Linn  and  Cedar. 

ST.    NICHOLAS. 

The  only  record  that  can  be  found  of  this  town  is  that  Thomas  Poteet 
filed  a  plat  thereof  .April  20,  1858,  showing  it  to  be  located  in  the  southwest 
corner  of  section  6,  township  7,  range  20. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  121 

CONCORD. 

This  is  another  town  about  which  there  is  httle  information  available. 
The  plat  was  filed  June  20,  1857,  by  James  R.  Whitehead  and  shows  it  to 
have  been  located  in  the  west  half  of  section  i,  township  5,  range  17.  The 
streets  were  numbered  from  i  to  18,  and  the  cross  streets  were  named  Buch- 
anan, Emily,  Mary,  Carolina,  Jefferson,  St.  Joseph,  Ell  wood,  Able,  Alex- 
ander, and  there  were  two  public  squares,  called  North  and  South. 

PARNELL. 

The  plat  of  Parnell  was  filed  December  24,  1883,  by  J.  C.  Hotham,  and 
shows  the  town  site  to  be  located  in  the  southwest  corner  of  the  southeast 
quarter  of  section  20,  township  6,  range  20.  It  is  located  on  both  the  Santa 
Fe  and  the  Missouri  Pacific  railroads.  The  station  was  named  for  a  hero 
of  the  Civil  war,  James  L.  Parnell,  a  private  soldier  in  Company  F,  Thir- 
teenth Kansas  volunteer  infantry,  who  was  killed  during  the  skirmish  at 
Haare  Head,  Ark.,  August  4.  1864.  Parnell  was  the  original  settler  on  the 
site  of  Parnell  and  was  one  of  the  first  citizens  of  Atchison  county  to  re- 
spond under  President  Lincoln's  call  of  July,  1862.  He  enlisted  in  the 
Thirteenth  Kansas.  Ex-Sheriff  Frank  Hartin  was  a  comrade  of  Parnell  in 
Company  F  and  married  into  the  Parnell  family. 

SHANNON. 

Shannon  was  platted  by  G.  W.  Sutliff  February  22,  1883,  and  is  located 
in  the  northwest  comer  of  the  northeast  quarter  of  sectitm  i,  township  Ti, 
range  19,  about  eight  miles  \\est  of  .Xtcliison,  on  the  Parallel  road.  Tb.e 
town  consists  of  one  store  building,  in  which  the  ])ostoffice  is  located,  and 
a  few  residences,  together  with  railroad  station  and  a  small  elexator. 

ELM  WOOD. 

Elmwood  was  platted  by  Anna  liokc  and  J.  .S.  Hoke  .^pril  T2,  1873.  and 
was  located  on  the  south  half  of  the  northeast  quarter  of  section  2,  township 
6,  range  20.  This  was  a  "paper"  town,  and  the  only  record  now  available 
of  it  is  the  plat  on  file  in  the  court  house  at  Atchison. 


122  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

CUMMINGSVILLE. 

Cummingsville  was  platted  by  William  Cummings  December  i6,  1872, 
and  was  located  on  the  north  half  of  the  southwest  quarter  of  section  i,  to^vn- 
ship  7,  range  19,  on  the  line  of  the  Atchison,  Topeka  &  Santa  Fe  railway, 
southwest  of  Atchison,  in  Center  township,  and  took  its  name  from  the 
founder  of  the  town.  The  original  plat  provided  for  two  streets,  Market  and 
Main,  but  on  September  21,  1883,  Samuel  C.  King  filed  a  plat,  creating  an 
addition  to  Cummingsville,  composed  of  four  blocks.  The  first  settler  on 
the  townsite  was  Robert  Kennish,  who  located  there  in  November,  1872,  and 
was  appointed  postmaster  when  the  postoffice  was  established  the  following 
fall.  Mr.  Kennish  opened  the  first  store  in  Cummingsville  in  December, 
1872,  and  he  for  many  years  was  station  agent  there,  one  of  the  oldest  in  the 
service  of  the  Atchison,  Topeka  &  Santa  Fe  railway.  He  was  a  much  he- 
loved  character.  He  died  a  few  years  ago  at  the  home  of  liis  daughter.  ]\Irs. 
Nelson  W.  Cox,  who  lives  in  Cummingsville  with  her  invalid  husliand,  Nels 
Cox,  who  for  eight  years  served  Atchison  county  in  the  capacity  of  clerk  of 
the  court.  In  April,  1873,  C.  D.  Harrison  and  family  located  in  Cummings- 
ville, and  their  child.  Lorenzo,  was  the  first  child  born  on  the  townsite,  and 
his  was  also  the  first  death,  Lorenzo  having  died  March  25,  1875.  In  the  win- 
ter of  1880-81,  R.  C.  Ripple  taught  the  first  school,  and  the  Methodist  church 
(South)  was  built  in  1880.  Cummingsville  now  is  a  town  of  over  100 
residences,  and  in  addition  to  its  bank,  it  has  several  good  stores,  a  cream 
station  and  an  elevator.  Much  grain  and  live  stock  is  shipped  out  of  Cum- 
mingsville annually. 

EDEN   p.   o. 

Eden  was  located  about  eight  miles  northwest  of  Atchison,  and  Charles 
Servoss  was  appointed  the  first  postmaster  there  in  1858.  The  postoffice 
was  located  on  a  farm  adjoining  the  Johnson  ^^'ymore  farm  on  the  south. 
Servoss  resigned  as  postmaster  in  1863  and  removed  to  Detroit,  Mich.  He 
was  succeeded  by  H.  C.  Lee,  who  kept  the  office  on  a  farm  adjoining  the 
Wymore  farm  on  the  west.  Mr.  Lee  was  a  grandfather  of  Miss  Kate  Piatt 
and  Mrs.  S.  E.  Harburger,  formerly  of  Atchison,  and  the  father  of  Mrs. 
Flora  B.  Hiatt.  Mr.  Lee  held  the  office  until  1872,  when  Francis  Schletz- 
baum.  Sr.,  was  named  as  postmaster,  and  removed  the  office  to  his  farm, 
which  adjoined  the  old  Wymore  farm  on  the  north.  The  postoffice  remained 
there  until  it  was  discontinued  upon  the  establishment  of  free  nn-al  delivery 
service  in  1900. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  I23 

POTTER. 

Potter  is  pleasantly  situated  on  a  slight  rise  or  knoll  in  the  beautiful  val- 
ley of  Stranger  creek,  and  near  the  southeast  corner  of  Mt.  Pleasant  town- 
ship. From  the  first  it  has  been  the  principal  station  on  the  Santa  Fe  rail- 
road, between  Atchison  and  Leavenworth,  being  situated  about  midway  be- 
tween the  two  cities.  It  is  an  attractive  little  town,  with  well  graded  streets 
and  good  cement  sidewalks,  and  a  number  of  attractive  residences.  While  it 
is  one  of  the  younger  towns  of  the  county,  it  has  made  strides  that  make  it 
compare  favorably  with  some  of  its  older  sisters,  in  volume  of  liusiness  at 
least,  if  not  in  population. 

Potter,  as  tlie  home  of  the  white  man.  dates  back  further  than  any  com- 
munity in  the  county.  Elsewhere  in  this  history  will  be  found  an  account 
of  Paschal  Pensoneau,  the  old  French  trader,  who  established  himself  on 
Stranger  creek,  near  the  present  tox^nsite,  during  the  early  forties. 

The  building  of  Potter  is  the  third  and  the  most  successful  attempt  to 
establish  a  town  in  that  vicinity.  The  first  attempt  was  at  Mount  Pleasant. 
This  was  one  of  the  first  towns  started  in  Kansas,  and  here  was  located  the 
first  postoffice  in  Atchison  county.  It  prospered  for  a  time  and  was  a  can- 
didate for  the  county  seat.  It  gradually  declined,  and  since  the  establishment 
of  Potter,  has  been  little  more  than  a  memory.  In  the  early  days,  some  say 
before  Mt.  Pleasant  was  started,  a  town  was  laid  out  near  the  big  Mercer 
spring,  just  northeast  of  the  present  site  of  Potter,  and  called  Martinsburg. 
It  was  extensively  boomed,  but  outside  of  a  small  store  and  a  few  huts,  it 
never  advanced  beyond  the  paper  stage. 

Early  in  1886  the  Leavenworth,  Northern  &  Southern  railway,  now  a 
branch  of  the  Santa  Fe,  and  known  as  the  "Pollywog,"  was  built  and  a  sta- 
tion located  where  Potter  now  stands.  A  town  was  platted  and  called  Ben- 
nett Springs,  after  James  Gordon  Bennett,  the  well  known  eastern  journal- 
ist. The  mineral  springs  on  the  Masterson  farm  near  the  townsite  were 
attracting  considerable  attention  at  the  time,  and  it  was  thought  that  a  pop- 
ular resort  could  be  built  up  there.  The  medicinal  properties  of  the  water 
were  discovered  by  Dr.  Rice,  a  local  physician,  and  subsequently  analyzed  by 
experts,  who  confirmed  Dr.  Rice's  conclusions,  and  a  number  of  people 
claimed  to  have  used  the  waters  in  liver,  kidney  and  other  complaints  with 
good  results.  Henry  C.  Squires,  afterwards  a  Potter  banker,  conceived  the 
idea  of  establishing  a  health  resort  here,  and  named  it  in  honor  of  James 
Gordon  Bennett,  who,  it  was  thought,  would  use  his  influence  towards  get- 


1-24 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY 


ting  eastern  capital  interested  in  the  project.  The  expected  financial  back- 
ing was  not  forthcoming,  however,  and  the  proposed  development  of  the 
springs  was  never  made. 

In  the  meantime  tlie  railroad  people  had  ciiristened  the  town  Potter,  in 
honor  of  Hon.  Joseph  Potter,  owner  of  the  quarter  section  on  wliich  the  town 
was  laid  out,  and.  while  the  name  of  the  town  still  appears  oii  the  tax  rolls 
as  Bennett  Springs,  the  original  name  having  never  been  legally  clianged, 
the  town  is  now  generally  known  as  Potter.  Joseph  Potter  was  the  original 
settler,  having  preempted  the  land  on  wliich  the  town  stands,  in  1854,  and 
the  first  sales  of  lots  in  Potter  were  deeded  to  their  purchaser  thirty-two 
vears  later  direct  from  tlie  Government  preemption  owner.     Tlie  taking  up  of 


Stlful    Sci-lii-.    I'littiT.    I\:uis:is 


the  land,  filing,  etc..  cost  .Mr.  Potter  about  $220  for  160  acres,  and  when  it 
was  divided  up  into  town  lots  it  brouglit  him  $200  an  acre.  Mr.  Potter 
entered  part  of  this  land  with  a  land  warrant  given  him  for  services  in  the 
Mexican  war. 

The  first  lots  in  the  town  were  sold  to  the  late  James  Stalons,  for  many 
vears  a  justice  of  the  peace,  preacher  of  the  Gospel  and  prominent  citizen  of 
the  county.  The  first  house  on  the  townsite  was  built  by  Tliomas  J.  Potter 
in  1882,  four  years  before  the  town  was  laid  out.  The  house  is  still  stand- 
ing. The  first  business  house  in  the  town  was  erected  by  Charles  Klein, 
who  operated  a  store  there  until  his. death.     A  year  or  two  after  Potter  was 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  125 

Started  the  postoffice  was  removed  from  i\lt.  Pleasant  to  the  place,  and  James 
B.  Weir  was  the  first  postmaster.  The  first  hotel  was  operated  l)y  Mrs. 
Elvira  Pierce.  Dr.  Barnes  had  the  first  drug  store,  and  was  also  the  first 
physician ;  Frank  Blodgett.  the  first  hardware  store,  and  B.  F.  Shaw  &  Com- 
pany, the  first  furniture  store.  The  first  barber  was  Thomas  Seever;  the 
first  blacksmith,  Lou  Chilson:  the  first  butcher,  John  Yost;  the  first  carpen- 
ter, P.  H.  Fleer;  the  first  painters,  George  Brown  and  Grant  Cass;  the  first 
stone  masons,  S.  B.  Morrow  and  Frank  Maxwell ;  the  first  shoemaker,  Pat- 
rick Murphy;  the  first  stock  buyer,  Henry  Show;  the  first  school  teacher, 
Albert  Limbaugh ;  the  first  railroad  agent,  C.  L.  Cherrie;  the  first  lumlier 
dealer,  David  Hudson;  the  first  harness  maker,  Harry  Rickets;  the  first  rural 
mail  carrier,  Frank  White.  Frank  Mayfield  operated  the  first  livery  stable; 
the  first  elevator  was  built  by  James  Hawley ;  the  first  church  1>uilding  was 
that  of  the  Methodists.  The  first  Methodist  preacher  was  Rev.  John  W. 
Faubian,  and  the  first  Christian  preacher.  Rev.  T.  W.  Cottingham.  The 
first  telephone  exchange  was  operated  by  Charles  and  George  Sprong.  The 
first  lodge  was  Echo  Lodge,  No.  103.  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows.  The 
first  bank  was  the  Potter  State  Bank.  Potter  has  had  three  newspapers,  the 
first,  the  Potter  Press,  was  established  by  E.  E.  Campbell,  in  1898.  In  igoo 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Eppie  Barber  started  the  Potter  Leaf.  Three  years  later 
Charles  B.  Remsburg  bought  the  Leaf's  circulation  and  launched  the  Potter 
Kansan,  which  is  now  owned  and  published  by  his  father,  J.  E.  Remsburg. 

Potter  is  one  of  the  most  flourishing  towns  of  its  size  in  Kansas.  Though 
its  population  is  less  than  200,  it  boasts  of  two  banks,  the  aggregate  resources 
of  which  amount  to  nearl\-  a  (|uartei"  million  dollars.  There  probably  is  not 
another  town  of  its  size  in  the  State  that  has  two  banks.  The  town  has 
two  good  elevators  which  during  the  years  1912,  1913  and  1914  handled  on 
an  average  of  140,000  bushels  of  grain  a  year.  These  elevators  are  operated 
by  Fred  Ode  &  Sons  and  James  Robinson.  The  railroad  station  at  Potter 
does  a  business  that  amounts  to  something  like  $40,000  annually.  The  ship- 
ping of  live  stock  is  an  important  industry  here.  The  principal  buyers  are 
Tinsley,  Potter,  and  Timple  Bros.  Much  fruit  is  grown  around  Potter,  and 
as  high  as  $20,000  has  been  paid  out  for  apples  during  one  shi])ping  season. 

Potter  has  a  rural  high  school,  the  first  of  its  kind  established  in  the 
State,  and  an  $8,000  school  building. 

The  town  has  two  general  stores,  those  of  W.  A.  Hodge  and  P.  P. 
Knoch ;  a  hardware  store,  operated  by  B.  F.  Shaw ;  a  grocery  store,  by 
Thomas  J.  Potter;  a  furniture  store,  by  Frank  Beard;  a  drug  store,  by  G.  E. 


126 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 


Coulter;  a  hotel,  by  Mrs.  G.  F.  Pope;  two  blacksmith  shops,  by  R.  E.  Brown 
and  G.  F.  Pope;  a  livery  stable,  by  H.  G.  Hawley;  two  barber  shops,  by 
George  Brown  and  Frank  Blankenship;  a  cement  tile  factory,  by  Grisham  & 
Maxwell ;  a  millinery  store,  by  Mrs.  T.  J.  Maxwell ;  a  telephone  exchange,  by 
E.  C.  Yoakum;  a  newspaper.  The  Potter  JVeekly  Kdusau,  by  J.  E.  Remsburg; 
two  physicians.  Dr.  G.  W.  Redmon  and  Dr.  S.  M.  Myers.  Dr.  A.  E.  Ricks, 
of  Atchison,  has  a  branch  dental  office  here ;  the  Lambert  Lumber  Company, 
of  Leavenworth,  has  a  commodious  and  well  stocked  yard  here,  with  Samuel 
Parker  as  manager.     There  are  two  churches.  Methodist  and  Christian,  two 


I 


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fX^'W       r^W       Z9^ 

I  II 


i  iiif  -  y  i  ■ 


public  halls,  and  one  lodge  hall.  L.  M.  Jewell  conducts  an  insurance,  real 
estate  and  loan  business.  There  is  also  a  garage,  and  other  business  enter- 
prises in  the  town. 

MOUNT   PLEAS.VNT. 

In  1854  Thomas  L.  Fortune,  Jr.,  a  Virginian,  settled  on  the  "old  Mili- 
tary road"  and  opened  one  of  the  very  earliest  stores  in  Atchison  county, 
around  ^his  store  springing  up  the  village  of  Mount  Pleasant.  .A  postnffice 
was  established  here  in  1855,  and  Mr.  Fortune  was  appointed  postmaster. 
Being  an  inventive  genius,  he  finally  gave  up  his  store  business  and  devoted 
his  energies  towards  perfecting  and  building  a  road-wagon,  to  which  refer- 
ence has  heretofore  been  made,  and  which  he  thouglit  would  revolutionize 
the  freighting  business  across  the  plains. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  I27 

The  townsite  of  Mount  Pleasant  was  sun-eyed  in  1857  by  Jolm  P. 
Wheeler,  agent  for  the  Town  Company. 

Michael  Wilkins  and  James  Laird  were  the  very  first  settlers  in  the 
township,  being  followed  shortly  afterwards  by  Levi  Bowles,  Jacob  Grind- 
staff,  Andrew  J.  Peebler,  Martin  Jones,  Chris  Horn,  P.  R.  King,  W.  C. 
Findley,  A.  S.  Speck  and  .\mos  Hamon. 

The  first  hotel  in  the  town  was  opened  by  Henry  Pa^-ne,  who  operated  it 
many  years. 

T.  J.  Payne  and  Philo  W.  Hull  were  the  next  parties  to  engage  in  busi- 
ness, Mr.  Payne  leaving  when  the  new  town  of  Sumner  was  started,  and 
locating  there. 

The  next  to  engage  in  business  was  P.  R.  Khig,  who  established  a  gen- 
eral store  about  1858.  He  remained  at  Mount  Pleasant  until  after  the  county 
seat  question  had  been  settled,  when  he  removed  to  Atchison. 

In  the  fall  of  1858  a  district  school  was  opened.  In  i860  tlie  Cumber- 
land Presbyterians  erected  a  church  liuilding,  having  held  religious  services 
at  the  homes  of  the  members  prior  to  this  time.  Rev.  A.  A.  Moore  was  their 
first  pastor. 

On  May  i,  1862,  the  Church  of  Christ  was  organized  by  Elder  W.  S. 
Jackson,  with  seventeen  members,  services  being  held  in  the  school  house. 

Mount  Pleasant  Lodge,  No.  158,  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  of 
Mount  Pleasant,  was  organized  in  the  fall  of  1868  by  the  following  charter 
members :  William  J.  Young,  X.  Klein,  M.  R.  Benton,  John  Hawley,  S.  K. 
McCreary,  Joseph  Howell  and  Albert  Hawley.  Their  first  meeting  was  lield 
October  20,  1868,  with  the  following  as  first  officers :  William  Young,  wor- 
shipful master;  X.  Klein,  senior  warden;  A.  Hawley,  junior  warden;  S.  K. 
McCreary,  secretary ;  M.  R.  Benton,  treasurer. 

In  August,  1862,  the  name  of  the  postoffice  was  changed  to  Locust 
Grove. 

lewis'  point. 

In  pre-territorial  times  and  in  the  steamboat  days,  Kansas  had  many 
geographical  names  that  are  not  now  to  be  found  on  the  map.  Some  of  them, 
where  permanent  settlements  have  sprung  up,  have  been  perpetuated,  but  the 
majority  of  them  do  not  live  even  in  the  memory  of  the  oldest  iniiabitants. 
One  of  the  latter  is  "Lewis'  Point,"  near  the  present  site  of  Oak  Mills.  Old 
"Cap."  Lewis  is  long  since  dead,  his  name  almost  forgotten,  and  the  rapacious 
Missouri  river  and  "Mansell's  Slide"  are  now  about  to  devour  the  "Point," 


128  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

with  which  his  name  was  coupled  in  our  early  geography.  While  "Lewis' 
Point"  was  never  a  place  of  any  prominence,  and  not  even  the  site  of  a  village 
or  settlement,  yet  it  was  a  geographical  name  that  was  known  to  every  steam- 
boat man  running  on  this  section  of  the  river,  and  is  worthy  of  preservation  in 
our  local  historj-.  "Lewis'  Point"  was  at  the  projection  of  land  lying  im- 
mediately above  Oak  Mills,  on  the  Missouri  river.  It  took  its  name  from  the 
fact  that  Calvin  Lewis,  an  old  riverman.  settled  at  this  point  at  an  early  day, 
and  it  became  a  frequent  stopping  place  for  steamboats  to  take  on  wood.  In 
those  days  there  was  a  splendid  wood  supply  in  that  vicinit)-.  Lewis'  house 
stood  near  the  site  of  the  old  Champton.  or  William  Moody,  house,  wlhich  was 
destroyed  by  fire  about  a  year  ago. 

It  is  not  generally  known  that  a  steamboat  was  ever  built  on  Atchison 
county  soil,  much  less  that  Oak  Mills  was  ever  the  scene  of  the  ship  builder's 
craft,  outside  of  the  construction  of  Indian  canoes  and  the  modern  skiffs  built 
by  Dick  King  or  some  other  later-day  river  man.  Yet.  it  is  a  fact  that  Calvin 
Lewis  once  built  and  launched  at  "Lewis'  Point"  a  small  stern-wheel  steam- 
boat, and  operated  it  on  the  river  for  several  years.  In  1855  the  first  terri- 
torial legislature  of  Kansas  passed  an  act  authorizing  Lewis  to  operate  a 
ferr}^  at  "Lewis'  Point." 

FAliLEV's    FERRY. 

The  same  legislature  that  gave  permission  to  Lewis  to  operate  a  ferrv'  at 
"Lewis'  Point,"  granted  the  same  privilege  to  Ximrod  Farley,  to  maintain  a 
ferry  across  the  Missouri  river,  opposite  latan,  Mo.  Farley  \vas  a  well 
known  character  in  the  Missouri  bottoms  in  the  vicinity  of  latan.  Cow  Island, 
and  Oak  Mills,  in  the  early  days.  He  lived  near  latan,  but  it  seems  that  he 
owned  land  on  the  Kansas  side,  near  Oak  Mills,  which  offered  a  landing  for 
his  ferry.  He  was  a  brother  of  Josiah  Farley,  who  laid  out  the  to\\Ti  of 
Farley,  in  Platte  county,  in  1850.  George  McAdow  later  became  proprietor 
of  Farley's  Fern,-  and  operated  it  until  it  was  destroyed  by  Jayhawkers, 
shortlv  before  the  war. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


THE  CIVIL  WAR. 


THE    ISSUE    BETWEEN    EARLY    SETTLERS INFLUX     OF     FREE    STATE    AND    PRO- 
SLAVERY    PARTISANS EARLY    VOLUNTEERING MILITARY    ORGANIZATIONS 

THREATENED    INVASION    FROM    MISSOURI POLITICAL    SOCIETIES JAY- 
HAWKERS  —  Cleveland's     gang  —  lynchings  —  atchison     county 

TROOPS  IN  the  war PRICe's  ATTEMPTED  INVASION. 

The  six  years  intervening  between  1854  and  i860  constitute  a  momentous 
period  in  the  history  of  Atchison  county.  No  new  community  was  ever 
organized  under  more  unpromising  circumstances.  It  was  not  merely  land 
hunger  and  lust  for  personal  gain  that  were  the  impelling  motives  wliich 
brought  men  to  Kansas  in  that  day.  Neither  gold,  nor  gas,  nor  oil,  nor 
precious  gems  lured  men  here.  Kansas  was  then,  as  it  is  now,  an  agricultural 
paradise,  and  such  an  environment  has  ordinarily  Init  little  charm  for  the  dar- 
ing adventurer  and  the  seeker  after  sudden  riches,  who  toil  not  and  spin 
less.  It  is  true  that  a  large  numlier  of  peaceful,  plodding  home-seekers — the 
tillers  of  the  soil — the  hewers  of  wood  and  the  haulers  of  water,  immigrated 
to  Kansas  to  take  up  land  and  build  ])emianent  homes,  but  they  were  in  the 
minoritv  prior  to  i860.  The  tremendous  issue  of  human  s1aver\-  was  the 
all  absorbing  fact,  and  the  long  struggle  here  wrought  a  complete  revolu- 
tion in  the  political  thought  of  the  whole  country.  Men  came  to  Kansas  for 
the  most,  part  for  political  rather  than  for  business  or  agricultural  reasons. 
The  settlement  of  Kansas  was  an  inspired  political  movement  (if  partisans. 
There  was  little  room  for  neutrals,  and  those  who  were  "too  proud  to  fight" 
went  elsewhere.  There  was  little  consideration  on  the  part  of  the  earlv 
settlers  of  Kansas,  of  any  questions  except  slaverv  and  anti-slaverv.  Thev 
came  in  large  numbers  fmm  the  .South  and  from  the  Xortli,  an<l  met  here 
upon  the  frontier  in  a  final  test  of  strength.     The  Free  Soilers  won.  but  only 

129 

9 


130  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

after  bitter  contests  in  wliicli  prissicjn,  prejudice  and  bloody  partisanshiji  ran 
riot,  and  Atcbison  count\-  played  a  most  conspicuous  part  in  this  great 
Ijattle.  The  Nation  and  the  world  looked  on  as  tlie  Ijattle  lines  surged  for- 
ward and  backward.  And  while  the>-  fought  here  in  a  last  desperate  strug- 
gle for  supremacy,  these  courageous  men  and  women  on  both  sides  fouioded 
their  towns,  built  their  court  houses,  then"  primary  schools  and  their  churches 
with  an  abiding  faith  in  the  hearts  of  each  of  them  that  victory  would  finally 
crown  their  efforts.  Atchison  county  made  progress  in  spite  of  the  fact 
that  her  leaders  were  wrong.  We  gave  promise  here  of  being  the  metropo- 
lis of  Kansas,  for  we  had  many  geographical  and  commercial  advantages 
over  other  struggling  communities  of  the  Territory.  But  before  the  well 
laid  plans  of  our  citizens  matured,  before  projects  for  the  development  of 
steam  transportation  to  bring  us  nearer  the  outside  world  could  be  conclmled 
the  mighty  conflict  which  ended  in  four  bloody  years  of  civil  w-ar,  broke  upon 
the  Nation,  and  Kansas  within  three  months  after  being  admitted  as  a  State 
enrolled  itself  on  the  side  of  the  Union.  Atchison  county  sprang 
to  amis  almost  a  thousand  strong,  and  may  it  ever  be  said  to  its  everlasting 
glory  that  few-,  if  any,  counties  in  the  State  had  a  more  patriotic  record. 
One  hundred  and  thirty-one  .\tchison  county  men  enlisted  in  the  First  Kan- 
sas regiment;  twenty-five  in  the  Seventh;  eighty-five  in  the  Eighth:  eighty- 
six  in  the  Tenth:  260  in  the  Thirteenth;  100  in  the  First  Kansas  (colored); 
twenty-five  in  the  First  Nebraska;  105  in  the  Thirteenth  ?*Iissouri:  thirty 
in  the  Fifteenth  Kansas:  forty  in  fhe  Ninth,  and  fifty  in  the  Sixteenth,  or  a" 
total  of  <)T,j  men,  which,  together  with  the  scattering  of  men  in  other  regi- 
ments-in  adjoining  States,  brought  the  total  number  of  soldiers  engaged 
during  the  Civil  war  to  1,000.  The  population  of  .\tchison  county  at  that 
time  was  7.747,  and  the  voting  population  1,133,  which  shows  that  the  total 
number  of  voters  was  but  slightly  larger  than  the  total  number  of  \-olun- 
teers.  At  that  time  Atchison,  by  reason  of  its  location,  was  subject  to  in- 
cursions from  Confederate  troops  and  Jayhawkers  from  Missouri,  w-hich 
called  for  the  organization  at  different  periods  of  the  war,  of  home  guard 
companies,  which  are  not  included  in  the  foregoing  statement.  .\t  the  out- 
set of  the  war  .\tchison  had  three  militia  companies.  .\.  B  and  C.  and  a 
fourth,  known  as  the  All  Hazard  company,  the  origin  of  w^hose  name  is  thus 
explained.  At  the  city  election  in  the  spring  of  1861  the  issue  was  union 
or  dis-union.  The  Republicans  and  Union  Democrats  united  in  supporting 
G.  H.  Fairchild  for  mayor.  He  w^as  a  Union  Democrat  who  on  various 
occasions  announced  his  unwavering  friendship  of  the  Union  and   for  the 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  I3I 

maintenance  of  the  constitution  and  laws  "at  all  hazards,"  and  when  this 
company  enlisted  for  the  war  [Mayor  I'^airchikl  was  its  captani  and  it  became 
Company  K  of  the  First  Kansas.  It  participated  in  the  battle  of  Wilson's 
Creek,  August  lo,  1861,  which  was  the  first  action  in  which  a  Kansas  regi- 
ment was  under  fire. 

In  1861  there  were  constant  threats  of  invasion  from  Missouri  rebel 
organizations  in  Buchanan  and  Platte  counties,  and  in  that  year  anoliier 
home  guard  company  was  organized  with  the  following  officers :  Charles 
Holbert,  captain ;  J.  G.  Bechtold,  first  lieutenant ;  Clem  Rhor,  second  lieuten- 
ant ;  W.  Becker,  third  lieutenant ;  John  Schupp,  ensign.  During  the  follow- 
ing year  the  danger  of  invasion  became  still  more  threatening  and  650  men 
in  sixteen  companies  came  to  Atchison  to  protect  the  town  from  destruction. 
Tlie  Atchison  county  companies  were  commanded  by  Captains  Holbert,  Hays, 
Batsett,  Evans  and  Vanwinkle.  It  was  due  to  the  thoroughness  with  which 
the  people  of  Atchison  organized  themselves  against  invasion  that  they  were 
spared  from  being  completely  annihilated.  On  the  fifteenth  day  of  Septem- 
ber, 1861,  another  company  for  home  guard  service  was  mustered  in  at  I't. 
Leavenworth.  J.  M.  Graham  was  captam ;  J.  G.  Bechtold,  first  lieutenant; 
R.  N.  Bryant,  second  lieutenant.  This  company  subsequentlv  liecanie  Com- 
pany E  of  tlie  First  Kansas  Regiment  Home  (iuards,  numbering  fiftv  men, 
and  were  ordered  back  to  Atchison  for  duty,  where  thev  were  stationed 
until  all  danger  of  invasion  had  passed,  after  which  the  company  became  a 
part  of  the  Eighth  Kansas.  The  victories  of  the  Union  forces  in  1S62  were 
frequent,  and  as  a  result  many  rebel  sympathizers  came  to  Atchison  for 
safety,  where  they  became  very  troublesome.  In  order  to  counteract  the 
growing  evil  over  the  activities  of  these  men,  Mayor  Fairchild  issued  a  proc- 
lamation in  which  he  warned  them  that  they  must  not  expect  to  be  pro- 
tected in  any  manner  by  the  city  laws  as  long  as  thev  held  to  the 
\'iews  which  they  expounded  at  every  favorable  opportunity.  "It  would 
be  absurd  to  suppose,"  the  proclamation  said,  "that  a  patriotic  communitv 
'could  treat  otherwise  than  its  enemies,  persons  who  are  in  svmpathv  wit!i 
base  men  who  ha\e  lirought  upon  our  country  untold  nn'serw  almost  un- 
limited taxation  and  almost  inconceivable  pecuniary  suffering.  "  As  a  repre- 
sentative of  a  lo}al  people  I  will  not  encourage  men  to  return  among  us 
who  ha\e  circulated  reports  that  they  were  refugees  from  the  loyal  States 
on  account  of  their  secession  doctrines,  nor  will  I  give  protection  to  men 
who  unmistakably  at  heart  belong  to  the  Confederacy."  This  proclamation 
met  with  such  favor  that  a  mass  meeting  of  Union  men  in  .\tchison  count v 


132  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

was  held  at  Price's  Hall  March  15,  1862.  The  whole  county  was  well 
represented  and  stirring  addresses  were  delivered  by  Colonel  Edge,  of  Doni- 
phan countv,  Tom  Murphy,  the  genial  proprietor  of  the  Massasoit  House. 
Rev.  W.  S.  W'enz,  Lieutenant  Price.  E.  Chesebrough,  Mayor  Fairchild,  Caleb 
May,  and  others,  after  which  resolutions  denouncing  the  southern  sym- 
pathizers and  notifying  them  not  to  return  were  unanimously  adopted.  Dur- 
ing the  latter  part  of  the  sanie  year  a  call  for  aid  to  assist  the  Atchison 
countv  troops  met  with  immediate  response  and  within  a  few  days,  com- 
mencing August  20,  1862,  almost  $4,000  was  subscribed  by  tlie  citizens  of 
Atchison.  Seven  hundred  and  forty-five  dollars  came  from  Mt.  Pleasant 
township.  Among  the  leading  contributors  were  Theodore  Bartholow.  E. 
Cheseijrough.  G.  W.  Fairchild.  J.  W.  Russell.  W.  L.  Challiss,  Dr.  \Mlliam 
Irwin.  G.  W.  Howe.  Bela  M.  Hughes.  William  Hetherington.  Otis  &•  Glick, 
Henry  Deisbach,  J.  E.  M'agner,  Rice  McCubbin,  McCausland  &  Brown.  Tom 
Murphv,  \^'.  A.  Cochrane.  Samuel  C.  Pomeroy.  Stebbins  &  Company,  E. 
Butcher,  and  William  C.  Smith,  each  of  whom  subscribed  the  sum  of  $50 
or  over.  Atchison  also  made  a  notable  contribution  when  Ouantrell  invaded 
Lawrence,  sending  $4,000  to  assist  the  people  of  that  city.  In  [SA^  depreda- 
tions of  the  Ja.\hawkers  became  very  annoying,  and  a  vigilance  committee 
was  organized  and  all  good,  peaceful  and  loyal  citizens  were  called  upon  to 
band  themselves  together  for  the  protection  of  their  lives,  homes  and  i)rop- 
ertv.  Those  who  joined  the  vigilance  committee  took  an  oath  to  support  the 
Government  of  the  Ignited  States  and  Kansas,  and  to  do  all  in  their  powder 
to  put  down  the  rebellion,  and  also  to  keep  secret  'all  proceedings  of  the  or- 
ganization. This  committee  did  very  effective  work  in  l)ringing  to  punish- 
ment violators  of  law  and  also  in  keeping  the  lawless  bands  of  Jayhawkers 
and  other  thieves  out  of  Atchison  county. 

The  following  "circular"  has  been  unearthed  by  the  author,  and  while 
it  bears  no  date  it  apparently  contained  the  constitution,  by-laws,  ritual  and 
oath  of  these  societies. 

"circular  TO  OFFICERS. 

"Be  extremely  careful  in  the  selection  of  your  members.  Admit  no 
one  who  is  not  of  good  standing  in  the  community,  and  whom  you  have  not 
good  reason  to  believe  to  be  firm  and  nncomjiromising  in  his  devotion  to  the 
LTnion.  and  to  be  relied  upon  to  assist  in  any  emergency  in  maintaining  the 
laws  and  good  order  in  the  community.  This  is  of  the  first  and  highest  im- 
portance to  the  order,  and  if  any  member  shows  symptoms  of  defection,  watch 
him  closely. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  I33 

"In  all  cases,  deal  kindly  with  }r)ur  opponents,  and  strive  b_\'  gentle  means 
to  win  them  over  to  a  change  of  sentiment.  Many  good  men  ma}-  thus  be 
brought  within  our  circle  who  would  otherwise  be  lost  to  us. 

"The  first  club  established  in  your  county  seat  will  be  called  the  County 
Club,  to  which  all  clubs  in  the  county  will  report,  and  by  those  officers  all  such 
clubs  will  be  established.  It  is  important  that  we  be  frequently  advised  as  to 
our  strength  in  the  State ;  and  for  this  purjxise  each  subordinate  club  will  re- 
port weekly  to  the  county  club  the  number  of  members  enrolled  therein :  and 

the  County  Club  will  report  monthly  to  the  Ex.  Com.  at the 

number  of  clubs  and  number  of  members  in  the  county.  These  reports  should 
be  carefully  sealed  and  addressed . 

"The  officers  of  County  Clubs  will  be  supplied  with  a  printed  constitution 
and  ritual,  aiul  they  will  furnish  officers  of  subordinate  clubs  copies  of  the 
same,  with  a  strict  injunction  to  secrecy. 

"All  correspondence  must  Ije  secret  as  possible:  and  in  order  that  this  may 
be  accomplished  the  monthly  reports  maj'  consist  only  of  the  place,  date,  num- 
ber of  clubs  in  the  county  and  number  of  members.  No  signature  must  be 
attached.     These  reports  will  be  summed  up  and  published  by  the  Ex.  Com. 

"Strict  secrecy  as  to  the  icorking  of  the  organization  is  enjoined  and 
promptness  and  vigor  in  its  extension  is  very  important.  We  must  work  now 
and  work  rapidly.  No  time  is  to  be  lost;  our  opponents  are  working  vigor- 
ously and  secretly,  but  it  is  not  too  late  to  counteract  their  machinations  and 
utterly  overthrow  them.      JVork!     Work!     Jl'ork! 

"CONSTITUTION. 

"object. 

"The  object  shall  be  to  preserve  and  maintain  the  Uninn  and  the  constitu- 
tion of  the  L'nited  States  and  of  the  State  of  Kansas,  and  to  defend  Kansas 
against  invasion,  insurrection,  civil  commotion  and  to  protect  Cnion  men 
against  assassination,  arson,  robbery,  prescription  and  all  other  wrongs  in- 
flicted by  the  enemies  of  the  Government  of  the  United  States  and  of  this 
State  upon  loyal  persons. 

"officers. 

"The  officers  shall  consist  of  Pr..  V.  P.,  R.  S.,  T.,  M.,  and  S..  who  shall 
hold  their  office  for  three  months. 


134  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

"duties   OF   OFFICERS. 

"The  duties  of  officers  shall  be  the  same  as  in  similar  organizations  and 
all  business  shall  be  conducted  in  the  usual  parliamentary  form. 

"admission  of  members. 

"Persons  may  become  members  who  are  eighteen  years  of  age  and  up- 
wards, and  are  citizens  of  the  United  States. 

"initiation. 

"All  initiations  shall  take  place  in  and  with  the  authority  of  the  officers 
of  the  club  who  may  delegate  suitable  persons  to  initiate  members  from  time 
to  time  as  occasion  requires  outside  of  any  regular  meeting  of  the  club.  Branch 
clubs  mav  be  formed  by  proper  application  to  this  club  when  the  president  may 
appoint  suitable  persons  to  establish  the  same. 

"withdrawals. 

"Any  member  may  withdraw  from  this  club  by  giving  written  notice 
of  the  same  to  the  R.  S.  at  any  regular  meeting:  but  the  obligations  of  such 
member  shall  remain  the  same  as  before. 

".\MENDMENTS. 

"This  constitution  may  be  altered  or  amended  by  giving  one  week's  notice 
thereof,  by  a  vote  of  two-thirds  of  the  executive  committee  of  the  State.  Each 
county  club  may  make  by-laws  for  its  own  organization,  not  conflicting  with 
this  constitution. 

"ritu.a,l. 

"Eternal  God !  Supreme  Ruler,  Governor  and  Architect  of  the  Universe  I 
We  humbly  beseech  Thee  to  protect  the  people  of  the  United  States  in  general 
and  especially  the  members  of  this  organization.  Wilt  thou  be  pleased  to  direct 
and  prosper  all  our  consultations  to  the  advancement  of  Thy  glory,  the  good  of 
Thy  country,  the  safety,  honor  and  welfare  of  Thy  people,  and  may  all  things 
be  ordered  and  settled  by  the  Legislature  and  Executive  branches  of  our  Gov- 
ernment upon  the  best  and  surest  foundation,  so  that  peace  and  happiness,  truth 
and  justice  may  be  established  among  us  for  all  generations.  Wilt  Thou  be 
pleased  to  guide  and  direct  us  as  Thou  didst  our  Fathers  in  the  Revolution, 
With  the  strength  of  Thine  almighty  arm  Thou  didst  uphold  and  sustain  them 
through  all  their  trials,  and  at  last  didst  crown  them  with  -  victor>'.     May 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  I  33 

charit}-,  and  brotherly  love  cement  us ;  may  we  be  united  with  our  principles 
founded  upon  the  teachings  of  Thy  Holy  Word  and  may  Thy  Good  Spirit 
guide,  strengthen  and  comfort  us,  now  and  forever,  Amen. 

"All  candidates  for  membership  to  (his  club  will  be  required  to  answer  the 
following  questions  to  be  propounded  b\'  the  marslial  before  initiation  : 

"i.     Are  you  opposed  to  secession  or  disunion  ? 

"2.  Do  you  acknowledge  that  your  first  and  highest  allegiance  is  due 
to  the  Government  of  the  United  States  of  America? 

"3.  Are  you  willing  to  take  such  an  oath  of  allegiance  to  the  United 
States  of  z\merica? 

"4.  Are  you  willing  to  pledge  yourself  to  resist  to  the  extent  of  your 
power,  all  attempts  to  subvert  or  overthrow  the  constitution  of  the  United 
States,  or  the  constitution  of  the  State  of  Kansas? 

"Should  the  candidates  answer  affirmatively,  the  marshal,  after  repeating 
to  the  president,  will  conduct  them  into  the  club  room  and  present  them  to  the 
president,  who  shall  then  address  the  candidates  as  follows : 

"Gentlemen : — We  rejoice  that  you  have  tlnis  voluntarily  come  forward 
to  unite  yourselves  with  us.  The  cause  we  advocate  is  that  of  our  country ; 
banded  together  for  the  purpose  of  perpetuating  the  liberties  for  which  our 
fathers  fought,  we  have  sworn  to  uphold  and  protect  them. 

"It  is  a  strange  and  sad  necessity  which  impels  American  citizens  to  band 
themselves  together  to  sustain  the  constitution  and  the  Union ;  but  the  Govern- 
ment under  which  we  live  is  threatened  with  destruction.  Washington  en- 
joined upon  us  that  'the  unity  of  the  Government  which  constitutes  us  one  peo- 
ple is  a  main  pillar  in  the  edifice  of  our  real  independence :  the  support  of  our 
tranquility  at  home,  our  peace  abroad — of  our  safety,  of  our  prosperity,  of 
that  very  liberty  which  we  so  highly  prize.'  He  charges  that  we  should  'prop- 
erly estimate  the  immense  value  of  our  national  Union  to  our  collective  and  in- 
dividual happiness;  that  we  should  cherish  a  cordial,  habitual  and  immovable 
attachment  to  it ;  accustoming  ourselves  to  think  and  sjieak  of  it  as  the  palladium 
of  our  political  safety  and  prosperity ;  watching  for  its  preservation  with  jealous 
anxiety ;  discountenancing  whatever  may  suggest  even  a  suspicion  that  it  can 
in  any  event  be  abandoned.' 

"He  tells  us  again  that  'to  the  efficiency  and  permanency  of  the  ITnion,  a 
Government  for  the  whole  is  indispensable.  No  alliances,  however  strict  be- 
tween the  parts,  is  an  adequate  substitute.' 

"It  is  to  sustain  this  Government  we  are  banded  togetlier,  and  for  this  pur- 
pose you  are  now  required  to  take  a  solemn  obligation. 


136  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY 

"Place  your  left  hand  on  the  National  Flag  and  raise  your  right  hand 
toward  Heaven ;  repeating  after  me : 

"We  and  each  of  us  do  solemnly  swear  in  the  presence  of  God  and  these 
witnesses  to  support,  protect  and  defend  the  constitution  and  Government  of 
the  United  States  and  of  the  State  of  Kansas  against  all  enemies,  foreign  and 
domestic,  and  to  maintain  and  defend  the  Government  of  the  United  States  and 
the  flag  thereof,  and  aid  in  maintaining  the  laws  of  the  United  States  in  this 
State  and  to  defend  the  State  of  Kansas  against  invasion  from  any  State  or 
States  and  from  any  other  rebellion,  invasion,  insurrection  to  the  best  of  our 
ability  without  any  mental  reservation  or  evasion — So  help  us  God. 

"The  members  will  respond. 

"To  this  we  pledge  ourselves. 

"We  do  severally  solemnly  swear  and  affirm  that  we  will  protect,  aid  and 
defend  each  member  of  all  Union  clubs,  antl  will  never  make  known  in  any 
way  or  manner,  to  anv  person  or  persons,  not  members  of  Union  clubs,  any  of 
the  signs,  passwords,  proceedings,  purposes,  debates  or  plans  of  this  or  any 
other  club  under  this  organization,  except  when  engaged  in  admitting  new 
members  into  this  organization. 

"The  president  will  then  deliver  the  following  address  to  the  candidates : 

"  'The  oath  which  you  have  now  taken  of  your  own  free  will  and  accord 
cannot  rest  lightly  upon  your  conscience,  neither  can  it  be  violated  without 
leaving  the  stain  of  perjury  upon  your  soul.  Our  country  is  now  in  "disorder" 
and  "confusion ;"  the  fires  of  commotion  and  contest  are  now  raging  in  our 
midst,  war  has  come  to  us  but  we  cannot,  we  must  not,  we  dare  not  omit  to 
do  that  which  in  our  judgment  the  safety  of  the  Union  requires,  not  regardless 
of  consequences,  we  must  yet  meet  consequences :  seeing  the  hazard  that  sur- 
rounds the  discharge  of  pul)lic  duty,  it  must  yet  be  discharged.  Let  us  then, 
ciieerfully  shun  no  responsibility  justly  devolving  upon  us  here  or  elsewhere 
in  attempting  to  maintain  the  Union.  Let  us  cheerfully  partake  its  fortune 
and  its  fate.  Let  us  be  ready  to  perform  our  appropriate  part,  whenever  and 
wherever  the  occasion  may  call  us,  and  to  take  our  chances  among  those  upon 
whom  the  blows  may  fall  first  and  fall  thickest. 

"  'Above  all  remember  the  words  of  our  own  immortal  Clay  :  "If  Kentucky 
tomorrow  unfurls  the  banner  of  resistance,  I  never  will  fight  under  that  ban- 
ner. I  owe  a  paramount  allegiance  to  the  whole  L',nion.  A  subordinate  one 
to  my  own  State." 

"  'Be  faithful,  then,  to  your  country,  for  your  interests  are  indissolubly 
connected  with  hers;  be  faithful  to  these,  your  bretlnen,  for  your  life  and  theirs 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  I  37 

may  be  involved  in  this  contest;  be  faithful  tn  jjosterity  for  the  blessings  you 
have  enjoyed  in  this  Government  are  but  held  in  trust  for  thee.' 

"Response  by  all  the  members — We  Will! 

"The  president  will  then  present  the  constitution  and  oath  to  the  candi- 
dates for  their  signature." 

Charles  Metz,  a  notorious  Jayhawker,  whose  personal  appearance  and 
characteristics  are  best  described  in  an  essay  entitled,  "The  Last  of  the  Jay- 
hawkers,"  contributed  to  the  old  Kansas  Magazine,  by  John  J.  Ingalls. 
"Conspicuous  among  the  irregular  heroes  who  thus  sprang  to  arms  in  1861," 
says  Ingalls,  "and  ostensibly  their  leader,  was  an  Ohio  stage  driver  liy  the 
name  of  Charles  Metz,  who  having  graduated  with  honor  from  the  peniten- 
tiary of  Missouri,  assumed  for  prudential  reasons  the  more  euphonious  and 
distinguished  appellation  of  'Cleveland.'  He  was  a  picturesque  brigand. 
Had  he  worn  a  slashed  doublet  and  trunk  hose  of  black  velvet  he  would  have 
been  the  ideal  of  an  Italian  bandit.  Young,  erect  and  tall,  he  was  sparely 
built  and  arrax-ed  himself  like  a  gentleman  in  the  costume  of  the  day.  His 
appearance  was  that  of  a  student.  His  visage  was  thin,  his  complexion 
olive  tinted  and  colorless,  as  if  'sicklied  over  with  a  pale  cast  of  thought.' 
Black  piercing  eyes,  finely  cut  features,  dark  hair  and  beard  correctly  trim- 
med, completed  a  font  ensemble  that  was  strangely  at  variance  with  the 
aspect  of  the  score  of  dissolute  and  dirty  desperadoes  that  formed  his  com- 
mand. These  were  generally  degraded  ruffians  of  the  worst  type,  whose 
highest  idea  of  elegance  in  personal  appearance  was  to  have  their  mustaches 
a  villainous,  metallic  black,  irrespective  of  the  consideration  whether  its 
native  hue  was  red  or  brown.  *  *  *  * 

"The  vicinity  of  the  fort  with  its  troops  rendered  Leavenworth  undesir- 
able as  a  base  of  operations.  St.  Joseph  was  also  heavily  garrisoned,  and 
they  accordingly  selected  Atchison  as  the  point  from  which  to  move  on  the 
enemy's  works.  Atchison  at  that  time  contained  alxjut  2,500  inhabitants. 
Its  business  was  transacted  upon  one  street  and  extended  west  about  four 
blocks  from  the  river.  Its  position  upon  the  extreme  curve  of  the  'Crand 
Detour'  of  the  Missouri,  affording  unrivaled  facilities  to  the  interior  in  the 
event  of  pursuit.  Having  been  princi'pally  settled  by  Southerners  it  still 
afforded  much  legitimate  gain  for  our  bird  of  prey,  and  its  loyal  population 
having  already  largely  enlisted,  the  city  was  incapable  of  organized  resistance 
to  the  depredations  of  the  m.irauders. 

"They  established  their  headquarters  at  the  saloon  of  a  German  named 
Ernest  Renner,  where  thev  held  their  councils  of  war  and  whence  thcv  started 


138  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

upon  their  forays.  The  winter  was  favorable  to  their  designs,  as  the  river 
closed  early,  enabling  them  to  cross  upon  the  ice.  Cleveland  proclaimed 
himself  marshal  of  Kansas,  and  announced  his  determination  to  run  the 
country.  He  invited  the  cordial  co-operation  of  all  good  citizens  to  assist 
him  in  sustaining  the  government  and  ])unishing  its  foes.  Ignorant  of  his 
resources  and  of  his  purposes,  the  people  were  at  first  inclined  to  welcome 
their  strange  guests  as  a  protection  from  the  dangers  to  which  they  were 
exposed,  but  it  soon  became  apparent  that  tlie  doctors  were  worse  than  the 
disease.  They  took  possession  of  the  town,  defied  the  municipal  autliorities, 
and  committed  such  intolerable  excesses  that  their  expulsion  was  a  matter 
of  public  safety.  Their  incursions  into  Missouri  were  so  frequent  and 
audacious  that  a  company  of  infantry  was  sent  from  Weston  and  stationed 
at  \\'inthrop  to  effect  their  capture,  but  to  no  purpose.  *  *  *  *  If  a  man  had 
an  enemy  in  any  part  of  the  country  whom  he  wished  to  injure,  he  reported 
him  to  Cleveland  as  a  rebel,  and  the  next  night  he  was  robbed  of  all  he 
possessed  and  considered  fortunate  if  he  escaped  without  personal  violence. 
*  *  *  *  A  small  detachment  of  cavalry  was  sent  from  tlie  fort  to  take  them, 
but  just  as  they  had  dismounted  in  front  of  the  saloon  and  were  iiitching 
their  horses,  Cleveland  appeared  at  the  door  with  a  cocked  navy  in  each 
hand  and  told  them  that  he  would  shoot  the  first  man  who  moved  a  finger. 
Calling  two  or  three  of  his  followers  he  disarmed  the  dragoons,  took  their 
horses  and  equipments  and  sent  them  back  on  foot  to  reflect  upon  the 
vicissitudes  of  military  affairs.  Early  in  1862  the  condition  liecame  des- 
perate and  the  city  authorities,  in  connection  with  the  commander  at  W'in- 
throp,  concerted  a  scheme  which  brought  matters  to  a  crisis.  Cleveland  and 
about  a  dozen  of  his  gang  were  absent  in  Missouri  on  a  scout.  The  time  of 
their  return  was  known,  and  Marshal  Charles  Holbert  had  his  force  sta- 
tioned in  the  shadow  of  an  old  ware-house  near  the  l^ank  of  the  river.  It 
was  a  brilliant  moonlight  night  in  mid-winter.  The  freebooters  emerged 
from  the  forest  and  crossed  upon  the  ice.  They  were  freshly  mounted  and 
each  one  had  a  spare  horse.  Accompanying  them  were  two  sleighs  loaded 
with  negroes,  harness  and  miscellaneous  plunder.  As  they  ascended  the 
steep  shore  of  the  levee,  unconscious  of  danger,  they  were  all  taken  pris- 
oners except  Clexeland,  who  turned  suddenly,  spurred  his  horse  down  the 
embankment  and  escaped.  The  captives  were  taken  to  Weston,  where  they 
.soon  afterward  enlisted  in  the  Federal  army.  The  next  day  Cleveland  rode 
into  town,  captured  the  city  marshal  on  the  street  and  declared  his  inten- 
tion to  hold  him  ns  a  hostage  for  the  safety  of  his  men.     He  compelled  the 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  I39 

marshal  to  walk  l)y  the  side  of  his  horse  a  short  distance,  when  finding  a 
crowd  gathering  for  his  capture,  he  struck  him  a  blow  on  the  head  wi'th  his 
pistol  and  fled." 

Cleveland  continued  his  exploits  for  a  number  of  months  after  this,  but 
was  finally  captured  in  one  of  the  southern  counties  where  he  was  attempting 
to  let  himself  down  the  side  of  a  ravine.  He  was  shot  by  a  soldier  from 
above,  and  the  ball  entered  his  arm  and  passed  through  his  body.  He  was 
buried  in  St.  Joseph.  Mo.,  and  a  marble  head  stone  over  his  grave  bears 
the  following  inscription,  placed  there  by  his  widow :  "One  hero  less  on 
earth,  one  angel  more  in  heaven." 

As  the  direct  result  of  the  operations  of  Cleveland  and  liis  gang,  the 
spirit  of  lawlessness  grew  and  the  people  finally  "took  the  law  into  tlieir 
own  hands."  Perhaps  the  best  account  of  the  lynchi'ngs  that  followed  was 
given  by  Hon.  Mont.  Cochran  March  17,  1902,  at  the  time  a  Congressman 
from  Missouri,  but  formerly  a  leading  citizen  and  county  attorney  of  Atchi- 
son.    Mr.  Cochran  said : 

"The  thieves  who  fell  victims  to  Judge  Lyncli,  while  not  known  as 
Cleveland's  gang,  operated  extensively  throughout  the  period  of  lawlessness, 
in  which  no  effort  whatever  was  made  to  bring  the  outlaws  to  justice.  After 
the  Cleveland  gang  had  been  effectively  broken  up,  these  depredatory  scoun- 
drels continued  their  operations.  Their  last  crime,  and  the  one  for  which 
they  were  jibbeted,  was  the  attempted  robbery  of  an  old  man  named  Kelsey. 
He  had  received  at  Ft.  Leavenworth  $1,500  on  a  Government  contract,  and, 
upon  returning  home  by  the  way  of  Atchison,  he  deposited  it  in  Hethering- 
ton's  bank.  The  thieves  went  to  his  house  at  night  and  demanded  the  money. 
Of  course,  he  could  not  produce  it.  They  tortured  the  old  man  and  his  wife 
alternately  for  hours,  and  when  after  the  departure  of  the  thieves,  the  neigh- 
bors were  called  in.  Kelsey  and  liis  wife  were  nearer  dead  than  alive.  The 
next  morning  hundreds  of  their  neighbors,  armed  to  the  teeth,  swarmed  into 
.  Atchison.  In  Third  street,  north  of  Commercial,  was  a  little  log  building, 
which  had  been  the  home  of  an  early  settler,  in  which  was  a  gunsmith's  shop. 
Three  or  four  of  the  farmers  went  there  to  have  their  fire  arms  put  in  order. 
When  they  came  out  one  of  them  had  a  revolver  in  his  hand. 
Two  fellows  standing  by,  seeing  the  farmers  approaching,  dived  into  an 
alley  and  started  westward  at  lightning  speed.  The  farmers  pursued  and 
at  the  house  of  a  notorious  character,  known  as  Aunt  Betsey,  the  fugitix'es 
were  run  to  cover.  The  house  was  surrounded  and  they  were  captured.  One 
of  them  was  sterling,  the  fiddler  and  pianist  of  the  bagnio.     Other  arrests 


140  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

followed  until  five  were  in  durance.  Then  ensued  probably  the  most  extra- 
ordinar)'  proceeding  known  to  the  annals  of  Judge  Lynch.  The  mob  took 
possession  of  the  jail  and  the  court  house  and  for  a  week  held  them.  The 
prisoners  were  tried  one  by  one.  Sterling  was  convicted  and  executed.  An 
elm  tree,  standing  on  the  banks  of  White  Clay  creek,  in  the  southwest  ciuar- 
ter  of  the  town,  was  admirably  suited  to  the  purpose.  When  the  wagon, 
bearing  Sterling  to  his  doom  reached  the  ground  the  whole  town  was  in 
attendance.  A  range  of  hills  to  the  south  swarmed  with  women.  Asa 
Barnes,  a  prominent  farmer,  a  man  of  iron  resolution  and  unswerving  hon- 
esty, was  the  leader  of  the  mob.  With  clinched  teeth  and  blanched  face  he 
ordered  Sterling  to  take  hJs  place  on  the  seat  of  the  wagon,  and,  while  the 
desperado  was  as  game  as  a  peacock,  he  promptly  obeyed.  Standing  on  the 
wagon  seat  Sterling  took  off  his  hat,  banged  it  down  and  placing  his  foot  on 
it,  shook  his  clenched  hand  at  the  sea  of  upturned  faces,  and  with  a  volley  of 

imprecations,  said :     T  am  the  best  d d  man  that  e\er  walked  the  earth 

and  if  you  will  drop  me  down  and  give  me  a  gun,  I  will  fight  any  ten  of 
you."  Sandy  Corbin,  a  great  bluffer,  who  bore  but  little  better  reputation  than 
the  man  with  the  noose  on  his  neck,  pretended  that  he  wanted  to  fight  Sterl- 
ing single-handed.  Nobody  else  paid  any  attention  to  Sterling's  ravings,  and 
in  a  twinkling  he  was  swung  into  eternity.  The  next  day  two  others,  a  man 
named  Brewer,  a  soldier  at  home  on  a  furlough,  and  a  young  fellow  known 
as  Pony,  met  the  same  fate.  There  was  much  sympathy  for  Pony.  He  was 
a  drunkard  and  all  his  delinquencies  were  attributed  to  this  weakness.  Just 
as  they  were  ready  to  swing  him  up,  two  or  three  members  of  the  mob  told 
him  that  if  he  would  give  information  as  to  others  implicated,  but  who  had 
not  been  arrested,  they  would  save  him.  His  reply  was:  'I  went  into  this 
thing  as  a  man  and  I  will  die  as  a  man.'  There  was  a  stir  among  those  near- 
est the  wagon  and  it  was  discovered  that  an  effort  was  being  made  to  save 
the  boy  from  death.  The  traces  were  cut  and  the  horses  led  away.  The 
effort  failed.  Fifty  men  seized  the  wagon  and  dragged  it  away.  The  fourth 
to  suffer  the  vengeance  of  the  mob  was  an  old  gray-haired  man  named 
Moodv.  At  the  trial  he  strongly  protested  his  innocence,  and  promised,  if 
given  a  respite  of  twenty-four  hours,  lie  would  prove  an  alibi.  This  was 
granted,  liut  the  witnesses  were  not  forthcoming  and  the  next  day  the  old 
man  was  put  to  death.  .\  priest  visited  him  in  jail,  which  was  constantly 
surrounded  day  and  night,  and  when  he  came  out  after  administering  the 
rights  of  the  church  to  the  doomed  man,  it  was  remarked  by  those  who  saw 
hi'm  that  the  priest  was  as  pale  as  a  ghost.     The  report  gained  currency  that 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  I4I 

when  asked  if  IMoody  was  innocent,  he  refused  to  answer  yea  or  nay,  and, 
although  it  had  not  then  developed  that  Moody  could  not  produce  the  wit- 
nesses he  promised,  the  cnnduct  of  the  priest  was  taken  as  proi)f  that  Moody 
w^as  guilty.  During  the  week  in  which  these  exti^aordinarv  proceedings  took 
place,  the  mob  was  in  undisputed  control  of  the  court  house  and  jail.  Judge 
.  Lynch  was  perched  upon  the  wool  sack  and  a  jury  of  twelve  men,  who  had 
cjualified  under  oath,  in  the  usual  form,  occupied  the  jury  box.  Not  the 
slightest  effort  at  concealment  was  made  by  those  who  led  or  those  who 
followed.  In  my  judgment  no  other  course  was  left  open  to  the  community. 
"Not  less  than  500  men  were  driven  out  of  Kansas  on  the 
charge  of  disloyalty  in  1861  and  1862,  with  the  approval  of  men  of  excel- 
lent character,  by  thugs  and  scoundrels,  who  made  no  concealment  of  the 
fact  that  they  lived  by  horse  stealing  and  house  breaking.  From  the  be- 
ginning of  the  Civil  war  until  peace  was  declared,  the  Kansas  border  from 
the  Nebraska  State  line  to  the  Indian  Territory,  was  a  scene  of  lawlessness 
and  disorder.  In  the  earlier  years  of  the  war,  thieves  regularly  organized 
into  companies,  with  captains  whose  authority  was  recognized  by  the  rank 
and  file,  with  headf|uarters  in  the  towns  and  cities  of  eastern  Kansas,  mas- 
queraded as  saviors  of  the  Union,  and  upon  the  pretense  that  thev  were 
serving  the  cause,  thrived  amazingly  by  pillaging  the  farm  houses  and  barns 
of  neighboring  counties  in  Missouri.  Atchison  was  the  headquarters  of  the 
Cleveland  gang — the  nmst  active  and  the  lioldest  of  the  ])anditti.  The  gang 
did  not  hesitate  to  cross  over  to  Missouri  and  steal  horses,  and  returning  to 
Atchison  sell  them  in  broad  daylight.  Usually  these  raids  were  made  at 
flight,  but  there  w-as  no  concealment  of  the  business  they  were  engaged  in, 
nor  of  the  fact  that  hundreds  of  the  horses  sold  Ijy  them  were  stolen  from 
farmers  of  Buchanan,  Platte  and  Clinton  counties.  In  the  capacity  of 
saviors  of  the  Union,  they  took  upon  themselves  the  task  of  driving  all  per- 
sons suspected  of  sympathy  for  'thf  lost  cause'  out  of  Kansas.  P.  T.  Abell, 
J.  T.  Hereford,  Headley  &  Carr,  prominent  lawyers,  were  notified  to  leave 
or  they  would  be  killed.  They  departed.  Headley,  Carr  and  Hereford 
served  i'n  the  Confederate  army.  Abell  lived  in  exile  until  after  the  war  was 
over,  and  then  returned  to  Atchison.  He  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the 
town,  and  before  tlie  war  was  the  ])artner  of  Gen.  B.  V.  Stringfellow.  Tom 
Ray,  proprietor  of  an  extensive  blacksmitliing  and  wagon  shop,  was  ban- 
ished. In  a  month  or  two  he  returned,  but  not  until  after  he  had  halted  at 
\\'intlirop,  a  village  opposite  Atchison  and  opened  u])  negoli;itions  which 
resulted  in  a  grant  of  permission  to  remain  i'n  .\tchison  long  enough  to  settle 


142  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

up  his  business  and  collect  considerable  sums  due  from  his  customers.  He 
registered  at  the  old  Massasoit  House,  but  did  not  tarry  long.  Maj.  R.  H. 
Weightman,  an  early  settler,  who  left  Atchison  in  1861,  and  accepted  a  col- 
onel's commission  in  the  Confederate  army,  had  been  killed  at  Wilson's 
Creek.  While  sitting  in  the  Massasoit  House  barroom,  Ray  was  approached 
by  Sandy  Corbin.  a  somewhat  notorious  character,  who  handled  most  of 
the  horses  stolen  by  Cleveland's  thieves.  Corbin  mentioned  Weightman's 
death,  expressing  satisfaction  at  his  untimely  end.  and  applying  all  the  epi- 
thets known  to  the  abandoned,  to  the  dead  man.  Ray  expostulated,  and 
finallv  warned  Corbin  to  desist  or  expect  a  thrashing.  Corbin  rushed  to 
his  room  and  returned  with  two  revolvers,  so  adjusted  upon  his  belt  that 
Ray  could  not  help  seeing  them.  Ray,  who  was  a  giant  in  size,  seized  Cor- 
bin, threw  him  face  downward  upon  a  billiard  table,  and  with  a  blacksmith's 
hand  as  large  as  a  ham.  spanked  him  until  he  was  almost  insensible.  Then 
he  hurriedlv  boarded  the  ferrv^  boat,  crossed  the  river  and  made  his  way  to 
Montana,  where  he  lived  until  his  death,  twenty  years  ago. 

"Cleveland's  lieutenant,  a  fellow  named  Hartman.  was  the  worst  of  the 
gang,  and  was  guilty  of  so  many  and  such  flagrant  outrages  upon  the  prom- 
inent citizens  that  in  sheer  desperation,  four  men.  all  of  whom  are  now  dead, 
met  and  drew  straws  to  see  who  would  kill  Hartman — (i)  Jesse  C.'Crall, 
during  his  life  prominent  in  politics  and  business;  (2)  George  T.  Challis.s, 
for  tliirty  years  a  deacon  in  the  Baptist  church  and  a  prominent  wholesale 
merchant  and  identified  prominently  with  Atchison  affairs;  (3)  James  Mc- 
Ewen,  a  cattle  buyer  and  butcher;  (4)  The  fourth  man  was  a  prominent 
physician.  Each  of  these  had  suffered  intolerable  outrages  at  tlie  hands 
of  Hartman.  He  had  visited  their  houses  and  terrified  their  wives  by 
notifying  them  that  unless  their  husbands  left  Atchison  within  a  specified 
period  they  would  be  mobbed.  Even  the  cliildren  of  two  of  the  victims  of 
persecution  had  been  abused.  They  met  at  the  physician's  office,  and  after 
a  prolonged  conference  at  which  it  was  agreed  that  neither  would  leave  un- 
til Hartman  had  been  killed,  proceeded  to  draw  straws  to  see  which  would 
undertake  the  work.  Crall  held  the  straws,  McEwen  drew  tlie  short  straw 
and  the  job  fell  to  his  lot.  Atchison  is  bi-sected  by  two  or  three  brooks,  one 
of  which  traverses  the  northwest  section  of  the  town  and  runs  into  White 
Clay  creek.  This  ravine  has  very  precipitous  banks,  and  was  crossed  by 
several  foot  bridges.  At  the  east  approach  of  the  bridge  was  a  tall  elm  tree. 
McEwen  took  his  position  under  this  tree,  and  awaited  the  appearance  of 
Hartman,  who  necessarily  passed  that  way  in  going  home  at  night.     When 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY 


143 


Plartman  was  half-way  across  llie  bridge,  McEwen  stepped  oul.  dropped  lo 
his  knee,  leveled  a  double-barreled  shotgun  and  turned  loose.  He  filled 
Hartman  with  buckshot  from  his  head  to  his  heels,  but  strange  to  say,  the 
fellow  did  not  die  for  months  afterward.  Had  either  of  the  others  drawn 
the  fatal  straw,  no  doulrt  Hartman  would  have  been  killed  in  broad  daylight, 
on  the  streets,  but  McEwen  concluded  to  give  the  fellow  no  chance  for  his 
life." 

The  First  Kansas  volunteer  cavalry  was  the  first  regiment  to  be  raised 
under  the  call  of  President  Lincoln  May  8,  1861.  It  was  mustered  into  the 
service  at  Ft.  Leavenworth  June  3,  1861.  George  W.  Deitzler,  of  Lawrence, 
was  colonel,  and  the  following  men  from  Atchison  were  officers :  George  H. 
Faicheled,  captain,  Company  C;  Camille  Aguiel,  first  lieutenant;  Rinaldo  A. 
Barker,  second  lieutenant ;  James  \V.  Martin,  second  lieutenant  of  Company 
B.  Within  ten  days  of  the  date  this  regiment  was  mustered  in,  they  received 
orders  for  active  service.  The  regiment  joined  the  army  of  General  Lyon 
at  Grand  River,  Mo.,  and  on  July  10  arrived  at  Springfield,  where  the  force 
of  General  Sigel  was  gathered.  Tlie  united  forces  of  the  rebels,  under  Price 
and  McCullouch,  was  concentrated  at  Wilson's  Creek,  twelve  miles  from 
Springfield,  and  was  strongly  entrenched  there,  where  the  initial  engage- 
ment of  the  First  Kansas  regiment  took  place.  This  regiment  went  into 
the  engagement  with  644  men  and  officers,  and  lost  seventy-seven  killed 
and  333  wounded.  The  rebel  forces  were  estimated  to  be  5,300  infantry, 
fifteen  pieces  of  artillery,  and  6.000  horsemen,  with  a  loss  of  265  killed,  721 
wounded,  and  292  missing.  The  L'nion  forces  numliered  about  5.000,  with 
a  loss  of  about  1,000.  It  was  one  of  the  fiercest  and  most  determined  bat- 
tles of  the  Civil  war,  and  both  officers  and  privates  in  the  companies  from 
Atchison  displayed  great  bravery.  First  Lieut.  Camille  Aguiel  was  among 
the  killed,  and  privates  Henry  W.  Totten  and  Casper  Broggs,  together  with 
Corporal  William  F.  Parker,  of  .Atchison,  also  lost  their  lives  in  this  engage- 
ment. 

The  Seventh  regiment  Kansas  cavalry  was  ordered  into  active  service 
immediately  following  its  organization.  Colonel  Daniel  R.  Antliony.  of 
Leavenworth,  was  a  lieutenant-colonel  of  this  regiment,  and  among  the  line 
officers  was  William  S.  Morehouse,  of  Atchison,  who  was  second  lieuten- 
ant. This  regiment  saw  a  great  deal  of  active  service  in  the  Civil  war,  and 
was  first  attacked  by  the  rebels  November  ti,  186 i,  while  encamped  in 
western  Missouri,  on  the  Little  Blue  river.  Following  a  furious  battle  the 
regiment  lost  nine  of  its  force  by  death  and  thirty-two  wounded.     This  reg- 


144  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

iment  subsequently  participated  in  an  engagement  at  Little  Santa  Fe  and 
at  Independence.  In  Januan-,  1862.  the  Seventh  regiment  went  into  camp 
at  Humboldt.  Kan.,  and  remained  there  until  it  was  ordered  to  Lawrence  in 
the  following  March,  and  subsequently  was  ordered  to  Corinth.  Miss.,  and 
from  thence  to  Rienzi,  Miss.,  where  it  was  assigned  to  the  First  Cavalry 
brigade,  of  which  Phillip  H.  Sheridan  was  commander,  and  subsequently  saw 
much  service  in  Tennessee  and  other  points  in  the  South,  and  participated 
in  the  various  actions  that  occurred  during  General  Smith's  expedition  to 
the  Tallahatchee,  after  which  the  balance  of  their  active  service  took  place  in 
Missouri.     It  was  mustered  out  at  Ft.  Leavenworth  Septeiuber  4,   1865. 

The  Eighth  regiment  Kansas  infantn,-  was  perhaps  closer  to  the  hearts 
of  the  people  of  Atchison  county  tlian  any  other  regiment  that  participated  in 
the  Civil  war,  for  the  reason  that  its  lieutenant-colonel  was  the  beloved  John  A. 
Martin,  editor  of  the  Atchison  Champio)!.  and  subsequently  governor  of 
Kansas.  It  was  originally  recruited  and  intended  for  home  and  frontier 
service.  The  fear  of  invasion,  both  by  hostile  Indians  on  the  west,  and  the 
rebels  on  the  south  and  east,  kept  fear  alive  in  the  hearts  of  many  residents 
of  Kansas,  and  for  this  purpose  it  was  deemed  desirable  to  have  a  regiment 
of  volunteer  soldiers  close  at  hand.  As  originally  organized,  this  regiment 
consisted  of  six  infantn,'  and  two  cavalry  companies,  but  various  changes 
were  made  during  the  three  months  following  its  organization.  It  saw  active 
service  throughout  the  South,  and  participated  in  many  of  the  important  bat- 
tles of  the  Civil  war,  but  in  none  did  it  play  a  more  conspicuous  part  than 
in  the  great  battle  of  Mission  Ridge.  The  following  is  from  Colonel  Mar- 
tin's official  report  of  the  part  taken  by  the  Eighth  Kansas  in  this  engage- 
ment: 

"Shortly  after  noon,  on  the  twenty-fifth  (November),  we  were  ordered 
to  advance  on  the  enemy's  position  at  the  foot  of  Mission  Ridge,  and  moved 
out  of  our  works,  forming  in  the  second  line  of  the  battle,  ^^'e  at  once  ad- 
vanced steadily  in  line  through  the  woods  and  across  the  open  field  in  front 
of  the  enemy's  entrenchments  to  the  foot  of  the  hill,  subjected  during  the 
whole  time  to  a  heavy  artillery  fire  from  the  enemy's  batteries,  and  as  soon 
as  we  reached  the  open  field,  to  a  destructive  musketn,-  fire.  Reaching  the 
first  line  of  works  we  halted  to  rest  our  men  for  a  few  moments,  and  then 
advanced  through  a  terrible  storm  of  artillen,-  and  musketry,  to  the  foot 
of  the  hill  and  up  it  as  rapidly  as  ftossible.  The  crest  of  the  ridge  at  the 
point  where  we  moved  up  was  formed  like  a  horseshoe.  We  advanced  in 
the  interior,  while  the  enemv's  batteries  and  infantrv  on  the  right  and  left. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  1 45 

as  well  as  in  the  center,  poured  upon  us  a  most  terrific  fire.  But  the  men 
never  faltered  or  wavered,  although  from  the  nature  of  the  ground,  regi- 
ments were  mingled  one  with  another,  and  company  organization  could  not 
possibly  be  preserved.  Each  man  struggled  to  be  first  on  top,  and  the  offi- 
cers and  men  of  the  regiment,  without  a  single  exception,  exhibited  tiie  high- 
est courage  and  the  most  devoted  gallantry  in  this  fearful  charge. 

"The  enemy  held  their  ground  until  we  were  less  than  a  dozen  yards 
from  their  breastworks,  when  they  l)roke  in  wild  confusion  and  fled  in  panic 
down  the  hill  im  the  opposite  si'de.  A  portion  of  our  men  pursued  tiiem  for 
nearly  a  mile,  capturing  and  hauling  back  several  pieces  of  artillery  and  cais- 
sons, which  the  enemy  were  trying  to  run  off. 

"We  occupied  the  suinmit  of  Mission  Ridge  until  the  night  of  tlie  twenty- 
sixth,  when  we  were  ordered  to   return  to  camp  at  Chattanooga. 

"Our  loss  was  one  commissioned  officer  wounded  and  three  enlisted  men 
killed  and  thirty-one  wounded.  The  regiment  went  into  the  battle  with  an 
aggregate  force  of  217  men  and  officers. 

"Where  all  behaved  with  such  conspicuous  courage,  it  is  difficult  to  make 
distinction,  but  I  cannot  forebear  mentioning  my  adjutant-lieutenant,  Sol.  K. 
Washer.  Wounded  at  Chicakamauga,  and  not  yet  recovered  from  the  effects 
of  his  wound,  and  suffering  from  a  severe  sprain  of  the  ankle,  which  pre- 
vented his  walking.  lie  mounted  his  horse  and  rode  through  the  whole  battle, 
always  foremost  in  danger." 

The  Eiglith  infantry  remained  in  camp  at  Chattanooga  until  it  removed 
to  the  relief  of  Burnside  at  Knoxville,  which  citv  was  reached  on  Decemlier 
7.  About  the  same  time  Sherman's  corps  arrived.  The  winter  of  1863  was 
spent  in  east  Tennessee,  and  in  the  following  February  arrived  home  in  Atch- 
ison and  Ft.  Leavenworth.  Tiiere  was  great  rejoicing  and  celebration  and 
both  officers  and  soldiers  were  greeted  with  waving  banners,  ringing  bells, 
booming  cannon,  and  there  was  much  feasting  and  speech  making.  The  regi- 
ment was  horhe  on  a  furlough,  and  early  in  April  the  men  re-assembled 
at  Leavenworth  and  on  the  twelfth  of  that  month  was  ordered  to  report 
back  to  Chattanooga,  where  it  subsecjuently  saw  service  in  the  Cumberland 
mountains,  and  throughout  the  State  of  Tennessee. 

Colonel  Martin  was  mustered  out  at  Pulaski  November  17,  his  term  of 
enlistment  iiaving  expired,  and  the  following  day  he  left  for  the  North,  but 
the  regiment  was  not  mustered  out  of  service  until  the  following  January. 

The  Tenth  regiment,  Kansas  infantn,  was  made  up  of  the  Third  and 
FourtJT  and  a  small  portion  of  the  Fifth   Kansas  regiments,  and  among  its 

10 


146  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

officers  were  Mathew  Quigg,  captain  of  Company  D ;  Selh  M.  Tucker, 
first  lieutenant,  and  David  Whittaker,  second  lieutenant,  all  of  .Atchison. 
The  activities  of  this  regiment  were  largely  confined  to  operations  in  Mis- 
souri and  Arkansas,  and  afterwards  in  Tennessee.  In  December,  1864,  it 
arrived  at  Clinton,  Miss.,  without  tents  or  blankets,  and  many  of  the  men 
without  shoes  or  overcoats.  During  January  it  made  an  expedition  into 
jSIississippi,  and  the  latter  part  of  that  month  marched  to  W'aterloss.  .\la., 
remauiing  there  until  February  8,  when  it  embarked  for  \'icksburg,  where 
it  remained  until  February  19,  and  subsequently  operated  around  Mobile, 
and  the  men  of  this  regiment  were  employed  as  skirmishers  in  the  joint  ad- 
vance upon  the  fortifications  around  Mobile.  It  was  mustered  out  at  Mont- 
gomery, Ala.,  September  20,  1865,  and  finally  discharged  at  Ft.  Leaven- 
worth, Kan.  The  regiment  was  mostly  composed  of  veterans,  who  under- 
stood the  life  of  a  soldier,  and  realized  the  hardships  of  military  campaigns. 
They  did  their  duty,  whether  it  was  in  guarding  their  own  State  from  in- 
vasion, or  assaulting  the  rebels  at  the  siege  of  Ft.  Blakely. 

The  Thirteenth  regiment,  Kansas  infantn,-,  had  more  officers  in  it  from 
Atchison  than  any  of  the  regiments  that  participated  in  the  Civil  war.  It 
was  raised  under  President  Lincoln's  call  of  July,  1862,  and  was  recruited 
by  Cyrus  Leland,  Sr.,  of  Troy,  Kan.,  by  virtue  of  authority  from  James  H. 
Lane,  in  the  counties  of  Brown,  Atchison,  Doniphan,  Marshall  and  Nemaha. 
The  regiment  was  organized  September  10.  1862,  at  Camp  Staunton,  Atch- 
ison, and  mustered  into  the  service  ten  days  later.  Colonel  of  this  regi- 
ment was  Thomas  M.  Bowen,  of  Marxsville,  and  the  major  was  Caleb  A. 
Woodworth,  of  Atchison.  Among  tlie  line  officers  from  Atchison  were : 
Henry  Havenkorst,  captain  of  Company  B;  August  Langehemeken,  second 
lieutenant ;  Henn,"  R.  Neal,  captain :  Robert  Manville,  second  lieutenant : 
John  E.  Hayes,  captain.  Company  F:  Archimedes  S.  Speck,  first  lieutenant; 
William  J.  May,  second  lieutenant;  Patrick  McNamara,  captain.  Company 
K ;  Daniel  C.  O'Keefe,  first  lieutenant ;  Hugh  Dougherty,  second  lieutenant. 

The  regiment  joined  a  division  of  General  Blunt  soon  after  the  battle 
of  Old  Ft.  Wayne,  and  participated  in  various  engagements  in  .Vrkansas. 
.\t  the  battle  of  Prairie  Grove,  it  was  one  of  the  first  regiments  to  be  en- 
gaged, and  in  ever}-  attempt  to  capture  the  battery-  of  which  this  regiment 
formed  the  support  at  this  battle,  was  successfully  repulsed,  with  heavy  losses 
to  the  rebels.  This  battle  virtually  finished  the  campaign  for  the  winter. 
It  subsequently  did  garrison  and  out-post  duty  in  Arkansas,  and  in  the 
Cherokee  Nation.     The  regiment  remained  on  dutv  at  Ft.  Smith,  .Ark.,  un- 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  I47 

til  March  3,  1865,  when  it  was  ordered  to  Little  Kock,  Ark.,  and  on  June 
26  of  that  year  was  mustered  out  of  service. 

Among  the  privates  of  this  regiment  from  Atchison,  who  were  killed, 
were :  James  L.  Pamell,  of  Mount  Pleasant,  and  John  Collins  and  Lorenzo 
Richardson,   of  Atchison. 

Thomas  Roe,  a  fine,  stout  young  man,  son  of  a  widowed  mother,  of 
Brownsville,  Pa.,  was  the  only  member  of  Company  D,  of  the  Second  Kan- 
sas cavalry,  that  lost  his  life  in  battle  during  its  nearly  four  years  of  service 
in  the  Civil  war.  This  company  participated  in  the  battles  of  Cane  Hill 
and  Prairie  Grove,  in  Arkansas,  and  other  engagements.  Roe  came  to  Kan- 
sas with  the  late  Thomas  Butcher,  for  whom  he  worked  until  going  into 
the  war  of  the  rebellion. 

In  May,  1861,  a  company  of  home  guards  was  organized  liy  Free  State 
men.  of  Lancaster  and  Shannon  townships,  Atchison  county,  with  a  few  from 
Brown  and  Doniphan  counties,  which  gathered  every  Saturday  afternoon 
for  drill,  altemating  at  the  homes  of  Johnson  Wymore  and  Robert  \\'hite. 
Robert  White,  who  had  received  military  training  during  the  Mexican  war, 
having  served  there  in  1846-48,  did  most  of  the  drilling.  A.  J.  Evans  was 
captain ;  Robert  White,  first  lieutenant :  John  Bertwejl.  of  Brown  countv, 
was  second  lieutenant. 

The  pro-slavei^y  people  were  also  organized  and  drilling  at  the  same 
time,  consisting  of  South  Carolinians,  Virginians  and  Missourians,  who  were 
for  the  Confederacy  and  slavery. 

At  a  Sunday  school  meeting  on  the  prairie,  held  in  a  vacant  settler's 
shanty  near  Eden  postoffice,  where  both  sides  in  the  neiglilwrhood  wor- 
shiped on  Sundays,  Robert  White  found  out  on  a  Sunday  in  August,  1861, 
that  a  southern  organization  was  to  disarm  all  Free  State  men  the  following 
Tuesday.  His  nearest  neighbor  and  a  good  friend,  also  a  southerner,  thought 
White  had  found  this  out  and  came  and  visited  him  a  good  part  of  Sunday 
afternoon  and  staying  in  the  evening  until  after  10  o'clock  before  going 
home,  \\"hite  showing  no  excitement.  Willis  went  home,  seemingly  much  at 
ease,  but  he  was  watched  by  his  friend  White  until  safely  resting  at  his  home, 
when  W'hite  went  and  called  another  Free  State  man  from  his  bed  who 
notified  half  the  Free  State  company  and  White  the  other  half,  causing  them 
10  meet  early  the  following  Monday,  when  by  the  middle  of  the  afternoon 
of  that  day  every  proslavery  man  in  that  part  of  the  country  had  his  fire  arms 
taken  from  him,  and  Ijefore  Tuesday  evening  all  of  them  had  departed  for 
Missouri. 


148  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

Most  of  the  members  of  the  Free  State  company  enlisted  in 
the  following  October  as  volunteers  for  three  years'  service  in  the  Union 
army  and  became  known  as  Company  D  of  Second  Kansas  cavaliy.  Robert 
White,  who  was  commissioned  as  first  lieutenant  in  Company  D,  was  dis- 
chareed  and  sent  home  to  die  with  a  serious  case  of  inflammatorv  rheu- 
matism.  but  lie  recovered  so  far  that  in  1863  he  raised  and  drilled  a  company 
that  became  a  part  of  the  State  militia.  He  was  commissioned  captain  of 
this  company  and  led  it  in  the  Price  raid  at  the  battle  of  Westport  in  1864 
as  a  part  of  the  regiment  commanded  by  Col.  L.  S.  Treat  in  helping  keep 
Capt.  \\'hite's  old  brigade,  commanded  by  Gen.  Sterling  Price,  of  the  Mexi- 
can war,  from  getting  into  Kansas.  The  late  M.  J.  Cloyes  and  T.  B.  Piatt, 
of  Atchison,  were  members  of  Captain  White's  company  in  the  Price  raid. 
Piatt  was  clerk  of  the  company:  John  English  was  first  lieutenant;  W.  F, 
Streeter,  second  lieutenant,  and  Francis  Schletzbaum  was  first  sergeant. 

The  Seventeenth  regiment,  Kansas  infantry,  was  a  negro  regiment,  but 
with  white  officers.  James  M.  \\'illiams  was  colonel,  and  George  J.  Martin, 
of  Atchison,  was  captain  of  Company  B.  and  William  G.  White  and  Lutlier 
Dickinson,  of  Atchison,  were  first  and  second  lieutenants.  This  regiment 
played  an  honorable  part  during  all  the  Civil  war,  and  its  service  was  largely 
confined  to  operations  in  Arkansas  and  Te.xas.  It  was  mustered  out  of 
service  at  Pine  Bluff,  Ark.,  October  1.  1865. 

The  Second  regiment,  Kansas  colored  infantry,  was  organized  in  June, 
1863,  at  Ft.  Smith,  Ark.,  and  among  its  line  officers  was  First  Lieut.  John 
M.  Cain,  of  Atchison.  It  conducted  itself  with  conspicuous  bravery  with 
the  army  of  the  frontier,  and  during  tlie  brief  occupation  of  Camden,  .Ark., 
by  General  Steele's  forces,  this  regiment  was  employed  on  picket  and  forage 
duty.  It  showed  conspicuous  bravery  around  Poison  Springs  and  Mark's 
Mills,  and  under  the  able  command  of  Col.  Samuel  J.  Crawford,  who 
subsequently  became  governor  of  Kansas,  it  won  for  itself  an  enviable  name 
among  the  regiments  from  Kansas,  who  participated  in  the  Ci\il  war.  This 
regiment  was  finally  discharged  from  the  services  at  Leavenworth  Novem- 
ber 27,  1865,  after  having  proved  to  the  Xation  the  fidelity  of  the  colored 
soldier. 

It  was  in  Septemlier,  1864,  that  General  Sterling  Price  created  great 
consternation  by  an  attempted  invasion  of  Kansas,  wiiich  ended  in  his  defeat 
on  the  border  by  the  Union  forces,  aided  by  the  Kansas  State  militia.  .At 
the  time  Price  started  north  in  his  march  through  .\rkan.sas  and  Missouri, 
Maj.  Gen.  Samuel  R.  Curtis  commanded  the  Department  of  Kansas,  which 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  149 

included  Nebraska.  Colorado  and  Indian  Territiiry,  in  addition  to  Kansas. 
General  Curtis  had  aliout  4.500  men,  all  of  whom  had  been  employed  in  pro- 
tecting the  frontiers  of  Kansas  and  Colorado,  and  the  overland  mail  route. 
At  this  time  General  Curtis  was  near  Ft.  Kearney,  operating-  against  the 
Indians.  On  receipt  of  word  announcing  the  movements  of  General  Price. 
General  Curtis  was  recalled  and  reached  Kansas  in  Septemljer.  A  few  days 
later  he  received  word  that  3,000  rebels' were  marching  on  Ft.  Scott,  and 
advised  Governor  Car;iey  to  call  the  militia  into  service.  At  this  time  George 
^V.  Deitzler  was  major-general  of  the  State  militia ;  John  T.  Norton  was 
assistant  adjutant-general ;  R.  A.  Randlett,  assistant  quarter-master ;  Samuel 
S.  Atwood,  assistant  quarter-master;  Charles  Chadwick,  George  T.  Robin- 
son, Lewis  T.  \\'elmorth,  John  J.  Ingalls,  Thomas  ^Vhite.  Elijah  G.  Moore. 
H.  Stein,  and  John  A.  Leffkler  were  all  majors.  Constant  reports  of  a  con- 
flicting nature  were  spread  from  day  to  day,  regarding  the  movements  of 
General  Price,  but  the  first  point  to  be  attacked  was  Pilot  Knob,  the  engage- 
ment commencing  September  27  and  lasting  all  day.  General  Ewing  put 
up  a  vigorous  defense,  with  a  force  of  about  i.ooo  men,  while  the  militia 
commanders  in  Kansas  made  preparations  for  further  resistance  to  the  in- 
vasion of  Price.  Meanwhile  General  Price  continued  to  make  headway,  and 
on  the  fourth  of  October  an  order  was  issued  forbidding  the  transit  of  boats 
below  Kansas  City.  When  it  was  discovered  that  the  rebels  under  Price 
had  not  been  seriously  checked  in  their  movement  westward,  further  efforts 
were  made  by  General  Curtis  to  prevail  upon  Governor  Kearney  to  call  out 
the  militia,  which  the  Governor  seemed  disinclined  to  do.  Finally,  on  Octo- 
ber 9.  1864,  Major  General  Deitzler  issued  an  order  for  the  State  militia 
from  Doniphan,  Brown,  Nemaha  and  Marshall  counties  to  rendezvous  at 
Atchison,  and  the  militia  from  other  counties  were  ordered  to  other  points 
in  the  State.  A  few  days  later  Leavenworth  was  fortified,  because  of  a  tele- 
gram which  was  received  from  General  Rosecrans,  stating  that  it  was  Price's 
intention  to  strike  that  point  first.  The  militia  responded  promptly,  and  the 
following  regiments  reported  for  service  at  Atchison :  The  Twelfth  regiment, 
composed  of  460  men,  under  the  command  of  Col.  L.  S.  Treat,  and  the 
Eighteenth  regiment,  composed  of  400  men,  under  the  command  of  Colonel 
Mathew  Ouigg.  The  total  number  of  militia  enrolled  under  the  call  of  the 
governor  was  12,622.  of  which  about  10,000  were  south  of  the  Kansas  river 
at  the  point  most  exposed  to  danger.  From  the  eleventh  until  the  sixteenth 
of  the  month  there  was  great  excitement,  as  the  forces  rapidly  gathered,  to 


150  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

be  organized  and  equipped.  On  the  staff  of  Genernl  Deitzler  there  were 
two  men  from  Atchison ;  A.  S.  Hughes,  an  aide,  and  John  J.  Ingalls,  judge- 
advocate,  with  the  rank  of  major. 

As  a  result  of  this  determined  move  on  the  part  of  Ctcu.  Sterhng  Price 
to  invade  Kansas,  there  followed  in  quick  succession  the  battle  of  Lexing- 
ton, the  battle  of  Big  Blue,  and  finally  the  battle  of  Wiestport,  at  which,  on 
October  23,  1864,  the  forces  of  Price  were  finally  routed  and  his  campaign 
and  invasion  were  stopped,  but  not  until  it  had  causec^  the  citizens  of  Kan- 
sas, in  addition  to  the  labor  and  loss  of  life,  not  less  than  half  a  million 
dollars. 


CHAPTER  IX. 


NAVIGATION. 


PIONEER      TRANSPORTATION EARLY      FERRIES      AND      RATES FAMOUS      RIVER 

BOATS STEAMBOAT  LINES  TO   ATCHISON STEAMBOAT   REGISTERS. 

Slight  reference  has  been  made  in  the  early  narrative  of  this  history 
to  pioneer  transportation  facilities,  but  the  subject  is  one  of  so  much  import- 
ance and  of  such  immense  interest,  that  a  chapter  devoted  to  it  is  the  only  way 
in  which  it  can  be  adequately  treated. 

At  the  time  Atchison  county  was  settled,  railroad  transportation  by  steam 
was  not  a  new  thing",  although  it  was  in  its  primitive  stages.  Navigation  of 
the  inland  waterways  had  reached  rather  a  high  state  of  development,  and 
the  matter  of  transportation  then  was  just  as  essential  to  the  purposes  of  civil- 
ization as  in  this  day  of  the,  railroad  and  the  automobile,  but  it  was  many  years 
before  the  steam  railroads  made  the  steamboat  traffic  of  the  Mississippi  and 
Missouri  rivers  obsolete.  The  tremendous  subsidies  granted  by  the  Govern- 
ment in  later  years  for  railroad  building,  however,  and  the  splendid  oppor- 
tunity for  piling  up  wealth  in  the  projection  of  new  railroads  and  the  operation 
of  them,  without  Governmental  restrictions,  together  with  the  advantage  of 
speedier  transportation  facilities,  completely  over-shadowed  the  steamboat  bus- 
ness,  and  as  a  result,  our  great  inland  waterway  system  has  grown  into  prac- 
tical disuse.  Shortly  after  Atchison  county  was  organized,  and  the  city  of 
Atchison  laid  out.  agitation  was  started  for  railroad  connections  witl:  the 
East.  One  of  the  first  ordinances  passed  by  the  city  council  in  1858  pro- 
vided for  an  election  to  submit  a  proposition  to  take  $100,000.00  of  stock 
in  railroad.  .At  that  time  the  only  means  of  communication  to  the  out- 
side world  Atchison  had  was  by  steamboats  to  St.  Louis.  It  was  in 
October,  1855,  that  George  M.  Million,  Lewis  Burnes,  D.  D.  Burnes,  James 
X.  Burnes  and  Calvin  F.  Burnes  commenced  the  operation  of  a  ferry  across 

151 


152  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

the  Missouri  river.  Their  dock  on  tlie  Kansas  side  was  at  the  foot  of  Atchison 
street.  Their  charter  was  secured  from  the  legislature  under  the  terms  of 
which  a  bond  of  $1,000.00  was  required  to  insure  the  faithful  performance  of 
their  operations.  Although  there  was  no  public  utilities  commission  in  Kansas 
in  1855.  the  legislature  took  upon  itself  the  task  of  fixing  the  rates  to  be 
charged  by  the  ferry  owners,  in  order  that  the  public  would  not  be  robbed. 
They  were  as  follows : 

Two-horse  wagon,  or  wagon  and  one  yoke  of  oxen 

(loaded)    $1.00 

Two-liorse  wagon,  or  wagon  and  one  yoke  of  oxen 

( unloaded)    75 

One  additional  pair  of  horses  or  oxen 25 

Loose  cattle  or  oxen,  per  liead 10 

Sheep  and  hogs,  per  liead 05 

Man  and  horse 25 

Foot  passengers   10 

One  horse  and  buggy  or  other  vehicle 50 

Two  horse  buggy  or  carriage 75 

The    original    promoters    operated    the    ierry    but    a    short    time,    and 

early  in  the  following  year,  they  disposed  of  their  interests  to  Dr.  William  L. 

"^Challiss,  and  his  brother,  Luther  C.  Challiss,  and  Willis  E.  Gaylord,  and  the 

ferry,  under  Dr.  Challiss,  and  subsequent  owners,  continued  in  operation  until 

1875,  when  the  present  bridge  was  built. 

About  the  time  the  first  ferry  was  established  in  Atchison,  a  number  of 
Salt  Lake  freighters  selected  the  town  as  a  starting  and  outfitting  point  and 
from  that  time  until  1866,  Atchison  was  the  eastern  terminus  of  many  of 
the  leading  overland  mail  and  freighting  routes.  It  was  the  natural  location 
for  communication  with  tlie  West,  as  it  was  twelve  miles  further  west  in 
Kansas  than  any  other  point  on  the  Missouri  river.  Freight  and  passengers 
were  l)rought  to  the  Atchison  levee,  at  the  foot  of  Commercial  street,  by  a 
regular  line  of  Packets  plying  between  St.  Louis  and  St.  Joseph.  It  required 
eight  days  to  make  the  round  trip,  and  in  tlic  very  early  days,  as  many  or  four 
to  six  boats  landed  here  in  the  busy  season. 
i  During  the  winter  montlis  traffic  on  the  river  was  practically  suspended, 

1  on  account  of  the  ice.     These  boats  carried  as  many  as  400  passengers,  the. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  153 

fare  from  St.  Louis  to  St.  Joseph  ranging  from  $10.00  to  $15.00.  which  in- 
cluded meals  and  state  rooms.  The  cooking  was  said  to  ha\'e  heen  very  fine, 
and  tlie  passengers  always  enjoyed  the  best  that  money  could  buy. 

In  addition  to  passengers,  these  boats  carried  from  500  to  600  tons  of 
freight,  and  the  rates  were  as  high  as  $2.50  per  cwt.  on  merchandise  that 
would  not  cost  to  e.xceed  fifteen  cents  per  cwt.  in  these  days.  The  crew  con- 
sisted of  80  to  100  men,  and  the  value  of  these  Ixiats  was  estimated  to  be 
about  $45,000.00  each.  The  river  then,  as  now,  was  filled  with  sandbars  and 
it  required  the  greatest  experience  to  pilot  a  boat  safely  to  its  destination,  and 
as  a  result,  experienced  pilots  would  command  monthly  salaries  ranging  from 
$250.00  to  $500.00.  Each  boat  carried  two  pilots.  A.  B.  Symns,  for  many 
years  a  successful  wholesale  grocery  mercliant  in  Atchison,  E.  K.  Blair,  the 
miller,  and  George  W.  Bowman,  who  also  subsequently  engaged  in  the  grocery 
business,  were  employees  on  several  of  the  steamboats  that  landed  at  Atchison. 
Stories  of  gambling  and  revelries,  by  day  and  by  night,  are  not  uncommon,  and 
it  is  said  it  was  not  an  unusual  sight  to  see  as  many  as  ten  games  of  poker 
going  on  in  the  main  cabins  on  every  trip,  in  which  real  money  and  not  mere 
chips  were  used.  Among  the  famous  boats  on  the  river  in  the  early  days  were 
the  "Hesperian,"  which  burned  near  Atchison  in  1859:  the  "Converse,"  "Kate 
Kinney,"  "Eort  Aubrey,"  "Morning  Star,"  "John  D.  Periy,"  "Sioux  City," 
"Omaha,"  "Carrier,"  and  the  "James  H.  Lucas,"  which  made  the  record  run 
from  St.  Louis  to  St.  Joseph,  encompassing  the  trip  in  fifty-nine  hours  and 
twenty-two  minutes,  were  among  the  well  known  boats  that  docked  at  the 
Atchison  levee  from  time  to  time.  The  leading  wharfmaster  of  the  steamboat 
days  was  Mike  Finney,  who  was  the  father  of  Atchison's  present  mayor 
(1915).  James  H.  Garside  succeeded  him  and  remained  in  the  position  until 
steamboat  days  had  passed.  Had  the  Missouri  river  been  the  beneficiary  of 
of  the  bounty  of  the  Government,  as  the  railroads  were  in  that  day,  it  would 
still  be  a  splendid  auxiliary  of  our  transportation  system.  The  Missouri 
river,  so  far  as  Atchison  is  concerned,  is  in  the  same  condition  it  was  in  when 
Mark  Twain  made  an  early  trip  on  it  from  St.  Louis  to  St.  Joseph.  In 
"Roughing  It,"  he  said : 

"We  were  six  days  going  from  St.  Louis  to  St.  Joseph,  a  trip  that  was 
,so  dull  and  sleepy  and  eventless,  that  it  has  left  no  more  impression  on  my 
memory  than  if  its  duration  had  been  six  minutes  instead  of  that  many  days. 
No  record  is  left  in  my  mind  now  concerning  it,  htU  a  confused  innihlc  of, 
savage  looking  snags,  which  we  deliberately  walked  over  with  one  wheel  or 
the  other;  and  of  reefs  which  we  butted  and  Initted  and  then  retired  from,  and 


154  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

climbed  over  in  some  softer  place :  and  of  sand  bars  which  we  roosted  on  occa- 
sionally and  rested,  and  then  got  our  crutches  and  sparred  over.  In  fact  the 
boat  might  as  well  have  gone  to  St.  Joseph  by  land,  for  she  was  walking  most 
of  the  time  anyhow — climbing  over  reefs  and  clambering  over  snags,  patiently 
and  laboriously  all  day  long.  The  captain  said  she  was  a  bully  boat,  and  all 
she  wanted  was  more  "shear"  and  a  bigger  wheel.  I  thought  she  wanted  a 
pair  of  stilts,  but  I  had  the  sagacity  not  to  say  so." 

STEAMBOAT   LINES   TO  ATCHISON 1856. 

From  Squatter  Sovereign. 
March  ii,  1856. 

"A.  B.  Chambers,"  James  Gormley,  Master;  D.  Jamison,  Clerk. 

"F.  X.  Aubrey,"  Ambrose  Reeder,  Captain ;  Ben  V.  Glime,  Clerk. 

"Polar  Star,"  E.  F.  Dix,  Master;  H.  M.  Glossom,  Clerk. 

"New  Lucy,"  \Vm.  Conley,  Master. 

"James  H.  Lucas,"  Andrew  Wineland,  Commander. 
March  18,  1856. 

"Star  of  the  ^^'est,"  E.  F.  Dix,  Master. 
March  25,  1856. 

"J.  M.  Convers,"  Geo.  W.  Bowman,  Captain;  G.  A.  Reicheneker,  Clerk. 
April  29,  1856. 

"Martha  Jewett,"  D.  H.  Silver,  Captain:  W.  McCreight,  Clerk. 

"Sultan,"  John  H.  McCloy,  Master;  D.  C.  Sheble,  Clerk. 

"Edinburg,"  Dan  Able.  Master. 
May  27,  1856. 

"Morning  Star,"  \^'m.  Brierly,  Master. 
June  24,  1856. 

"Emigrant,"  Hugh  L.  \\"hite.  Master:  H.  R.  McDonald.  Clerk. 

STEAMBOAT  REGISTER. 

Reported  for  tlie  Champion  by  M.  C.  Finney,  Steamboat  Agent. 

BOUND  UP. 

E.  M.  Ryland,  Blunt  Monday,  8th. 

Peerless,  Bissell   W'edncsdav.  lotli. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

John  H.  Dickey.  Abel   Saturday,   13th. 

H.  H.  Russell,  Kenny    Sunday,   14th. 

Hesperian,   Kerchival    Sunday,    14th. 

F.  X.  Aubry.  GHme Wednesday,  17th. 

Platte  Valley,  Postill ; Wednesday,  17th. 

Wm.  Campbell,  Dale Thursday,  i8th. 

White  Cloud,  O'Neil Friday,  19th. 

Spread  Eagle,  Lagrage   Friday,   19th. 

Emma,    Friday,    19th. 

BOUND  DOWN. 

E.  M.  Ryland,  Blunt Tuesday,  9th. 

Peerless,  Bissell   Friday,   12th. 

John  H.  Dickey,  Abel Sunday,  14th. 

W.  H.  Russell,  Kenney Monday,   15th. 

Hesperian,  Kerchival Tuesday,  i6th. 

F.  X.  Aubry,  Glime  Wednesday,  17th. 

Wm.  Campbell,  Dale Friday,  19th. 

White  Cloud,  O'Neil Saturday,  20th. 

(From  Freedom's  Champion,  Atchison,  March  20,  1858.) 

BOUND  UP. 

Spread  Eagle,  Lagrage   Friday,   19th. 

Emma,  Yore Friday,  19th. 

Silver  Heels,  Nanson   Saturday,  20th. 

Morning  Star,  Burk    Sunday,  21st. 

Polar  Star,   McMuIIin    Monday,  22d. 

Twilight,  Shaw    Monday,  22d. 

St.  Mary,  Devenny Tuesday,  23d. 

Carrier,   Postal    Wednesday,   24th. 

Sovereign,  Hutchinson Wednesday,  24th. 

Omaha,   W'ineland    Thursday,  25th. 

F.  X.  Aubry,  Glime Thursday,  25th. 

Minnehaha,  Baker   Thursday,  25th, 

John  H.  Dickey,  Abel Friday,  26th. 

White  Cloud,  O'Neil Saturday,  27th. 


155 


156  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISOX  COUNTY 

Florence,  Throckmorton Saturday,  27th. 

Polar  Star,  McMullin   Sunday,  28th. 

Hesperian,  Lee   Sunday,  28th. 

Star  of  the  West,  Oilman Monday,  29th. 

South  ^^'estem,  Dehaven   Monday,  29th. 

John  \\'arner,  Paterson Monday,  29th. 

Sioux  City,  Baker Monday,  29th. 

War  Eagle,  White Tuesday,  30th. 

Ben  Lewis,  Brierly Tuesday,  30th. 

Thomas  E.  Tutt,  Dozier Tuesday,  30th. 

J.  D.  Perr}-,  Davis   Wednesday.  31st. 

Watossa,  Riclioneker Wednesday,  31st. 

Alonzo  Child,  Holland Wednesday,  31st. 

Wm.  Campbell,  Dale Wednesday,  31st. 

Kate  Howard,  Nonson Wednesday,  31st. 

Sk}'  Lark,  Johnson   Thursday,  April  i. 

E.  M.  Ryland,  Blunt Thursday,  ist. 

Silver  Heels,  Xanson   Friday,  2d. 

John  H.  Dickey,  Abel Friday,  2d. 

F.  A.  Ogden Friday,  2d. 

Every  boat  on  the  above  list  except  eight  have  passed  down  again,  mak- 
ing in  all.  sixty  landings  at  our  wharf,  in  the  short  space  of  thirteen  days. 
(From  Freedom's  Champion.  Atchison,  April  3,  1858.) 

ST.  LOUIS  &  ATCHISON  UNION  LINE. 

One  of  the  following  Splendid  Steamers  Will  leave 

ATCHISON  FOR  ST.  LOUIS  DAILY. 

Sunday  Boats  Peerless  and  Silver  Heels,  Alternately. 

Monday  Boats,  Hesperian  and  Morning  Star,  Alternately. 

Tuesday  Boats,  South  Webster  and  A.  B.  Chambers,  Alternately. 

Wednesday  Boats  Ben  Lewis  and  Twilight.  .\lternately. 

Thursday  Boats,  Sovereign 

Friday  Boats,  Kate  Howard  and  Minnehalia  Alternately 

For  Freight  or  passage  apply  to 

G.  W.  BOWMAN,  Agent.  Atchison. 
N.  B.     Tickets  sold  through  to  all  the  Eastern  and  Southern  Cities. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  1 57 

OFFICE  on  the  Levee. 

(From  Freedom's  Champion,  Atchison,  Marcli  27.  1858.) 

Squatter  Sovereign,  Atchison,  Dec.  5,  1857: 

Omaha,  Andrew  Wineland,  Master ;  J.  J.  Wilcox,  clerk. 

Freedom's  Champion,  Atchison,  April  3,  1858: 

Ben  Lewis,  T.  H.  Brierly,  Master ;  W.  G.  Barkley,  clerk. 

Freedom's  Champion,  March  12,  1859: 

Alonzo  Child,  D.  DeHaven,  Master;  Stanley  Ryland,  clerk;  H.  P.  Short, 
clerk. 


CHAPTER  X. 


OVERLAND   FREIGHTING. 


ATCHISON    AS    AN    OUTFITTING    POINT FREIGHTING    COMPANIES PRINCIPAL 

ROUTES STAGE  LINES OVERLAND  MAIL  ROUTES BEN    HOLLADAY BUT- 

TERFIELD'S    OVERLAND    DISPATCH TIME    TO    DENVER TABLES    OF    TIME 

AND  DISTANCES  ON  VARIOUS  ROUTES STATISTICAL. 

Atchison  was  chosen  as  an  outfitting  point  for  the  SaU  Lake  freighters,  ' 
in  addition  to  many  other  reasons,  l>ecause  we  had  one  of  the  best  steamboat  ' 
landings  on  the  river,  and  had  the  best  wagon  road  in  the  country  leading 
west.  Twenty-four  miles  west  of  Atchison  this  road  was  intersected  by  the 
old  overland  mail  trail  from  St.  Joseph.  Leavenworth  had  laid  out  a  new  road 
west,  over  which  it  was  planned  to  run  the  Pike's  Peak  Express  stages  in  the 
spring  of  1859,  as  well  as  the  mule  and  ox  teams,  for  Denver  and  the  mountain 
mining  camps.  A  branch  road  was  also  opened  to  intersect  this  route  from 
Atchison  in  the  spring  of  1859,  under  the  direction  of  Judge  F.  G.  Adams.^ 
The  expedition  started  west  from  Atchison  in  tlie  spring  of  tliat  year,  over 
what  is  now  known  and  was  then  known  as  the  Parallel  road,  tlien  through 
Muscotah  and  America  City,  across  into  the  Big  Blue  river,  near  Blue  Rapids, 
and  westward  through  Jewell  county.  The  object  of  this  expedition  was  to 
open  a  shorter  route  to  the  mountains  than  the  one  opened  b\-  the  Leavenworth 
company,  and  the  route  proposed  did  save  sixty-five  miles  distance,  and  almost 
twelve  hours  time.  E.  D.  Boyd,  an  engineer,  measured  the  entire  distance  . 
from  Atchison  to  Denver.  He  also  made  an  accurate  report,  showing  dis- 
tances and  the  crossing  of  streams,  and  a  brief  description  of  the  entire  route, 
which  was  published  in  'the  Atchison  Champion,  in  June,  1859.  According 
to  that  report,  the  distance  from  Atchison  to  Denver  was  620  miles.  But  not- 
withstanding the  advantage  of  this  new  road,  it  was  abaudoned_immediately 
and  never  traveled  by  ox  or  mule  trains  out  of  Atchison,  for  the  reason  that 

158 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  159 

the  old  military  road  by  Fort  Kearney  and  along  tlie  Platte  ri\er  enjoyed 
Government  protection  from  the  Indians,  and  was  settled  at  intervals  almost 
the  entire  distance. 

During-  the  period  of  overland  freighting  on  the  plains,  more  trains  left 
Atchison  than  any  other  point  on  the  river.  The  leading  firms  engaged  in 
the  freighting  business  were,  Stevens  &  Porter;  Dennison  &  Brown;  Hocka-  , 
day-Burr  &  Company;  J.  S.  Galbraith;  George  W.  Howe;  Brown  Brothers; 
E.  K.  Blair ;  I.  N.  Bringman ;  Roper  &  Nesbitt ;  Harrison  Brothers ;  Henry 
Reisner;  J.  C.  Peters;  P.  K.  Purcell;  R.  E.  Wilson;  Will  Addoms;  George  I. 
Stebbins;  John  C.  Bird;  William  Home;  Amos  Howell;  Owen  Degan,  and 
a  numbers  of  others. 

The  cost-of-shipping  n2erchandise_J:QjI)eiTyei^ya^s  \^rv_high,  as  everything 
was  carried  by  the  pound,  rather  than  by  the  hundred  pounds  rate.  Flour, 
bacon,  molasses,  whiskey,  furniture  and  trunks  were  carried  at  pound  rates. 
The  rates  per  pound  on  merchandise  shipped  liy  ox  or  mule  wagons  from  Atchi- 
son to  Denver  prior  to  i860,  were  as  follows  : 

Flour 9  cents 

Tobacco    12J/2  cents 

Sugar    13^  cents 

Bacon    15  cents 

Dry  goods    15  cents 

Crackers   17  cents 

Whiskey   18  cents 

Groceries    19^  cents 

Trunks    25  cents 

Furniture    31  cents 

It  has  been  said  by  those  who  witnessed  the  tremendous  overland  traffic 
of  the  late  fifties  and  the  early  sixties,  that  those  of  this  g"eneration  can  form 
no  conception  of  the  enormous  amount  of  traffic  overland  there  was  in  those 
days.  Trains  were  being  constantly  outfitted  not  only  at  Atchison,  but  at 
other  points  along  the  river.  Twenty-one  days  was  about  the  time  requiied 
for  a  span  of  horses  or  mules  to  make  the  trip  to  Denver  and  keep  the  stock 
in  good  condition.  It  required  five  weeks  for  ox  trains  to  make  the  same  dis- 
tance, and  to  Salt  Lake,  horses  and  mules  were  about  six  weeks  making  tlie 
trip,  and  ox  trains  were  on  the  road  from  sixty-five  to  seventv  davs.  It  was 
the  ox  upon  which  mankind  depended  in  those  days  to  carry  on  the  commerce 


l6o  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

of  the  plains.  They  were  the  surest  and  safest  for  liauhng  a  large  part  of 
the  freight  destined  for  the  towns  and  camps  west  of  the  Missouri  river.  Next 
in  importance  to  the  ox,  was  the  mule,  because  they  were  tough  and  reliable, 
and  could  endure  fatigue. 

The  year  of  1859  was  a  big  year  in  the  liistory  of  Atchison,  for  in  that 
year  the  percentage  of  the  growth  of  the  town  was  greater  than  any  other 
year  in  its  history.  The  fact  that  it  was  the  best  point  on  the  Missouri  river 
for  the  overland  staging  and  freighting  outfits,  brought  it  in  greater  commer- 
cial prominence.  At  that  time,  Irwin  &  McGraw  were  prominent  contrac- 
tors, who  were  supplying  the  various  military  posts  on  the'  frontier.  The  mere 
fact  that  these  Government  trains  were  started  from  Atcliison,  ga\-e  the  town 
wonderful  prestige. 

It  was  nothing  unusual  to  see  two  or  three  steamboats  lying  at  the  levee, 
discharging  freight,  and  as  many  more  in  sight  either  going  up  the  river  from 
St.  Louis,  or  down  the  river  from  St.  Joe.  It  was  not  uncommon  for  a  boat  to 
be  loaded  at  Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  or  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  going  down  the  Ohio 
river  and  up  the  Mississippi  and  Missouri  to  Atchison ;  it  wa.s  not  an  unusual 
sight  to  see  a  whole  boat  load  of  wagons  and  ox  yokes,  mining  macliinery, 
boilers  and  other  material  necessary  for  the  immense  trade  of  the  West. 

The  greater  part  of  the  traffic  out  of  Atchison  to  the  West  was  QY£r_the 
Military  road,  along  the  south  bank  of  the  Platte,  and  along  this  road  teams 
of  six  to  eight  yoke  of  cattle,  hauling  heavily  loaded  wagons,  and  strings  of 
four  or  six  horse  or  mule  teams,  formed  almost  an  endless  procession. 

The  liveliest  period  of  overland  trade  extended  from  1859  to  1866,  during 
which  time  there  was  on  the  plains  and  in  the  mountains  an  estimated  floating 
population  of  250,000.  The  greater  majority  of  the  people  on  the  plains 
produced  but  few  of  the  necessities  of  life,  and  consequently  they  had  to  be 
supplied  from  the  Missouri  river.  During  the  closing  year  of  the  Civil  war, 
the  travel  was  immense,  most  of  the  emigration  going  into  the  gold  mining 
camps  of  the  Northwest. 

\\'hile  there  was  considerable  freighting  out  of  Atchison  to  die  West  fol- 
lowing the  opening  of  the  Territory,  overland  staging  did  not  reach  its  heighth 
until  1 86 1.  The  era  of  overland  staging  from  the  Missouri  river  to  the 
Pacific  coast  lasted  altogether  about  eight  years.  The  first  great  overland 
staging  enterprise  started  in  1858,  on  what  is  known  as  the  Southern  or 
Butterfield  route.  This  route  ran  from  St.  Louis  and  Memphis,  Tenn.,  inter- 
secting at  Ft.  Smith,  Ark.  After  l)eing  in  operation  for  nearly  three  vears. 
the  route  was  succceiled  b\  a  dailv  line  on  the  Central  route,  which  ran  from 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  l6l 

the  Missouri  river  five  _\-ears.  first  starting  at  St.  Joseph,  Mo.,  July  i,  1861, 
and  then  from  Atchison  in  September  of  that  year.  On  the  Central  route, 
the  through  staging  came  to  a  close  after  the  completion  of  the  Union  Pacific 
railroad  from  Omaha  across  the  continent.  Originally  the  stage  enterprise 
was  known  as  the  Overland  Mail  Company — the  Southern  or  Butterfield  line. 
After  it  was  transferred  north  and  ran  in  connection  with  the  stages  to  Denver, 
it  was  known  as  the  Central  Overland  California  and  Pike's  Peak  Express 
Company.  After  passing  into  the  hands  of  Ben  Plolladay,  it  became  the 
Overland  Stage  Line,  and  finally  the  name  was  changed  to  the  Holladay  Over- 
land Mail  Express  Company.  In  1866,  the  line  had  been  consolidated  with 
the  Butterfield  Overland  Dispatch,  a  sta.ge  company  which  was  organized  in 
1865,  with  headcjuarters  in  Atchison. 

Atchison's  importance  as  an  overland  staging  terminus  was  fixed  b\ 
reason  of  an  order  of  the  United  States  Postoffice  Department.  Before  the 
final  change,  making  Atchison  headquarters  and  starting  point  for  the  mail, 
the  road  from  Atchison  westward  intersected  the  road  from  St.  Joseph  at 
Kennekuk.  The  distance  from  Atchison  to  Kennekuk  was  twenty-four  miles, 
while  it  was  about  thirty-five  miles  from  St.  Joseph,  and  consequently  there 
was  a  saving  of  about  nine  miles  in  favor  of  Atchison.  This  was  an  import- 
ant item,  in  carrying  the  mails,  and  resulted  in  the  order  of  the  Postoffice  De- 
partment making  Atchison  the  starting  point.  The  distance  by  tlie  overland 
stage  line  from  Atchison  to  Placerville  was  1,913  miles,  and  following  the 
abandonment  of  the  Butterfield  or  Southern  route,  it  Iiecame  the  longest  and 
the  most  important  stage  line  in  America.  There  were  153  stations  between 
Atchison  and  Placerville,  located  about  twelve  and  one-half  miles  apart.  The 
local  fare  was  $225.00,  or  about  twelve  cents  per  mile,  and  as  high  as  $2,000.00 
a  day  was  frequently  taken  in  at  the  Atchison  office  for  passenger  fare  alone. 
The  fare  between  Atchison  and  Denver  was  $75.00,  or  a  little  over  eight  cents 
per  mile,  and  to.  Salt  Lake  City,  $150.00.  Local  fares  ran  as  high  as  fifteen 
cents  per  mile.  Each  passenger  was  allowed  twenty-five  pounds  of  baggage. 
All  in  excess  of  that  was  charged  at  the  rate  of  $1.00  per  pound.  During  the 
war.  the  fare  to  Denver  was  increased  from  seventy-five  dollars  to  $100.00. 
and  before  the  close  of  llie  war.  it  had  reached  $175.00.  or  ncarlv  twenty-se\'en 
cents  per  mile. 

It  required  about  2,750  horses  and  mules  to  run  the  stage  line  between 
Atchison  and  Placerville.  It  required,  in  addition  to  the  regular  supph-  of 
horses  to  operate  the  stages,  some  additional  animals  for  emergencies,  and  it 
was  estimated  that  the  total  cost  of  the  horses  on  this  stage  line  was  about  one- 

II 


l62  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY 

half  million  dollars.  The  harness  was  the  finest  that  could  be  made,  and  cost 
about  $150.00  for  a  complete  set  of  four,  or  about  $55,000.00  for  the  whole 
line.  The  feeding  of  the  stock  was  one  of  the  big  items  of  expense,  and  tliere 
were  annually  consumed  at  each  station  from  forty  to  eighty  tons  of  hay, 
at  a  cost  of  $15  to  $40  per  ton.  Each  animal  was  apportioned  an  average 
of  twelve  quarts  of  corn  every  day,  which  cost  from  two  to  ten  cents  a  pound. 
In  the  Salt  Lake  and  California  divisions,  oats  and  barley,  grown  in  Utah, 
were  substituted  for  com,  but  which  cost  about  the  same. 

There  were  about  100  Concord  coaches  which,  in  the  early  sixties 
cost  about  $1,000.00  each.  The  company  owned  about  one-half  of  the  stations, 
in  addition  to  thousands  of  dollars'  worth  of  miscellaneous  property,  at  differ- 
ent places  along  the  route.  There  were  superintendents,  general  and  local 
attorneys,  paymasters  and  division  agents,  all  of  whom  drew  big  salaries. 
Among  the  stage  company's  agents  in  the  late  fifties  and  early  sixties  were 
Hugo  Richards  and  Paul  Coburn,  at  Atchison ;  Robert  L.  Pease,  of  Atchison, 
was  also  for  a  time  agent  at  Denver. 

The  mail  was  carried  from  Atchison  west  by  Forts  Kearney,  Laramie 
and  Bridges,  once  a  week.  The  schedule  time  from  the  river  to  Salt  Lake  City 
was  about  eighteen  days,  and  the  distance  was  about  1,200  to  1,300  miles. 

In  1861  a  daily  overland  mail  was  established  out  of  Atchison,  and  with 
the  exception  of  a  few  weeks  in  1862,  1864  and  1865,  on  account  of  Indian 
troubles,  the  overland  was  in  operation  and  ran  stages  daily  out  of  Atchison 
for  about  five  years.  It  was  the  greatest  stage  line  in  the  world,  carrying 
mail,  passengers  and  express.  It  was  also  regarded  as  the  safest  and  the 
fastest  way  to  cross  the  plains,  and  the  mountain  ranges.  It  was  equipped 
with  the  latest  modern  four  and  six  horse  and  mule  Concord  coaches,  and  the 
meals  at  the  eating  stations  along  the  route  were  first-class,  and  cost  from  fifty 
cents  to  $2.00  each. 

When  Atchison  was  selected  as  the  starting  place  for  the  overland  mail, 
it  was  not  certain  how  long  it  would  remain  the  eastern  tenninus  of  the 
mail  route.  The  Civil  war  was  at  its  height,  and  the  rebels  were  doing  much 
damage  to  the  Hannibal  &  St.  Joseph  railroad,  which  had  been  constructed  in 
1859.  They  tore  up  the  track,  burned  the  bridges,  destroyed  the  culverts, 
fired  into  the  trains,  and  placed  obstructions  along  the  roadbed,  frequently 
delaying  the  mail  from  two  to  six  days.  As  a  result  of  this  condition  of 
affairs,  it  was  feared  that  Atchison  would  lose  the  overland  mail,  and  the  Gov- 
ernment would  change  the  starting  point  to  some  town  further  north,  but  be- 
cause of  the  advantageous  geographical  position  of  Atchison,  it  was  decided 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  163 

that  it  would  be  disastrous  to  make  a  change,  so  the  Government  placed  a 
large  number  of  troops  along  the  entire  line  of  the  Hannibal  &  St.  Joe,  to 
insure  the  safety  of  the  mails,  and  Atchison  continued  to  be  the  point  of  de- 
parture for  the  overland  mail,  until  1866. 

The  stage  coaches  used  by  the  overland  line  were  built  in  Concord, 
N.  H.  They  carried  nine  passengers  inside,  and  one  or  two  could  ride  on  the 
box  by  the  driver.  Some  of  the  stages  were  built  with  an  extra  seat  above  and 
in  the  rear  of  the  driver,  so  that  three  additional  persons  could  ride  there, 
making  fourteen,  with  the  driver.  Sometimes  an  extra  man  would  be  crowded 
on  the  box,  making  as  many  as  fifteen  persons,  who  could  ride  on  the  Con- 
cord coach  without  very  much  inconvenience. 

This  chapter  on  overland  staging  would  be  unfinished,  unless 
some  reference  was  made  to  Ben  Holladay,  who  played  such  an  im- 
portant part  in  the  overland  staging  days  of  this  country.  Ben  Holladay 
had  a  remarkable  career.  In  his  early  days,  when  he  resided  in  Weston,  Mo., 
he  drove  a  stage  himself.  He  was  a  genuine  westerner,  having  run  a  saloon 
and  tavern  in  Weston  as  early  as  1838  and  1839.  He  went  overland  to  Cali- 
fornia in  1849,  ''"d  took  a  train  to  Salt  Lake  City  with  $70,000  worth  of 
goods.     He  spent  some  time  in  Utah,  where  he  made  considerable  monev. 

Besides  operating  the  Overland  Stage  for  over  five  years,  Holladay  had 
other  important  interests  in  the  W^est.  Among  his  enterprises  was  a  fleet 
of  passenger  steamers,  plying  between  San  Francisco  and  Portland,  Ore. 
At  the  height  of  his  career  he  was  a  millionaire,  and  few  men  in  the  country  - 
accumulated  wealth  more  rapidly.  He  spent  his  money  freely,  and  squandered 
vast  sums  when  he  was  making  it.  After  he  had  accumulated  a  fortune,  he 
went  to  New  York  to  live,  and  built  a  most  pretentious  residence  a 
few  miles  out  of  New  York,  on.  the  Hudson  river,  which  he  called  Ophir 
Farm.  After  he  was  awarded  some  good  mail  contracts  by  the  Government, 
he  built  a  mansion  in  Washington,  which  he  furnished  superbly,  and  collected 
a  large  classical  library,  with  handsomely  bound  volumes,  and  also  was  a 
patron  of  art,  collecting  fine  oil  paintings  of  celebrated  masters  in  Europe  and 
'\merica.  He  also  made  a  collection  of  fine  bronzes  and  statuary,  and  paid 
$6,000.00  each  for  two  bronze  lions. 

It  was  in  i860  that  he  came  into  possession  of  the  Central  Overland  Cali- 
fornia Mail  Line,  but  subsequent  trouble  with  the  Indians  damaged  his  prop- 
erty to  the  extent  of  a  half  million  dollars.  His  stage  stations  were  burned, 
and  his  stock  stolen,  and  stage  coaches  destroyed.     Finally,  in   1888,  being 


164  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

broken  in  health  and  in  debt,  his  Washington  home,  with  its  contents,  was 
sold  under  the  hammer. 

He  came  into  possession  of  practically  all  the  big  overland  routes  by  pur- 
chase and  foreclosure  of  mortgages,  and  he  made  his  vast  fortune  in  mail 
contracts  from  the  Government.  He  remained  at  the  head  of  the  overland 
line  for  about  five  years,  taking  possession  of  it  in  December.  1861,  and  dis- 
posing of  it,  including  the  stations,  rolling  stock  and  animals,  in  the  latter 
part  of  1866,  to  Wells  Fargo  &  Company. 

Mr.  Holladay  died  in  August,  1877.  in  Portland.  Ore.,  a  poor  man. 

butterfield's  overl.vnd  dispatch. 

One  of  tlie  interesting  promoters  in  overland  staging  days  was  D.  A. 
Butterfield.'  He  came  to  Atchison  from  Denver  in  1864,  and  engaged  in  the 
commission  business  in  a  large  stone  ware-house  near  the  Massasoit  House, 
and,  in  addition  to  his  commission  business,  he  was  agent  for  a  line  of  packets 
plying  between  St.  Louis  and  .Atchison.  Shortly  after  his  arrival  in  Atchison 
he  began  the  development  of  an  overland  stage  line,  which  subsequently 
reached  ver\-  large  proportions.  His  amliition  was  to  be  at  the  liead  of  an 
overland  stage  line,  and,  having  selected  what  was  known  as  the  Smoky  Hill 
route  along  the  Kansas  and  Smoky  Hill  rivers,  which  was  fifty  miles  sliorter 
than  any  other  route  to  Denver,  he  proceeded  with  rhe  further  development 
of  his  plans.  ?Ie  was  a  smart,  capable,  ambitious  and  aggressive  fellow, 
with  ^•im,  and  was  in  touch  with  a  number  of  men  of  large  means  in  New 
York,  whom  lie  soon  interested  in  his  enterprise.  Early  in  1865  the  following 
advertisement  appeared  in  the  Atchison  Daily  Free  Press,  announcing  Mr. 
Butterfield's  project: 

"BUTTERFIELD'S  0\'ERLAXD  DISPATCH. 

"To     all     points     in     Colorado,     I'tah,     Idaho     ^nd     Montana     Territory. 
Principal  office,  Atchison,  Kansas.    Xew  York  Office 
No.  I  Vesey  St.  Astor  House. 
"Through  bills  of  lading  given  from  New  York,  Boston.  Philadelphia.  Pitts- 
burgh, Chicago,  St.  Louis,  and  Burlington,  Iowa. 

"D.  A.  Butterfield,   Proprietor,  Atchison,  Kansas. 
"A.  W.  Spalding,  General  Agent,  New  York.'' 
i'.utterfield's  consuming  desire  was  to  control  the  big  end  of  tlie  trans- 
portation business  across  the  plains.     He  maintained  an  expensive  office  in 
New   "^'ork  City  and  called  his  line  "The  Butterfield  Overland   Dispatch." 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  165 

Conspicuous  signs  were  displayed  over  the  doors  of  his  office  in  tlie  Astor 
Honse,  showing  caravans  of  great  covered  wagons  drawn  b_\-  mules  ami  nxen. 
which  signs  attracted  the  attention  of  all.  During  his  promotion  of  this  new- 
stage  line  Butterfield  lived  in  great  style  and  elegance  in  Atchison,  in  a  liouse, 
the  remains  of  which  still  stand  (1915)  at  the  southwest  corner  of  Fifth  and 
S  streets.  He  entertained  lavishly,  and  "champagne  flowed  like  water"  at 
his  home  when  he  gave  a  part}-. 

The  direct  route  out  of  Atchison  to  Denver,  chosen  by  Butterfield,  was 
in  a  southwesterly  direction  to  Valley  Falls,  thence  across  the  plains  to  a  point 
on  the  old  Fort  Riley  military  road  a  few  miles  northeast  of  Topeka.  The 
Butterfield  line  was  first  operated  with  mules  and  oxen,  but  as  the  road  grew 
more  prosperous,  four  horse  stages  were  substituted.  "Dave"  Butterfield,  as 
he  was  known,  was  determined  to  mak'e  Ben  Holladay  a  pigmy  in  the  overland 
stage  business.  Althongh  it  was  known  to  many  that  there  was  more  wind 
behind  his  enterprise  than  real  money,  yet  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  his  efforts 
in  the  staging  world  were  more  or  less  looked  upon  as  a  promotion  scheme, 
he  interested  considerable  capital,  including  the  United  States,  American  and 
the  Adams  Express  companies.  He  was  a  great  believer  in  publicity  and 
spent  large  sums  in  newspaper  advertising,  but  it  required  much  mone\-  to 
properly  equip  and  operate  a  stage  line,  and  Butterfield  did  not  ha\-e  enough. 
In  consequence  of  his  lack  of  capital,  his  original  company  failed,  but  was  sub- 
sequently reorganized  in  June,  1865.  Butterfield,  undaunted,  went  east  again 
and  raised  more  money,  and  before  his  return,  he  capitalized  a  new  company 
with  $3,000,000.00,  with  one-half  paid  in.  Branch  offices  were  gpened  in 
New  York,  Boston.  Philadelphia,  St.  Louis.  Cincinnati.  Chicago,  Atchison, 
Leavenworth,  Denver  and  Salt  Lake  City.  John  A.  Kinney,  a  pioneer  busi- 
ness man  of  Atchison,  who  had  been  connected  with  Butterfield  from  the  be- 
ginning, continued  in  charge  of  the  Atchison  office  under  the  reorganization, 
with  a  salary  of  $2,500  per  year.  Shortly  after  the  new  company  was 
organized,  Butterfield  inserted  another  advertisement  in  the  Free  Press,  as 
follows : 

"BUTTERFIELD'S  OVERLAND  DISPATCH. 

"To  all  points  in  Colorado,  Utah,  New  Mexico,  Arizona.  Idaho.  Montana 
and  the  state  of  Nevada. 

"Contracts  can  be  made  with  this  Coinpany  through  their  Agents  to 
transport  freight  from  all  the  eastern  cities  to  all  localities  in  the  Territories, 
the  rate  to  include  railroad  and  overland  carriage  and  all  commissions  upon 


l66  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

the  Missouri  River.  The  Company  owns  its  own  tronsportation  and  gives  a 
through  bill  of  lading  which  protects  shipper  from  extreme  East  to  the 
Far  West. 

"express  DEPARTMENT. 

"About  August,  1865  the  Company  will  have  a  line  of  express  coaches 
running  daily  between  Atchison,  Kansas  and  Denver,  Colorado;  and  about 
September  ist,  to  Santa  Fe,  New  Mexico,  and  as  soon  in  the  Spring  as  possi- 
ble, a  tri-weekly  between  Denver  and  Salt  Lake  City  over  which  merchandise 
will  be  carried  at  fair  express  rates. 

"TIME  TO  DENVER— EIGHT  (8)  DAYS. 

"INSTRUCTIONS:  Mark  goods  for  cattle  and  mule  trains:  'But'd 
Ov'd  Desp'h.'      Mark  goods  for  express :    B.  O.  D.  Express,  Atchison." 

Some  changes  were  afterwards  made  in  the  location  of  the  route,  but 
it  left  as  before,  in  a  southwesterly  direction  to  Valley  Falls.  The  business  of 
the  new  company  was  very  large  from  the  start  and  grew  rapidly.  Steam- 
boats discharged  great  quantities  of  freight  at  the  Atchison  levee  for  shipment 
by  Eutterfield's  line.  A  large  amount  also  came  from  St.  Joseph  by  railroad. 
In  one  day  during  July,  1865,  nineteen  car  loads  of  freight  consigned  to  the 
Butterfield  line  at  Atchison  were  received  for  transportation  across  the 
plains.  In  the  following  month  a  train  was  loaded  with  600,000  pounds  of 
merchandise  for  Salt  Lake  City.  One  of  the  early  stages  that  left  Atchison 
on  this  line  made  the  run  to  Junction  City,  which  was  119  miles,  in  less  than 
twenty-four  hours,  or  at  the  rate  of  five  and  one-half  miles  an  hour,  including 
all  stops,  but  the  reorganized  Butterfield  line  was  not  long  in  operation  before 
it  met  with  many  obstacles.  The  fact  that  the  Smoky  Hill  route  selected  by 
Butterfield  was  not  guarded  by  Government  troops  of  soldiers,  as  the  Fort 
Kearney  route  was,  caused  the  Indians  to  make  many  raids  upon  the  overland 
trains.  A  number  of  severe  encounters  with  Indians  were  had  from  time  to 
time,  until  it  became  necessary  to  operate  the  stages  with  a  mounted  guard  in 
advance.  It  finally  became  so  dangerous  that  it  was  difficult  to  secure  mes- 
sengers and  drivers  to  operate  the  line.  This  condition  became  so  serious  that 
the  "Overland  Dispatch,"  which  in  the  meanwhile  was  becoming  more  finan- 
cially embarrassed  from  day  to  day,  was  finally  obliged  to  retire  from  the 
field.     During  the  short  time  that  it  lasted,  it  was  widely  known  throughout 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  167 

the  western  country,  and  in  the  East  it  was  known  in  most  of  the  leading 
cities.  WHiile  this  company,  to  some  extent,  cut  down  the  receipts  of  the  Holla- 
day  line,  traffic  across  the  plains  had  become  so  dull  in  the  sixties  that  there 
was  not  much  profit  in  it  for  anybody.  In  March,  1866.  Holladay  took  over 
the  Butterfield  line  and  the  following  announcement  appeared  in  the 
newspapers : 

"NOTICE. 

"To  the  Employees  of  the  Overland  Distpatch  Company. 

"The  Overland  Stage  Line  and  the  Overland  Dispatch  Company  liave 
become  one  property  under  the  name  of  the  Holladay  Overland  Mail 
&  Express  Company. 

"The  new  Company  guarantees  payment  to  the  employees  of  the 
late  Overland  Dispatch  Company.  An  agent  is  now  enroute  from  New 
York  to  pay  them. 

"David  Street,  Gen'l  Agt., 
"Holladay  Mail  &  Express  Co. 
"Atchison,  Kansas,  March  17,  1866." 

The  business  that  Butterfield  had  worked  up  was  continued  by  the  new 
company,  but  Butterfield  was  hopelessly  down  and  out.  While  in  the  midst  of 
what  appeared  to  be  a  prosperous  freight  business  with  many  tons  of  ponderous 
mining  machinei-y  in  transit  across  the  plains  to  the  mining  camps  of  Colorado, 
the  mining  bubble  broke,  and  great  difficulty  was  experienced  in  collecting 
freight  bills  that  were  accumulating  on  machinery  tliat  was  being  transported 
across  the  plains,  so  it  was  unloaded  upon  the  plains  and  there  it  was  left  to 
rust  out.  In  less  than  eighteen  months  from  the  first  organization  of  the 
Overland  Dispatch.  Butterfield  was  a  financial  wreck,  and  the  consolidation 
of  his  company  with  the  Holladay  line  was  the  only  action  that  could  be  taken 
to  conserve  the  property  which  the  Butterfield  line  had  acquired.  Butter- 
field subsequently  left  Atchison  and  located  in  Mississippi,  where  he  organized 
a  railroad,  which  also  proved  a  failure.  He  left  Mississippi  for  Arkansas  and 
built  and  operated  a  horse  car  line  in  Hot  Springs.  He  finally  got  into  a 
quarrel  with  one  of  liis  employees,  who  struck  him  with  a  neck  yoke,  from 
the  effects  of  which  he  died. 

OTHER  ROUTES. 

Atchison  was  an  important  point  for  stage  routes  as  early  as  1839.  There 
was  a  line  of  hacks  which  ran  daily  from  Atchison  to  Leavenworth,  and  an- 
other to  Lawrence,  and  still  another  by  Oskaloosa  and  Valley  Falls  across  the 


l68  HISTORY  OK  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

~^Kansas  river  to  Lecompton,  Big  Springs,  Tecumseh  and  Topeka.  To  reach 
'  Lawrence  from  Atchison  in  those  days,  passengers  were  compelled  to  go  by 
)y  Leavenworth,  until  a  line  was  opened  by  Mount  Pleasant  and  Oskaloosa,  re- 
^  dticing  the  distance  to  forty-five  miles,  and  the  fare  to  $4.50.  There  was  a 
lin^  north  to  Doniphan,  Troy,  Highland  and  Iowa  Point.  A  line  was  also 
operated  by  Doniphan  to  Geary  City,  Troy  and  St.  Joseph,  and  still  another 
ran  by  Hiawatha  to  Falls"  City,  Neb.  The  most  important  route,  whicli  had 
its  headquarters  at  that  time  in  Atchison,  was  a  four  mule  line.  The  Central 
Overland  California  and  Pike's  Peak  Express,  which  with  its  speedy  Concord 
stages,  crossed  the  plains  twice  a  week.  This  was  the  Holladay  line.  The 
Kansas  Stage  Company  operated  a  line  to  I-eavenworth,  which  made  stops 
at  Sumner  and  Kickapoo.  A  daily  line,  operated  by  the  Kansas  Stage  Com- 
pany%  ran  to  Junction  City  by  way  of  Mount  Pleasant,  \^'inchester,  Osawkie, 
Mt.  Florence,  Indianola,  Topeka,  Silver  Like,  St.  Marys,  Louisville,  Ogden 
and-Et^  Riley.  The  distance  over  this  route  was  120  miles  and  the  fare  was 
$10.00.  There  was  also  a  two-horse  stage  line  carrying  the  mail  from  Atchi- 
son to  Louisville,  Kan.  Louisville  was  one  of  the  most  important  towns  in 
Pottawatomie  county,  and  in  1859  was  an  important  station  on  the  route  of 
the  Leavenworth  &  Pike's  Peak  Express.  The  mail  line  as  tiien  operated  ran 
through  Monrovia,  Arrington,  Holton  and  other  points  to  its  destination  in 
the  West.  J.  H.  Thompson,  who  was  an  old  man  then,  was  the  contractor 
for  carrying  the  mail  and  was  well  known  along  the  whole  route,  being 
familiarly  known  as  "L'ncle  Johnny"  Thompson.  His  stage  left  Atchison 
every  Saturday  morning  at  8  o'clock  and  arrived  from  Louisville  on  Friday 
evening  at  6.     The  fare  from  Atchison  to  Louisville  was  $8.00. 

"ST.  JOSEPH.  ATCHISON  AND  LECOMPTON 
"STAGE  LINE. 

"Passing  through  Geary  City,  Doniphan,  Atchison.  Winchester,  Hickory 
Point,  and  Oscaloosa,  connecting  at  Lecompton  with  lines  to  Topeka,  Grass- 
hopper Falls,  Fort  Riley.  Lawrence,  Kansas  City,  and  the  Railroad  at  St. 
Joseph  for  the  East. 

"Offices — Massasoit  House,  Atchison.  K.  T..  and  Planter's  House,  St. 
Joseph,  Mo." 

(From  Freedom's  Champion,  Atchison,  February  12,  1859.) 

I,.\ST  D.WS  OF  THE  STAGING  BUSINESS. 

The  people  of  Atchison  in  the  si.xties  little  realized  the  advantages  the 
town  gained  by  being  the  starting  point  for  the  California  mail.     They  became 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  169 

used  to  it,  the  same  as  we  have  tliis  day  been  accustomed  to  the  dail\-  arri\al 
and  departure  of  trains,  but  it  was  a  gloomy  day  for  Atchison  when  "the 
overland"  finally  pulled  out  of  tiie  town  for  good,  after  having  run  its  stages'  I' 
out  of  the  city  almost  daily  for  five  )ears.  Tlie  ad\ance  of  the  Union  Pacific 
railroad  from  Omaha  west  along  the  Platte  to  I't.  Kearney,  antl  the  completion 
of  the  Kansas  Pacific  railway  was  the  cause  of  the  abandonment  of  Atchison 
by  the  "overland"  as  a  point  of  departure  for  the  mail.  The  company  for  many 
weeks  before  its  final  departure  had  been  taking  both  stock  and  coaches  off  of 
the  eastern  division  from  the  Missouri  river  to  Rock  creek,  and  other  steps 
in  preparation  for  moving  the  point  of  departure  further  west  were  taken.  It 
was  a  little  after  ii  o'clock  in  the  morning  of  December  19,  1866,  that  the  long 
train  of  Concord  stages,  express  coaches,  liacks  and  other  rolling  stock  started 
from  their  stables  and  yards  on  Second  street  to  leave  Atchison  forever.  The 
procession  went  west  out  of  Atchison  along  Commercial  street.  Alex  Benham 
and  David  Street,  both  faithful  employees  of  "The  Overland,"  were  in  charge 
of  the  procession  and  they  rode  out  of  town  in  a  Concord  bugg)\  Other  em- 
ployees followed  in  buggies  and  coaches,  and  then  the  canvas  covered  stages, 
followed  by  over  forty  teams  and  loose  horses,  slowly  moved  out  of  town, 
headed  for  Fort  Riley  and  Junction  City. 

ROUTE  FROM  ATCHISON 

via  the 

SMOKY  HILL  FORK  ROUTE. 

Remarks 
Junction  of  the  Great  Military  Road. 
Provisions,  entertainment  and  grass. 
On  the  Grasshopper,  w(  lod  and  grass. 
W'liod.  water  and  grass. 
Wood  and  grass. 
^Vood  and  grass. 
\\'ood  and  grass. 
\\'ater,  wood  and  grass. 
\\ater,  wood  and  grass. 
Wood,  water  and  grass. 
Grass  and  buffalo  chips, 
(jross  and  buffalo  chi])s. 
Wood,  water  and  grass. 


From  Atchison  to 

Miles 

Total 

Mormon  Grove 

3/2 

Monrovia 

8V2 

12 

Mouth  of  Bill's  Creek 

13 

25 

Ter.  Road  from  Nebraska 

15 

40 

Soldier  Creek 

10 

50 

Lost  Creek 

15 

65 

Louisville 

10 

75 

Manhattan  City 

12 

87 

Fort  Riley 

15 

102 

Salina 

52 

154 

Pawnee  Trail-Smoky  Hill 

130 

284 

Pawnee  Fork 

35 

319 

Arkansas  Crossing 

35 

354 

170 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 


Bent's  Fort 

ISO 

504 

Bent's  Old  Fort 

40 

544 

Huerfano 

40 

584 

Fontaine  qui  Bouille 

15 

599 

Crossing  of  same 

18 

617 

Jim's  Camp 

15 

632 

Brush  Corral 

12 

644 

Head  of  Cherry  Creek 

26 

670 

Crossing  of  Same 

35 

705 

Mines 

6 

711 

Wood,  water  and  grass. 

\\'ater  and  grass. 

Water  and  grass. 

Wood,  water  and  grass. 

Wood,  water  and  grass. 

Water  and  grass. 

Wood,  water  and  grass. 

Wood,  water  and  grass. 

From  this  point  to  the  mines  there  is 

heavy  timber,  and  srass  and  water 

in  abundance. 


From  Freedom's  Champion,  February  12,  1859. 

ROUTE  FROM  ATCHISON 


via 


The  Great  Mihtary  Road  to  Sah  Lake,  and  Col.  Fremont's  Route  in   1841. 


From  Atchison  to          Miles 

Total 

Marmon  Grove 

3/2 

Lancaster 

5K' 

9 

Huron    ( Cross.    Grasshop- 

per) 

4 

13 

Kennekuk,  do  main  do 

10 

23 

Capioma   (Walnut  Creek) 

17 

40 

Richmond  (head  of  Nema 

.- 

ha) 

J  5 

55 

Marysville 

40 

95 

Small  Creek  on  Prairie 

10 

105 

do         do 

10 

115 

do         do 

7 

122 

Wyth  Creek 

7 

129 

Big  Sandy  Creek 

13 

142 

Dr\'  Sandy  Creek 

17 

159 

Little  Blue  River 

12 

171 

Road  leaves  Little  Blue 

44 

215 

Small  Creek 

7 

222 

Platte  River 

17 

239 

Ft.  Kearney 

10 

249 

Remarks 
Junction  of  the  Great  Military  Road. 
Provisions  and  grass. 
Provisions  and  grass. 
First  Salt  Lake  Mail  Station. 
Provisions,  timber,  and  grass. 
Provisions,  timber,  and  grass. 
Salt   Lake   Mail   Station   and   pro- 
visions. 

Water  and  Gross. 
Luxurient  grass. 
Water  and  grass. 
Wood  and  grass. 
Wood  and  grass. 
Wood  and  luxuriant  grass. 
Heavy  timber. 
Wood  and  grass. 
Wood  and  grass. 
W^ood,  grass  and  buffalo. 
Salt   Lake   Mail   Station   and   pro- 
visions. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY 


171 


17  Mile  point 
Plum  Creek 
Cottonwood  Spring 
Fremont's    Springs 
O'Fallon's  Bluffs 
Crossing  South  Platte 
Ft.  St.  Vrain 
Cherry   Creek 


17 

266 

18 

284 

40 

324 

40 

364 

5 

369 

40 

409 

200 

609 

40 

649 

\\  (lod,  water  and  grass. 

Wood  and  grass. 

Wood  and  grass. 

Luxuriant  grass. 

Wood,  water  and  grass. 

\Vood,  water,  and  grass. 

Provisions,     and     from   this   to  the 

mines  the  route  is  well  timbered  and 

watered. 


From  Freedom's  Champion,  February  12,  1859. 

TABLE  OF  DISTANCES 

— ^From— 

ATCHISON  TO  THE  GOLD  MINES, 

via  the 

First  Standard  Parallel  Route  to  the  Republican  Fork  of  the  Kansas  River, 
thence  following  the  Trail  of  Colonel  Fremont  on  his  Explora- 
tions in  1843,  to  Cherry  Creek  and  the  Mines. 


Compiled  from  Colonel  Fremont's  Surveys,  and  the  most  reliable  information 
derived  from  the  traders  across  the  Great  Plains. 


From  Atchison  to  Miles 

Lancaster  9 

Muscotah,  on  Grasshopper  11 
Eureka 

Ontario,  on  Elk  Creek 
America,  on  Soldiers  Creek  9 
Vermillion  City 
Crossing  of  Big  Blue 
Little  Blue  creek 
Head  of  Blue  creek 
Republican  Fork 


Total 


II 

20 

II 

31 

10 

41 

:  9 

50 

25 

75 

3 

78 

17 

95 

23 

118 

12 

130 

Remarks 
Settlement,  provisions  and  grass. 
Settlement,  provisions  and  grass. 
Settlement,  provisions  and  grass. 
Settlement,  provisions  and  grass. 
Settlement,  provisions  and  grass. 
Settlement,  entertainment  and  pro- 
visions. 

Heavy  timber  and  grass. 
Timber  and  grass.     ' 
Wood,  water  and  grass. 


172 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY 


Republican  Fork  crossing  2 
Branch  of  Solomon's  Fork  38 
Leaves  Solomon's  Fork  75 
Branch  of  Republican  Fork  15 


Following   up   Rep.    to   its 


Cherry   Creek   and    Mines   2  = 


From  Freedom's  Champion. 


132 

I/O 

245 
260 


head 

190 

450 

Beaver  Creek 

23 

473 

Bijou  Creek 

22 

495 

Kioway  Creek 

15 

510 

Colonel  Fremont  describes  this  sec- 
tion as  "affording  an  excellent  road, 
it  lieing  generally  over  high  and 
le\el  i)rairies,  with  numerous  streams 
wliich  are  well  timbered  with  ash, 
elm,  and  \er)  heavy  oak,  and 
abounding  in  herds  of  buffalo,  elk 
and  antelope." 

Heavy  timljer  and  grass  on  course. 
Wood,  grass  and  buffalo. 
Wood,  grass  and  buffalo. 
Tlie    route    from    tliis   point    to    the 
535     mines  runs  thro'  a  country  well  tim- 
bered   and    watered,  with  luxurient 
grass  and  plenty  of  wild  game. 
February  12,  1859. 


Main   Kntiance  lo  .lackson    Tark,  .Mrliisim.   Kansas 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 


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CHAPTER  XI. 


RAILROADS. 


EARLY    RAILROAD    AGITATION THE    FIRST    RAILROAD CELEBRATING    THE    AD- 
VENT   OF    THE    RAILROAD OTHER    ROADS    CONSTRUCTED THE    SANTA    FE 

THE  ATCHISON   &   NEBRASKA  CITY THE   KANSAS   CITY,   LEAVENWORTH 

&   ATCHISON THE   ROCK    ISLAND THE    HANNIBAL    &   ST.    JOSEPH THE 

FIRST   TELEGRAPH MODERN    TRANSPORTATION. 

Eight  years  before  the  last  stage  pulled  out  of  Atchison  the  agitation 
for  a  railroad  began.  The  first  charter  provided  for  the  construction  of  a 
railroad  from  Atchison  to  St.  Joseph.  As  appeared  in  an  earlier  chapter, 
the  city  council  of  Atchison  at  its  first  meeting  called  an  election  March  15, 
1858,  to  vote  on  a  proposition  to  subscribe  for  $100,000  in  stock.  The 
I  election  was  held  in  the  store  of  the  Burnes  Brothers,  and  S.  H.  Petefish, 
Charles  E.  Woolfolk  and  Dr.  C.  A.  Logan  were  judges  of  election.  The 
proposition  carried  almost  unanjmously,  and,  in  addition  to  the  stock  sub- 
scribed for  by  the  city,  the  citizens  of  the  town  subscribed  for  $100,000  in 
stock  individually.  The  following  May  the  contract  for  the  constniction 
of  the  road  was  awarded  to  Butcher,  Auld  &  Dean  at  $3,700  per  mile.  There 
were  fourteen  other  l)idders.  The  members  of  the  firm  which  made  the 
successful  bid  were :  Ephraim  Butcher,  David  Auld,  James  Auld  and  William 
Dean.  Work  of  construction  was  started  May  12,  1858,  but  was  not  fin- 
ished until  February  22,  i860.  The  completion  of  this  road  to  Atchison 
was  of  ver}-  far  reaching  importance.  The  town  was  wild  with  excitement, 
for  the  new  railroad  gave  the  town  its  first  direct  rail  connection  with  the 
east.  Its  terminus  at  Winthrop  (East  Atchison)  was  the  first  western  point 
east  of  the  Rocky  mountains  reached  by  a  railroad  at  that  time  in  the  United 
States,  save  one.     The  first  railroad  built  between  tlie  Mississippi  and  the 

174 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 


'/3 


Missouri  rivers  was  the  Hannibal  &  St.  Joseph,  which  was  completed  to  St. 
Joseph  Februar}-  23,  1859,  and  the  new  railroad  from  Atchison  connected 
with  the  Hannibal  &  St.  Joseph  at  the  latter  point. 

Richard  B.  Morris  was  the  first  conductor  of  the  Atchison  road,  and 
he  subsequently  became  internal  revenue  collector  of  Kansas  under  Cleve- 
land. Following  the  completion  of  the  road,  a  great  celebration  was  held  at 
Atchison  June  13,  i860,  and  the  people  not  only  celebrated  the  completion 
of  the  St.  Joseph  line,  but  also  the  breaking  of  ground  on  the  Atchison  & 
Pike's  Peak  railroad,  now  the  Central  Branch.  Great  preparations  were 
made  for  the  celebration  weeks  in  advance  and  promptly  following  the  hour 
of  12  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  June  13,  i860,  the  firing  of  100 
guns  at  intervals  began,  which  was  kept  up  with  monotonous  regular- 
ity until  daybreak.  Flags  and  bunting  fluttered  from  poles  and  windows 
throughout  the  city,  and  a  special  train  of  invited  guests  from  the  East  ar- 
rived at  Winthrop  before  noon  with  flags  flying  and  bands  playing".  The 
passenger  steamer,  "Black  Hawk,"  loaded  to  the  guards  with  citizens  from 
Kansas  City,  reached  Atchison  early  in  the  morning,  and  leading  citizens  also 
came  from  Wyandotte,  Leavenworth,  Lawrence,  Topeka  and  other  towns. 
The  city  had  been  cleaned  up  and  put  in  holiday  attire  by  the  city  author- 
ities. The  town  had  never  before  presented  such  a  gay  appearance.  Frank 
A.  Root  in  his  interesting  book,  "The  Overland  Stage  to  California,"  who 
was  present  at  the  celebration,  has  perhaps  written  the  most  interesting  ac- 
count of  this  event  that  has  ever  been  printed.     He  says : 

"In  the  procession  that  formed  along  Second  street,  one  of  the  unique 
and  attractive  features  was  a  mammoth  government  wagon  trimmed  with 
evergreens  and  loaded  with  thirty-four  girls  dressed  in  white,  representing 
every  State  in  the  Union  and  the  Territory  of  Kansas.  There  were  three 
other  wagons  filled  with  little  girls  similarly  dressed,  representing  all  the 
forty-one  counties  of  Kansas  in  its  last  year  of  territorial  existence. 

"One  of  the  contractors  for  government  freighting  had  a  huge  prairie 
schooner,  drawn  by  twenty-nine  yoke  of  oxen,  the  head  of  each  animal  or- 
namented with  a  small  flag,  while  he  himself  was  mounted  upon  a  mule.  The 
contractor  was  quite  an  attraction,  dressed  in  the  peculiar  western  prairie 
and  plains  frontier  cow-boy  costume  with  buckskin  pants,  red  flannel  shirt, 
boots  nearly  knee  high,  with  revolver  and  bowie  knife  buckled  around  his 
waist,  dangling  by  his  side.  The  procession  in  line,  marched  west  along 
Commercial  street  to  near  Tenth.  It  was  a  long  one  and  it  was  estimated 
that  there  were  7,000  people  in  it  and  at  least  10,000  in  the  city  witnessing 


^ 


176  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY 

the  festivities.  The  ceremony  of  lireaking  i^round  for  these  two  roads 
took  place  about  noon,  but  there  was  nothing  particularly  imposing  about  it. 
The  most  important  part  of  the  ceremonies  was  the  turning  over  of  a  few- 
spadefuls  of  dirt  by  Col.  Peter  T.  Abell,  president  of  the  road,  and  Capt.  Eph. 
Butcher,  the  contractor,  who  built  the  Atchison  &  St.  Joseph  road.  The  event 
was  witnessed  by  fully  5.000  people,  after  which  the  monster  procession 
formed,  and.  headed  by  a  brass  band,  and  other  bands  at  different  places  in 
the  line,  marched  across  White  Clay  creek  to  the  grove  in  the  southwest 
part  of  the  city,  where  the  oration  was  delivered  by  Benj.  F.  Stringfellow. 
Following  the  oration  several  speeches  were  made  by  the  mosf  prominent 
of  the  invited  guests,  one  of  them  by  Col.  C.  K.  Holli^aVi^of  Topeka,  one 
of  the  founders  of  the  great  Santa  F"e  system.  The  barbeque  was  an  im- 
portant feature  of  the  affair.  Six  beeves,  tv/enty  hogs,  and  over  fifty-sheep, 
pigs  and  lambs  were  roasted.  There  was  also  prepared  more  than  one  hun- 
dred boiled  hams,  several  thousand  loaves  of  bread,  cakes  by  the  hundred, 
besides  sundry  other  delicacies  to  tickle  the  palate  and  help  make  the  occasion 
one  long  to  be  remembered  by  all  present.  The  exercises  were  quite  elal)- 
orate  and  wound  up  with  a  ball  in  the  evening  at  A.  S.  Parker's  hall  on  the 
west  side  of  Sixth  street,  between  Commercial  and  Main  and  a  wine  supper 
in  Charley  Holbert's  building  on  Second  street,  just  north  of  the  Massasoit 
House.  Many  visitors  came  from  a  long  distance  east,  some  as  far  as  New 
England.  Most  of  the  Northern  States  were  represented,  and  a  few  came 
from  the  South.  Free  transportation  was  furnished  the  invited  guests. 
Hundreds  came  by  rail  and  steamboat  and  many  poured  in  from  the  sur- 
rounding countiy  for  miles,  in  wagons  and  on  horseback,  from  eastern 
Kansas  and  western  Missouri." 

\\niile  a  strong  movement  for  the  ccinstruction  of  railroads  was  started 
in  i860,  it  was  soon  discovered  that  much  progress  could  not  be  made  in 
the  face  of  the  unsettled  conditions  brought  on  by  the  Civil  war,  and,  as  a 
result  a  further  effort  in  that  direction,  was,  for  the  time  being,  abandoned. 
However,  Luther  C.  Challiss  did  not  give  up  his  idea  of  projecting  a  road  to 
the  West,  and  to  him  more  than  to  anybody  else  belongs  the  creditof^  start- 
ing the  first  road  west  out  of  Atchison.  He  obtained  a  charter  for  the 
building  of  the  Atchison  &  Pike's  Peak  railroad  and  this  company  was  organ- 
ized February  11,  1859,  but  on  account  of  the  war  was  not  opened  to  Water- 
ville  until  Januaiy  20,  1868.  Challiss  obtained  possession  of  150.000  acres 
of  Jand  from  the  Kickapoo  Indians  by  a  treaty,  and.  upon  the  organization 
of  the  company  he  was  elected  president.     The  land  he  secured   from  the 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  I77 

Indians  was,  for  the  most  part,  located  in  Atchison  county,  around  Muscotali, 
and  adjoining  counties.  With  Mr.  Challiss  were  associated  Charks  B.  Keith, 
who  was  the  agent  of  the  Kickapoo  Indians,  George  \V.  Glick  and  Senators 
Pomeroy  and  Lane.  In  the  charter  for  this  road  provision  was  made  for 
its  construction  lOO  miles  west  of  Atchison.  Col.  William  Osborn,  who 
had  constructed  the  west  half  of  the  Hannibal  &  St.  Joseph  railroad,  built 
the  first  section  of  the  Central  Branch  to  Waterville.  He  named  the  town 
after  his  old  home  in  New  York,  where  he  was  born.  It  was  proposed  at 
this  point  to  make  a  connection  with  a  branch  running  from  Kansas  City 
to  Ft.  Kearney,  Neb.,  but  tlie  Kansas  City  road  was  subsequently  changed 
to  Denver,  and  for  this  reason  it  has  been  said  the  Central  Branch  was  not 
completed  to  Denver,  as  originally  planned. 

The  Atchison  &  Pike's  Peak  Railroad  Company  was  incorporated  by 
special  act  of  the  Territorial  legislature  of  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  chapter 
48,  "Private  Laws  of  Kansas,  1859,"  ^""^  authorized  to  construct  a  rail- 
road from  Atchison  to  the  western  boundary  of  the  Territory  in  the  direc- 
tion of  Pike's  Peak.  Subsequently,  the  Atchison  &  Pike's  Peak  Railroad 
Compan}^  became  the  assignee  of  all  the  rights,  privileges  and  franchises  of 
the  Hannibal  &  St.  Joseph  Railroad  Company,  given  and  granted  under  an 
Act  of  Congress,  of  July  8,  1862,  Twelfth  Statute,  page  489,  entitled :  "An 
Act  to  aid  in  the  constraction  of  a  railroad  and  telegraph  line  from  the  IVIis- 
souri  river  to  the  Pacific  ocean,  and  to  secure  to  the  government  the  use  of 
same  for  postal,  military  and  other  purposes,"  which  provided  that  the  Han- 
nibal &  St.  Joseph  Railroad  Company  might  extend  its  road  from  St.  Joseph 
via  Atchison,  to  connect  and  unite  with  a  railroad  in  Kansas,  provided  for 
in  said  Act,  for  one  hundred  miles  in  length  next  to  the  Missouri  river,  and 
might,  for  that  purpose,  use  any  railroad  charter,  which  had,  or  might  have 
been  granted,  by  the  legislature  of  Kansas.  Accordingly,  the  work  of  con- 
struction from  Atchison  west  was  inaugurated  under  the  name  of  the  Atch- 
ison &  Pike's  Peak  Railroad  Company.  On  January  i,  1867,  by  virtue  of  the 
laws  of  the  State  of  Kansas,  the  name  of  Atchison  &  Pike's  Peak  Railroad 
Company  was  changed  to  the  Central  Branch  Union  Pacific  Railroad  Com- 
pany, and  the  latter  company  completed  the  railroad  from  Atchison  to  Water- 
ville. 

THE  ATCHISON,  TOrEKA   &  SANTA   FE  RAITAVAV  COMPANY. 

Tlie  first  real  move  for  the  construction  of  a  railroad  from  the  Missouri 
river,  west,  resulted  in  a  charter  granted  by  the  Territorial  legislature  to  the 
12 


IjS  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

St.  Joseph  &  Topeka  Railroad  Company  February  20,  1857.  Under  the 
terms  of  the  charter  the  road  was  to  start  from  St.  Joseph,  Mo. :  thence 
crossing  the  river  through  Doniphan,  Atchison  and  Jefferson  counties  to 
Topeka.  Tlie  cliarter  was  subsequently  amended  and  the  road  was  extended 
in  the  direction  of  Santa  Fe,  N.  M..  to  the  southwestern  line  of  Kansas, 
which  is  practically  the  same  route  now  traversed  by  the  Atchison,  Topeka 
&  Santa  Fe  railroad.  The  desire  on  the  part  of  the  people  for  direct  rail- 
road connection  with  the  Missouri  river  and  the  East  gave  to  this  move- 
ment great  impetus,  and  there  was  considerable  rivalry  between  the  towns 
to  offer  aid  and  assistance.  The  people  of  Atchison  were  particularly 
anxious  to  make  this  town  tlie  terminal  point  and  the  future  railway  center 
of  the  great  trans-continental  system,  and  strongly  opposed  any  project 
which  would  make  Atchison  simply  a  way  station  on  the  great  road  to  the 
West.  \\'it]i  a  view  to  avert  such  action  on  the  part  of  those  behind  the 
movement  to  construct  this  road,  it  was  determined  to  make  Atchison  the 
eastern  terminus  of  the  same.  Accordingly,  Atchison  loaned  its  credit  to  the 
amount  of  $150,000,  by  aid  of  which  subsidj'  a  direct  road  was  built  on 
the  Missouri  side  of  the  river  from  St.  Joseph  and  thence  north  under  an- 
other charter  with  Atchison,  Kan.,  instead  of  St.  Joseph  as  the  eastern  ter- 
minus, the  enterprise  was  carried  on  .'^.nd  as  a  result  the  citizens  of  Kansas  Ter- 
riton,-  were  much  elated  with  the  added  prestige  of  the  railroad  being  a  Kan- 
sas corporation.  The  Atchison  &  Tojjeka  Railroad  Company  was  incor- 
porated by  an  Act  of  the  legislature  February  ii,  1B59.  Those  named  as 
the  original  incorporators  were:  S.  C.  Ponieroy,  Atchison;  C.  K.  llalliday, 
Topeka;  Luther  C.  Challiss,  Atchi.son ;  Peter  T.  Abell,  Atchison;  Aspah  Allen, 
Topeka;  Milton  C.  Dickey.  Topeka;  Samuel  Dickson,  Atchison;  Wilson  L. 
Gordon,  Topeka;  "George  S.  Hillyer,  Grasshopper  Falls;  Lorenzo  D.  Bird, 
Atchison ;  Jeremiah  ]Mar.sliall,  Topeka ;  George  H.  Fairchild,  Atchison ;  F. 
L.  Crane.  Topeka.  The  company  was  "authorized  to  sur\'ey,  locate,  con- 
struct, complete,  alter,  maintain  and  operate  a  railroad  with  one  or  more 
tracks  from  or  near  Atchison  in  Kansas  Territory,  to  the  town  of  Topeka. 
in  Kansas  Territory,  and  to  such  point  on  the  southern  or  western  boundar\' 
of  said  Territory  in  the  direction  of  Santa  Fe  as  may  be  convenient  and 
suitable  for  the  construction  of  said  road  and  also  to  construct  a  branch  to 
any  point  on  the  southern  line  of  said  Territory  in  the  direction  of  the  Gulf 
of  Mexico."'  The  authorized  capital  stock  was  $1,500,000,  and  the  first 
y  meeting  for  organization  under  the  charter  was  held  at  the  office  of  Luther 
C.  Challis  in  Atchison  Septemljer  15,  1859,  at  wliich  meeting  $52,000  of  the 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  1 79 

first  subscription  of  stock  was  paid,  and  the  following  directors  were  chosen : 
L.  C.  ChalHss.  George  H.  Fairchild,  P.  T.  Abell,  S.  C.  Pomeroy.  L.  D.  Bird, 
C.  K.  HalHday,  F.  L.  Crane,  E.  G.  Ross,  Joel  H.  Huntoon,  M.  C.  Dickey, 
Jacob  Safford.  R.  H.  Weightman,  and  J.  H.  Stringfellow.  The  officers 
were :  C.  K.  Holliday,  president ;  P.  T.  Abel),  secretar}^ ;  M.  C.  Dickey,  treas- 
urer. It  will  be  seen  that  the  majority  of  the  incorporators  and  of  the  offi- 
cers were  citizens  of  Atchison,  and  it  is  an  important  fact  in  the  history  of 
Kansas  that  Atchison  county  played  such  an  important  part  in  the  organiza- 
tion and  construction  of  the  first  railroad  lines  in  the  State.  Had  it  not 
been  for  the  terrible  drought  Qf_  1860,  which  totally  paralyzed  all  classes 
oi  business,  the  work  of  constructing  this  road  immediately  following  its  or- 
ganization would  have  gone  forward,  but  the  famine  which  followed  the 
drought  was  so  complete  and  so  widely  distributed  throughout  the  State  and 
the  western  country  as  to  almost  destroy  the  farming-  interests.  During  this 
period  the  directors  of  tlie  road  decided  to  press  the  claims  of  Kansas  for  a 
national  subsidy  for  the  construction  of  railroads,  and  President  C.  K.  Holli- 
day, with  a  number  of  his  associates,  spent  much-  time  in  Washington  dur- 
ing 1859  and  i860.  Their  work  was  not  in  ^•ain,  for  on  March  3,  1863,  Con- 
gress made  a  grant  of  land  to  the  State  of  Kansas,  giving  alternate  sections 
one  mile  square  and  ten  in  width,  amounting  to  6,400  acres  per  mile,  on  con- 
dition that  the  Atchison-Topeka  road  should  be  finished  on  or  before  1873. 
The  State  accepted  the  grant  and  transferred  it  to  this  road  Februarv  Q,  1864. 
It  was  in  October,  1868,  almost  ten  years  after  the  date  that  the  first  charter 
was  granted  to  this  road  that  work  of  construction  was  begun  in  Topeka. 
The  road  was  first  built  in  a  southerly  direction  so  as  to  reach  the  coal  region 
in  Osage  county.  It  was  opened  to  Carbondale,  eighteen  miles  from  Topeka, 
in  July,  1869,  and  readied  Wichita,  163  miles  from  Topeka,  in  May,  1872, 
and  at  about  the  same  time  in  1872  the  road  was  completed  from  Topeka 
to  Atchison,  a  distance  of  fifty-one  miles. 

ATCHISON    &   NEBRASKA   CITY   RAILR0.\D. 

On  May  5,  1867,  the  charter  for  the  Atchison  «&;  Nebraska  City  Railroad 
Company  was  filed  in  the  office  of  the  secretary  of  State  of  the  State  of  Kan- 
sas. The  original  incorporators  of  this  road  were  Peter  T.  Abell.  George 
W.  Click,  Alfred  G.  Otis,  John  M.  Price.  W.  W.  Cochrane,  Albert  H.  Hor- 
ton,  Samuel  A.  Kingman,  J.  T.  Hereford  and  Augustus  Byram,  all  of  whom 
were  citizens  of  Atchison.     The  charter  provided  for  the  construction  of  a 


l8o  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

railroad  from  "some  point  in  the  city  of  Atchison  to  some  point  on  the  north 
hne  of  the  State  of  Kansas,  not  farther  west  than  twenty-five  miles  from 
the  jNlissouri  river,  and  the  length  of  tlie  proposed  railroad  will  not  exceed 
forty-five  miles."  Shortly  after  the  road  was  incorporated  the  name  was 
changed  to  the  Atchison  &  Nebraska  Railroad  Company,  and  under  this 
name  subscriptions  in  bonds  and  capital  stock  were  made  in  Atchison  and 
Doniphan  counties.  Atchison  county  subscribed  for  $150,000,  and  in  addi- 
tion to  the  subscription  of  the  county  there  were  individual  subscriptions 
amounting  to  $80,000  in  the  county.  Work  was  commenced  on  the  road 
in  1869,  and  it  was  completed  in  1871  to  the  northern  boundary  of  Doni- 
phan county,  three  miles  north  of  Whitecloud.  The  stockholders  of  Atchi- 
son graded  the  road  bed  to  the  State  line,  constructed  bridges  and  furnished 
the  ties,  after  which  the  entire  property  was  given  to  a  Boston  syndicate  in 
consideration  of  the  completion  and  operation  of  the  road.  This  railroad 
was  afterwards  consolidated  with  the  .'\tchison.  Lincoln  &  Columbus  Rail- 
road Company  of  Nebraska,  which  road  had  lieen  authorized  to  construct 
a  railroad  from  the  northern  terminal  point  of  the  Atchison  &  Nebraska  rail- 
road to  Columbus,  on  the  Union  Pacific  railroad,  by  way  of  Lincoln,  and 
the  road  was  completed  to  Lincoln  in  the  fall  of  1872.  This  consolidated 
road  was  purchased  by  the  Burlington  &  Missouri  River  Railroad  Company 
in   1880.  • 

KANSAS   CITY,    LEAVENWORTH    &    ATCHISON    RAILWAY    CO>rPANY. 

This  road  was  organized  by  articles  of  association  filed  in  the  office 
of  the  Secretarj-  of  the  State  of  Kansas  September  21,  1867,  and  March  25, 

1868,  and  the  Missouri  River  Railroad  Company  by  articles  of  association 
filed  February  20,  1865,  and  the  construction  of  tlie  Leavenworth,  Atchi- 
son &   Northwestern   railroad  was  commenced   at   Leavenworth  in   March, 

1869,  and  completed  to  Atchison  in  September,  1S69.  The  stock 
held  in  the  company  by  Leavenworth  county,  aggregating  $300,000,  was  do- 
nated to  this  road  to  aid  in  its  extension  to  Atchison,  and  the  first  train  into 
Atchison  arrived  in  the  latter  part  of  1869.  It  was  not  until  July,  1882, 
however,  that  the  first  train  was  run  through  from  Atchison  to  Omaha  over 
the  line  of  the  Missouri  Pacific  railroad,  which  subsequently  absorbed  the 
Leavenworth,  Atchison  &  Northwestern   Railroad  Company. 

THE    CHICAGO,    ROCK    ISLAND    &    PACIFIC    RAILWAY    COMPANY. 

The  Chicago,  Rock  Island  &  Pacific  Railway  Company  was  one  of  the 
last  of  the   railroads   to   make  connection   with   Atchison.      This   line   was 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  lOI 

originally  projcctetl  to  Leavenworth,  hut  reached  Atchison  shortly  after.  The 
construction  of  the  Atchison  branch  was  begun  in  1S72,  and  in  July  of  that 
year  the  first  train  was  run-  into  the  city. 

All  of  these  roads  having  been  organized  and  constructed  and  in  opera- 
tion, the  next  mo\-ement  that  took  place  in  transportation  circles  was  the 
erection  of  the  bridge  across  the  Missouri  river,  work  upon  which  was  com- 
menced in  August,  1874,  and  completed  in  July,  1875.  This  bridge  is  1,182 
feet  long  and  the  stone  for  the  piers  and  abutments  upon  which  it  rests  was 
taken  from  the  quarries  at  Cottonwood  Falls,  Chase  county.  It  was  originally 
built  by  the  American  Bridge  Company  of  Chicago,  and  was  re-built 
entirely  new,  except  for  the  piers,  in  i8q8.  Shortly  after  the  erection  of  the 
bridge,  connecting  Missouri  with  Kansas  at  Atchison,  the  first  railroad  de- 
pot was  built  upon  the  site  of  the  present  union  station,  which  was  com- 
pleted and  dedicated  September  7,  1880.  There  was  a  great  deal  of  dis- 
cussion as  to  the  proper  location  of  a  depot  before  the  building  was  finally 
erected,  and  it  was  through  the  efforts  of  the  Burneses  that  its  location 
on  Main  street,  between  Second  and  Fourth  street,  was  selected.  The  cap- 
ital stock  of  the  original  Depot  Company  was  $100,000,000,  of  which  the 
railroad  companies  then  entering  the  city  suliscribed  for  $70,000.  The  bal- 
ance of  the  stock  was  taken  by  individuals.  The  cost  of  the  original  depot 
was  $120,000,  and  the  architect  was  William  E.  Taylor,  who  planned  the 
old  union  station  in  Kansas  City.  James  A.  McGonigle.  who  was  the  con- 
tractor for  the  old  Kansas  City  station,  also  built  the  Atchison  union  depot.  It 
was  built  of  the  finest  pressed  brick  from  St.  Louis,  and  trimmed  with  cut 
stone  from  the  Cottowood  Falls  quarries.  Its  length  was  235  feet,  with  an 
"L"  ninety-six  feet  long.  It  was  two  stories  high  with  a  mansard  roof.  It 
was  an  ornamental,  and,  in  those  days,  an  imposing  structure.  The  cere- 
monies accompanying  its  dedication  were  witnessed  by  a  great  crowd,  and 
many  great  men  in  the  railroad  and  political  life  of  Kansas  participated  in 
them.  Gen.  Benjamin  F.  Stringfellow  delivered  the  address,  and  a  ban- 
quet was  served  in  the  evening,  followed  by  a  procession  and  fire-works. 
Tw'O  years  later,  in  June,  1882,  this  depot  was  partially  destroyed  by  fire, 
suffering  a  loss  of  $10,000,  but  it  was  immediately  rebuilt.  On  January  6, 
1888,  another  fire  completely  destroyed  the  building,  and  the  present  union 
station  was  erected  a  short  time  later. 

HANNIBAL    &    ST.    JOSEPH    RAILROAD. 

On  and  after  Monday,  February  28,  this  road  will  be  open  for  business 
throughout  its  entire  length.    Passenger  trains  will  leave  St.  Joseph  for  Han- 


1 82  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

inbal  every  morning,  making  close  connection  with  steam  packets  to  St.  Louis 
and  Ouincy,  and  affording  direct  connection  with  all  the  railroads  east  of 
the  Mississippi  river.  Time  from  St.  Joseph  to  Hannibal,  eleven  hours,  and 
to  St.  Louis,  eighteen  hours,  saving  more  than  three  days  over  any  other 
route.  Trains  from  the  east  will  arrive  in  St.  Joseph  every  evening,  con- 
necting with  a  daily  line  of  packets  running  between  St.  Joseph  and  Kansas 
City;  also  a  line  up  the  Missouri  to  the  Bluffs.  Passengers  from  all  parts 
of  Kansas  will  find  this  the  quickest  and  most  agreeable  route  to  St.  Louis 
and  all  points  on  the  Mississippi,  giving  those  going  east  a  choice  between  the 
routes  from  St.  Louis.  Alton  and  Ouincy.  Fare  will  be  as  low  as  by  any 
other  route.  Favorable  arrangements  will  be  made  for  taking  freight,  saving 
most  of  the  heavy  insurance  on  the  Missouri  river.  Express  freight  will  be 
taken  through  much  quicker  than  by  any  other  line. 

Tickets  can  be  had  at  the  office  in  St.  Joseph  for  nearly  all  parts  of  the 
countr^^ 

JOSL\H  HUNT,  Sup't. 

P.  B.  GROAT,  Gen'l.  Ticket  Ag't. 
Feb.   1st,  1859.  no.  48-lm. 

(From  Freedom's  Cftampion,   Atchison.    Februarys    12.    1859.) 

HANNIBAL  &  ST.  JOSEPH   RAILROAD. 
NEW   ROUTE  OPEN    FOR  THE   E.\ST   AND  SOUTH. 

Passengers  for  St.  Louis,  northern  Missouri,  Iowa.  Chicago,  Cincinnati, 
Detroit,  Boston,  New  York,  Philadelphia,  Baltimore,  New  Orleans,  Louis- 
ville and  Southern  States,  will  find  this  the  shortest,  quickest  and  most  de- 
sirable route  to  the  above  points.  On  the  ist  day  of  February  only  fifteen 
miles  of  staging  intervenes  between  St.  Joseph  and  Hannibal,  and  on  the  ist 
day  of  March,  1859,  the  road  will  be  completed,  and  open  for  through  travel 
the  entire  length.  A  daily  line  of  stages  from  Atchison,  passing  through 
Doniphan  and  Geary  City,  connects  at  St.  Joseph  with  the  H.  &  St.  Jo. 
railroad.  From  Hannibal  a  daily  line  of  packets  leave  upon  arrival  of  cars 
for  St.  Louis,  upon  the  opening  of  navigation,  and  lioats  connect  at  Ouincy 
with  the  C.  B.  &  O.  railroad  for  Chicago,  and  with  the  G.  \V.  railroad  for 
Toleda  via  Naples.  This  is  in  every  respect  the  best  route  for  eastern  and 
southern  passengers.     Trains  leave  St.  Joseph  for  the  east  daily. 

JOSL\H  HUNT,  Sup't. 

P.  B.  GROAT,  General  Ticket  Agent. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  I03 

(no.  47) 
(From  Freedom's  Champion.  Atchison,  February   12.    1859.) 

THE   FIRST    TELEGRAPH. 

It  was  a  little  over  six  months  after  the  completion  of  the  Atchison  & 
St.  Joseph  railroad  that  the  first  telegraph  connection  was  established  be- 
tween Atchison  and  the  world.  The  construction  of  the  Missouri  &  Western 
telegraph  line  was  begun  in  Syracuse,  Mo.,  in  1859.  Charles  M.  Stebbins 
built  this  telegraph  line,  which  extended  from  Syracuse  to  Ft.  Smith,  Ark. 
A  branch  of  this  line  was  extended  westward  to  Kansas  City,  and  reached 
Leavenworth  along  in  the  spring  of  1859.  August  15,  1859,  this  branch 
was  extende_d  to_  Atchison,  and  it  was  a  proud  day  in  the  history  of  this  city. ' 
The  first  office  was  in  a  brick  building  on  Commercial  street  adjoining  the 
office  of  Freedom's  Champion.  John  T.  Tracy  was  the  first  operator.  Gen. 
Samuel  C.  Pomeroy  was  mayor,  and  on  this  account  the  honor  was  given 
him  of  sending  the  first  message,  which  was  as  follows :  "Atchison,  August 
15,  1859.  His  Honor,  H.  B.  Denman,  Mayor  of  Leavenworth.  Our  medium 
of  communication  is  perfect.  May  our  fraternal  relations  continue — may  our 
prosperity  and  success  equal  our  highest  efforts.  S.  C.  Pomeroy,  Mayor  of 
Atchison."  Mayor  Denman  replied  as  follows:  "Hon.  S.  C.  Pomeroy,  Mayor 
of  Atchison.  Mav  each  push  forward  its  works  of  enterprise  and  the  efforts 
of  each  be  crowned  with  success.  H.  B.  Denman,  Mayor  of  Leavenworth." 
Congratulations  were  next  exchanged  between  Atchison  and  St.  Louis,  as 
follows:  "Atchison,  August  15,  1859.  Hon.  O.  D.  Filley,  Mayor  of  St. 
Louis.  For  the  first  time  since  the  world  began,  a  telegraph  message  is  sent 
to  St.  Louis  from  this  place,  the  farthest  telegrapli  station  in  the  West.  Ac- 
cept our  congratulations  and  aid  us  in  our  progress  westward.  S.  C.  Pome- 
roy, Mayor  of  Atchison."  It  was  in  October  of  that  same  year  that  the  first 
news  was  flashed  over  the  wire  telling  of  the  capture  of  Flarper's  Ferry  by 
old  John  Brown. 

In  connection  with  the  question  of  early  day  transportation  in  Atchison 
county,  it  would  be  an  oversight  to  fail  to  mention  the  efforts  of  one  Thomas 
L.  Fortune  to  improve  the  means  of  locomotion.  Mr.  Fortune  was  a  citizen 
of  Mt.  Pleasant,  and  in  the  fall  of  1859  he  conceived  the  scheme  which 
he  believed  would  revolutionize  the  whole  transportation  problem.  lie 
planned  a  steam  wagon  with  which  he  expected  to  haul  freight  across  the 
plains.     The  following  year  he  built  at  St.   Louis,  a  large  vehicle,  twenty 


184  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

feet  long  by  eight  feet  wide.  The  wheels  were  twenty  inches  wide  and  eight 
feet  in  diameter.  This  wagon  was  transported  up  the  Missouri  river  to 
Atchison  from  St.  Louis  on  the  steamer,  "Meteor,"  and  was  landed  from  the 
steamer  in  front  of  the  \\'hite  Mice  saloon,  which  was  a  noted  resort  on  the 
Atchison  levee  at  that  time,  in  the  latter  part  of  June,  i860.  The  follow- 
ing account  is  taken  from  Frank  A.  Root's  "Overland  Stage  to  California" : 

A  day  or  two  after  its  arrival  (referring  to  Fortune's  wagon) 
Mr.  Root  says  that  it  was  arranged  that  the  steam  wagon  should  make  a 
trial  trip  on  the  Fourth  of  July.  The  monster  was  accordingly  fired  up  on 
the  eighty-fourth  National  anniversary  and  started  by  an  engineer  named 
Callahan.  The  wagon  was  ornamented  with  a  number  of  flags  and  loaded 
with  a  crowd  of  anxious  men  and  boys.  When  everj-thing  was  in  readiness 
the  valve  was  opened  and  the  wagon  moved  off  in  a  southerly  direction  from 
the  levee.  It  went  all  right  until  it  reached  the  foot  of  Commercial  street, 
about  a  square  away.  The  pilot  failing  to  turn  the  machine,  it  kept  on 
straight  up  to  the  sidewalk  and  ran  into  A.  S.  Parker's  warehouse,  which 
stood  so  many  years  by  the  old  historic  cottonwood  tree  at  the  southeast  cor- 
ner of  Commercial  street  and  the  levee.  The  result  of  this  awkard  blunder 
was  an  accident,  in  which  a  son  of  the  owner  of  tlie  wagon  had  an  arm 
broken,  as  the  machine  crashed  into  the  side  of  the  building,  which  was  a 
long,  one-storj'  frame  cottonwood  structure  that  for  a  number  of  years  was 
a  noted  landmark  in  Atchison.  The  excited  engineer  was  at  once  let  out 
and  Lewis  Higby,  another  engineer,  and  a  natural  genius,  was  sent  for. 
Higby  mounted  the  wagon  and  took  his  place  at  the  engine,  backed  the  ma- 
chine out  into  the  middle  of  the  road  and  in  a  few  minutes  went  sailing 
gracefully  along  west  on  Commercial  street  at  about  six  miles  per  hour. 
When  in  front  of  Jesse  Crall's  stable  at  the  corner  of  Sixth  street,  before  that 
part  of  Commercial  street  had  been  graded,  it  went  down  a  little  hill  at  a 
lively  speed,  but  Higby  kept  it  going  and  did  not  stop  until  it  reached  L.  C. 
Challiss'  addition,  just  south  and  west  from  Commercial  and  Eighth  streets. 
near  Morgan  Willard's  old  foundry,  built  in  1859,  away  from  the  business 
and  residence  portion  of  the  city. 

After  the  wagon  crossed  Eighth  street  and  was  beyond  the  business 
houses.  Higby  turned  on  more  steam,  and  the  monster  veliicle  made  about 
eight  miles  an  hour,  cavorting  around  on  the  bottom,  there  being  only  a  few 
scattering  buildings  then  west  of  Eighth  street.  To  test  the  practicability 
of  the  machine,  it  was  run  into  hollows  and  gullies,  and,  where  the  ground 
was  soft  it  was  found  that  the  ponderous  wheels  would  sink  into  the  mud 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  1 85 

when  standing  still  in  soft  ground.     The  result  of  the  trial,   witnessed  by  ^ 
hundreds,  was  disappointing  to  most  of  those  present.     The  inventor,  who 
had  spent  a  large  amount  of  money  and  much  time  in  trying  to  perfect  his 
steam  wagon  and  solve  the  overland  transportation  problem,  was  the  worst  C 
disappointed.     He  was  thoroughly  disgusted.     He  saw  at  once  that  the  use  ^^ 
of  the  vehicle  was  impracticable  and  that  it  would  never  answer  the  purpose.  , 
That  trial  trip  was  the  first  and  only  one  the  "overland  steam  wagon"  ever 
made.     It  was  accordingly  abandoned  on  the  bottom  where  the  tracks  of  the 
Central  Branch  and  Santa  Fe  roads  are  now  laid,  and  was  never  afterwards 
fired  up.     Those  who  had  crossed  the  plains  with  mules  and  oxen,  kr.ew  it 
could  never  be  used  in  overland  freighting.     There  was  no  use  for  any  such 
vehicle  and  the  anticipated  reduction   in  prices  of  ox  and  mule  teams  did 
not  take  place.    The  timbers  used  in  the  framework  of  the  machine  that  were 
not  stolen  finally  went  to  decay,  and  the  machinery  was  afterwards  taken 
out  and  disposed  of  for  other  purposes. 

MODERN     TR.\NSP0RTATI0N. 

The  propitious  beginning  that  Atchison  had  as  a  commercial  and  trans- 
portation center  should  have  made  the  town  one  of  the  largest  and  most 
important  railroad  terminals  in  the  West.  That  was  the  hope  and  aspiration 
of  its  original  founders,  and  for  many  years  afterwards  it  was  a  cherished 
idea.  But  Kansas  City  was  subsequently  selected  as  the  point  of  vantage, 
and  the  builders  of  this  great  western  empire  have  since  centralized  their 
activities  at  the  mouth  of  the  "Kaw,"  and  it  is  there  that  the  metropolis  of 
the  West  will  be  built.  However,  a  marvelous  development  has  taken  place 
here  since  the  day  of  the  Holladay  and  Butterfield  stage  lines  and  slow- 
moving  ox  and  mule  trains  across  the  plains.  We  no  longer  marvel  at  the 
volume  of  trade  and  freight  tonnage  and  the  multitude  of  travelers  that  pass 
through  Atchison  every  year.  We  take  these  things  as  a  matter  of  course, 
and  make  no  note  of  the  daily  arrival  and  departure  of  the  fifty-six  passen- 
ger trains  at  our  union  depot  every  day;  we  marvel  not  at  the  speed  and  the 
ease  and  comfort  with  which  we  can  make  the  trip  to  St.  Louis  or  Chicago, 
over  night,  or  to  Denver  in  less  than  twenty-four  hours,  or  to  New  York 
in  two  and  one-half  days,  and  to  San  Francisco  in  less  than  five,  surrounded 
by  evei"y  luxury  money  can  buy.  We  have  accustomed  ourselves  to  these 
marvels,  just  as  we  have  learned  to  make  use  of  the  telephone  and  the  tele- 
graph, and  a  little  later  on  will  begin  to  use  the  air  ship  and  the  wireless. 
Nature  has  a  way  of  easily  adjusting  mankind  to  these  changed  conditions. 


CHAPTER  XII. 


REMINISCENCES  OF  EARLY  PIONEERS. 


D.    R.    ATCHISON' MATT    GERBER J.    H.    TALBOTT WILLIAM    OSBORNE JOHX 

W.    CAIN W.    L.    CHALLISS GEORGE   SCARBOROUGH SAMUEL   HOLLISTER 

JOHN     TAYLOR JOHN      M.      CROWELL LUTHER     DICKERSON I.ITHER 

C.    CHALLISS — GEORGE    W.    GLICK W.    K.    GRIMES JOSHUA    WHEELER 

WILLIAM    HETHERINGTON WILLIAM    C.    SMITH JOHN    M.    PRICE SAM- 
UEL    C.      KING CLEM     ROHR R.      H.      WEIGHTMAN  CASE     OF      MAJOR 

WEIGHTMAN. 

One  of  the  really  creditable  and  most  pretentious  newspaper  enterprises 
ever  undertaken  and  accomplished  in  Kansas  was  E.  W.  Howe's  Historical 
Edition  of  the  Atchison  Daily  Globe.  It  contains  much  interesting  and  val- 
uable information  written  in  the  unique  style  which  has  made  Mr.  Howe 
famous.  With  the  consent  of  Mr.  Howe,  which  he  has  ver\'  kindly  granted 
the  author  of  this  histor}',  there  will  appear  in  this  chapter,  almost  verbatim, 
a  number  of  biographical  sketches  and  other  interesting  matter,  which  has 
should  be  printed  in  book  form  so  that  it  could  be  assured  of  a  permanent  place 
in  the  archives  of  the  State.  There  are  but  few  copies  left,  and  these  are  in  a 
bad  state  of  disintegration.  The  sketch  of  Gen.  D.  R.  Atchison  will  first  be 
reproduced  herein,  and  then  will  follow  others,  toucliing  upon  the  lives  and 
characters  of  early  settlers,  who  contributed  their  part  to  the  upbuilding  of 
this  community.  Much  ha^  already  appeared  in  this  history  touching  upon 
the  activities  of  General  Atchison,  but  a  sketch  of  his  life  is  important,  inas- 
much as  he  is  perhaps  the  most  conspicuous  early-day  character  in  the  Iiistory 
of  Atchison  county. 

GENERAL  D.   R.  ATCHISON. 

David  Rice  Atchison,  for  whom  Atchison  was  named,  was  born  near 
Lexington,  Fayette  county,  Kentucky,  August  ii,  1807.     The  son  of  William 

'  186 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  187 

Atchison,  a  \vealtli_\-  farmer  of  that  count}-,  he  received  all  the  ad\-antages  of 
a  liberal  education.  His  mother's  maiden  name  was  Catherine  Allen,  a  native 
of  the  State  of  Georgia.  William  Atchison,  the  father,  was  a  Pennsylvanian 
by  birth. 

David  R.  Atchison  was  blessed  with  six  cliildren,  four  sons  and  two 
daughters.  In  1825  he  graduated  with  high  honor  from  Transylvania  Uni- 
versity, then  the  leading  institution  of  learning  in  the  State,  and  since  incor- 
porated in  the  new  University  of  Kentucky. 

Upon  receiving  his  degrees  in  the  arts,  Mr.  Atchison  immediately  applied 
himself  to  the  study  of  law.  In  1829  Mr.  Atchison  was  admitted  to  practice 
in  his  native  State,  and  a  few  months  after,  in  1830,  removed  to  the  compara- 
tively wild  district  of  Clay  county,  Missouri.  In  April  of  that  year  he  re- 
ceived in  St.  Louis  his  license  to  practice  in  the  supreme  court  of  the  State 
and  immediately  settled  in  the  village  of  Liberty,  now  the  county  seat  of  Clay 
county.  About  this  period,  Mr.  Atchison  was  appointed  major  general  of 
the  northern  division  of  the  Missouri  State  militia. 

General  Atchison  soon  commanded  a  lucrative  practice  in  his  new  home, 
where  he  continued  to  reside  in  the  discharge  of  the  duties  of  his  profession 
until  February,  1841,  when  his  superior  legal  attainments,  which  were  known 
and  recognized  throughout  tlie  State,  won  for  him  the  appointment  as  judge 
of  the  district  court  of  Platte  county  on  its  organization  in  February  of  that 
year,  when  he  moved  his  residence  to  Platte  City.  It  appears  that  in  that 
day  judges  were  appointed  to  this  position  by  the  Government,  with  the  advice 
and  consent  of  the  Senate.  The  office  was  not  made  elective  until  several 
years  after.  In  1834  and  1838  he  was  elected  to  the  Missouri  legislature  from 
Clay  county. 

Upon  the  death  of  Dr.  Lyon,  United  States  senator,  in  1838,  Judge  Atchi- 
son was  appointed  by  Governor  Reynolds  to  the  vacancy  in  the  Senate.  It 
was  by  many  considered  that  this  appointment  was  merited  and  he  had  been 
recommended  by  Colonel  Benton  and  other  authorities  of  the  Democratic 
party ;  by  others  it  was  said  that  the  governor  himself  was  ambitious  of  the 
senatorship  and  had  selected  Judge  Atchison  as  a  person  who  could  be  easily 
beaten  at  the  next  election.  The  death  of  Governor  Reynolds,  however, 
occurred  before  the  meeting  of  the  next  legislature  and  Judge  Atchison  was 
elected  with  but  slight  opposition.  He  was  reelected  for  two  more  terms,  the 
last  of  which  expired  March  4,  1855,  during  the  administration  of  Franklin 
Pierce.  Two  years  after  this  he  moved  his  residence  from  Platte  to  Clinton 
county.  He  was  elected  president  of  the  Senate  to  succeed  Judge  Mangun,  a 
Whig  senator  from  North  Carolina. 


l88  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

The  4th  of  March.  1849.  occurring  on  Sunday.  Zachary  Taylor  was  not 
inaugurated  until  the  following  Monday.  Judge  Atchison  thus,  as  presiding 
officer  of  the  Senate,  became  virtually  President  of  the  United  States  during 
the  term  of  twenty-four  hours.  In  referring  to  this  accidental  dignity,  on 
being  interrogated  as  to  how  he  enjoyed  his  exalted  position,  the  venerable 
senator  good  humoredly  replied  that  he  could  tell  but  little  ab<iut  it  as,  over- 
come with  fatigue  consequent  to  several  days  and  nights  of  official  labor,  he 
slept  through  nearly  his  whole  term  of  service. 

Judge  Atchison  became  especially  prominent  in  the  legislature  for  the 
organization  of  the  territories  of  Kansas  and  Nebraska,  and  claims  to  have 
originated  the  repeal  of  the  Missouri  Compromise  bill.  On  his  retirement 
from  the  Senate,  of  which  he  was  an  honored  member  for  the  space  of  twelve 
years,  during  the  larger  part  of  the  time  as  presiding  officer,  he  continued  to 
take  a  lively  interest  in  the  politics  of  the  country,  and  was  regarded  as  a 
leader  and  chief  adviser  of  the  pro-slaverj'  party  in  Kansas  during  the  troubles 
which  preceded  the  admission  as  a  State.  In  1856  we  find  him  in  command 
of  1,150  men  at  a  point  called  Santa  Fe.  On  the  2gth  of  August,  the  same 
year,  a  detachment  from  General  Atchison's  army  attacked  Osawatomie, 
which  was  defended  by  about  fifty  men,  who  made  a  vigorous  resistance  but 
were  defeated  with  a  loss  of  five  wounded  and  seven  prisoners.  Five  of  the 
assailants  were  killed  and  thirty  buildings  were  bumed.  The  next  day  a  body 
of  Free  State  men  marched-  from  Lawrence  to  take  Atchison's  army.  Upon 
their  approach  the  latter  retired  and  withdrew  its  forces  into  Missouri.  The 
admission  of  Kansas  as  a  free  State  soon  after  this  occurred  put  an  end  to  this 
much  vexed  question  and  restored  tranquility  to  the  country. 

General  Atchison  lived  in  retirement  on  his  magnificent  estate  in 
Clinton  county  until  the  breaking  out  of  the  Rebellion,  wlien  he  left  for  the 
South  and  was  present  at  the  battle  of  Lexington.  Governor  Jackson  secured 
him  a  commission  as  brigadier  general  at  the  commencement  of  the  war.  This 
General  Atchison  declined,  as  his  residence  was  in  Clinton  county,  outside 
the  limits  of  the  division.  He,  however,  remained  with  the  army  and  assisted 
in  its  organization.  He  joined  temporarily  for  the  purpose  of  making  up  the 
company  under  Ephraim  Kelley's  command  from  St.  Joseph  and  remained 
with  the  army  until  after  the  battle  of  Elkhorn. 

At  the  close  of  the  war,  General  Atchison  returned  to  his  home  in  Clinton 
county,  where  he  continued  to  reside  in  almost  unbroken  retirement  on  his 
1,700-acre  farm  in  a  neat  cottage  erected  on  the  site  of  his  spacious  brick  man- 
sion, which  was  accidentally  destroyed  by  fire  February'  2,  1870.  He  never 
married,  and  died  at  his  home  in  Clinton  county,  January  26.  1886. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 


189 


MATT.  GERBER. 


Matt.  Gerber  came  to  this  county  originally  in  1855,  as  pastry  cook 
on  a  Government  steamer.  There  was  almost  no  town  at  Atchison  then,  and 
he  went  to  Sioux  City  with  the  boat  and  afterwards  returned  to  St.  Louis. 
In  1856  he  was  pastry  cook  on  the  "A.  B.  Chambers,"  which  ran  between 
St.  Louis  and  Weston  and  was  commanded  by  Captain  Bowman,  the  father 
of  Mrs.  D.  C.  Newcomb  and  Mrs.  G.  H.  T.  Johnson.  Mr.  Gerber  was  born 
in  Baden  in  1833  and  came  to  America  in  1853,  landing  at  New  Orleans,  and 
for  a  time  ran  on  boats  on  the  lower  Mississippi.  For  many  years  he  was  the 
hero  of  Atchison  children,  as  he  operated  a  bakery,  confectionery  and  toy 
store  on  the  south  side  of  Commercial  street,  near  Fourth.  Mr.  Gerber  first 
located  in  Sumner  in  1858,  where  he  ran  a  bakery,  coming  to  Atchison  in  i860, 
,  and  was  in  business  at  tlie  same  location  for  over  thirty- four  years.  Mr. 
Gerber  died  in  Atchison,  December  14,  1907. 


S.  O.  POMEROY 


JIM  LANE 


J.   H.  TALBOTT. 

J.  H.  Talbott  came  west  in  1855  and  was  a  passenger  on  the  "A.  B. 
Chambers,"  of  which  George  W.  Bowman  was  captain  and  E.  K.  Blair,  second 
clerk.  The  cholera  was  so  bad  that  year  that  Mr.  Talbott  left  the  boat  at 
Jefferson  City  and  came  overland  to  Monrovia,  althougli  his  passage  was 
paid  to  Leavenworth.     Several  passengers  on  the  "A.  B.  Chambers"  died  of 


190  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

cholera  and  were  buried_  on  sand  bars.  Mr.  Talbott  preempted  a  claim  at 
Monrovia,  and  when  his  family  came  two  years  later  he  kept  a  boarding  house 
at  Monrovia  for  four  years.  Albert  D.  Richardson  was  often  a  guest  at  his 
house.  He  was  a  clean,  neat  city  man  of  about  thirty,  and  was  engaged  in 
writing  up  the  Kansas  war  for  the  Nezc  York  Tribune.  Jim  Lane  also  stop- 
ped at  J.  H.  Talbott's  occasionally.  Mr.  Talbott  first  heard  him  make  a 
speech  in  a  grove  at  Pardee,  and  A.  J.  Westbrqok  was  in  the  audience.  Lane 
made  some  abusive  reference  to  W'estbrook,  wlio  made  a  movement  as  if  to 
pull  a  pistol,  but  Lane  shook  his  celebrated  honey  finger  at  W'estbrook  and 
defied  him  to  shoot.  At  that  time  Atchison  was  controlled  by  the  pro-slavery 
element,  but  the  Free  State  men  predominated  around  Monrovia  and  Pardee. 
The  noted  Colonel  Caleb  lived  at  Farmington.  James~R:dpath  was  often  at 
J.  H.  Talbott's,  and  D.  R.  Anthony  and  Webb  Wilder  appeared  there  as  young 
men  and  took  up  claims. 

Another  famous  place  in  those  da\s  was  the  Seven  Mile  House,  seven 
miles  west  of  Atchison  on  the  road  traveled  by  the  freighters,  kept  by  John 
Bradford.  Talbott's  boarding  house  was  built  of  logs  and  the  beds  were 
nailed  against  the  wall,  one  above  another.  Sometimes  the  house  was  so 
crowded  that  the  floor  was  also  occupied  with  beds. 

Mr.  Talbott  was  bom  in  Canal  Dover,  Ohio,  where  he  knew  W.  C.  Ouan- 
trill  real  well.  Quantrill  afterwards  became  the  noted  guerilla  and  sacked 
Lawrence.  Mrs.  Talbott  went  to  school  with  Quantrill,  and  the  teacher  was 
Quantrill's  father,  a  veiy  worthy  man.  After  Mr.  Talbott  married  he  re- 
moved to  Zanesville,  Ind.,  and  kept  a  store  with  S.  J.  H.  Snyder,  who  was 
one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Atchison  county  and  a  fierce  Free  State  man. 
In  a  little  while  Will  Quantrill  appeared  at  Zanesville  and  taught  school  in 
the  country.  He  usually  spent  his  Saturdays  and  Sundays  at  J.  H.  Talbott's 
house,  on  the  strength  of  their  acquaintance  at  Canal  Dover.  Mr.  Talbott 
says  he  was  well  behaved  and  attracted  great  attention  around  the  store, 
particularly  from  tlie  young  men. 

In  1854  Quantrill  left  Zanesville  and  settled  at  Lawrence,  Kan.,  as  a 
Free  State  man  and  taught  school,  where  he  became  acquainted  \\iih  Robert 
Bitter  Morrow,  whose  life  he  afterwards  saved  during  the  massacre.  Robert 
Morrow  kept  the  Byram  in  Atchison  several  years.  When  Talbott  went  to 
Monrovia  in  1855,  the  countrj^  was  full  of  Kickapoo  Indians.  He  remem- 
bers seeing  an  Indian  grave  there :  a  rail  pen  covered  with  brush.  In  the 
middle  of  the  pen  could  be  seen  the  dead  Indian  in  a  sitting  posture,  with 
his  gun  beside  him. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  I9I 


COL.     WILLIAM     OSBORNE. 


Colonel  Osborne  built  the  first  railroad  to  the  Missouri  river — the  Han- 
nibal &  St.  Joseph.  He  built  and  owned  the  transfer  ferry  "W'm.  Osborne," 
which  was  famous  in  Atchison  in  the  early  days.  He  also  built  the  first 
100  miles  of  the  Central  Branch  to  Waterville,  as  has  been  preyiously 
stated.  He  lived  and  died  in  Waterville,  N.  Y.,  but  visited  Atchison  _  fre- 
q^uently  to  see  his  daughter,  Mrs.  R.  A.  Park,  who  was  the  wife  of  the  presi- 
dent of  the  Atchison  Savings  Bank. 

AMOS  A.   HOWELL. 

Amos  A.  Howell  was  one  of  the  plains  freighters  who  distinguished 
Atchison  in  the  early  days.  He  ran  twenty-seven  wagons  with  six  yoke  of 
oxen  to  each  wagon.  An  extra  head  of  oxen  was  taken  along,  known  as  the 
"cavvy"  to  spell  the  others  and  take  the  places  of  those  that  gave  out.  Alto- 
gether he  owned  400  head  of  work  oxen.  The  o.xen  were  e.^^cted  to  pick 
up  their  living  on  the  way,  but  when  mules  \yere  used  in  the  winter  it  was 
necessary  to  carry  grain  for  them.  Thirty  men  were  necessary  in  the  train 
of  twenty-seven  wagons  pulled  by  o.xen.  Mr.  Howell  was  assisted  in  his 
wagon  business  by  his  son,  Nat. 

In  those  days  there  was  a  Government  regulation  that  all  trains  should 
be  held  at  Ft.  Kearney  until  100  armed  men  had  collected.  Then 
a  captain  was  elected,  who  was  commissioned  by  the  Government  and  had 
absolute  charge  of  the  train  while  it  was  passing  through  the  Indian  country. 
Mr.  Howell  frequently  occupied  the  position  of  captain,  being  well  known 
on  the  plains.  On  one  occasion  while  he  \vas  captain  he  halted  at  Cottonwood 
Falls  on  the  Platte,  as  the  Indians  were  very  bad,  and  soldiers  were  expected 
to  go  through  with  the  train,  but  none  came  and  finally  Mr.  Howell  unloaded 
five  wagons,  filled  them  with  armed  men  and  started  out.  Almost  in  sight 
of  Cottonwood  a  gang  of  gaily  painted  Indians  attacked  the  train,  supposing 
it  was  a  little  outfit.  But  when  the  Indians  came  within  range,  the  "Whis- 
key Bills"  and  "Poker  Petes"  in  the  covered  wagons  began  dropping  the 
Indians  off  their  ponies,  and  there  was  a  pretty  fight,  in  which  the  Indians 
were  badly  worsted. 

Mr.  Howell  says  that  the  Indians  never  attack  wagon  trains  except  very 
early  in  the  morning,  or  late  in  the  evening. 

The  favorite  sport  of  the  Indians,  however,  was  to  run  off  the  stock 


^ 


192  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

after  the  train  had  gone  into  camp  at  night,  and  the}-  always  had  one  way  of 
doing  it,  which  Mr.  Howell  finally  learned.  The  Indians  are  no  wiser  than 
white  men,  for  they  say  that  white  men  always  fail  in  business  the  same  way 
and  act  the  same  way  when  they  have  a  fire.  An  Indian  would  ride  up  onto 
a  high  point  and  look  around  a  while.  This  would  always  be  in  the  evening 
when  the  train  was  near  a  camping  place.  Then  the  Indian  would  disappear 
and  come  back  presently  with  another  Indian  wrapped  in  his  blanket  and  rid- 
ing the  same  pony.  One  Indian  would  then  drop  into  the  grass,  and  the 
rider  would  go  back  after  another  one.  The  Indians  were  collecting  in  am- 
bush-, thinking  the  freighters  would  never  think  of  it.  Mr.  Howell  had  in 
his  employ  a  driver,  an  Atchison  man.  named  "Whiskey  Bill."  who  was 
particularly  clever  at  hating  Indians,  and  whenever  an  ambush  was  pre- 
paring "\\'hiskey  Bill"  would  select  four  or  five  other  men  equally  clever 
and  go  after  the  Indians.  He  often  killed  and  scalped  as  man\-  as  four  in 
one  ambush,  and  sold  their  scalps  in  Denver  to  the  Jews  for  a  suit  of  clothes 
each.  The  Jews  bought  them  as  relics  and  disposed  of  them  in  the  East.  The 
killing  of  Iiwlians  in  this  manner  was  according  to  Government  order  and 
strictly  legitimate.  Another  driver  in  Howell's  train  was  an  Atchison  man 
named  Rube  Duggan.  He  was  a  great  roper  and  used  to  take  a  horse,  when 
in  sight  of  a  buffalo  herd  and  go  out  after  calves,  which  made  tender  meat. 
Riding  into  the  herd  he  would  lasso  a  calf,  fasten  the  rope  to  the  ground  with 
a  stake  and  then  go  on  after  another  one  before  the  herd  got  away.  He 
caught  several  calves  in  this  way  for  Ben  Holladay,  who  took  them  east. 
Mr.  Howell  remembers  that  once,  this  side  of  Fort  Kearney,  it  was  necessary 
to  stop  the  train  to  let  a  herd  of  buffalo  pass.  The  men  always  had  fresh 
buffalo  meat  in  addition  to  their  bacon,  beans,  dried  apples,  rice  and  fried 
bread. 

There  was  a  cook  with  the  train  who  drove  the  mess  wagon,  but  he  did 
not  do  any  other  work.  Ever}-  driver  had  to  take  his  turn  getting  wood  and 
water  for  the  cook  and  herding  the  cattle  at  noon,  but  the  night  herder  did 
nothing  else  and  slept  in  the  wagon  during  the  day.  Occasionally  he  was 
awakened  about  noon  and  hunted  along  the  road.  The  cattle  fed  at  night 
until  10  or  11  o'clock  when  they  would  lie  down  until  2  in  the  morning. 
The  night  herder  would  lie  down  by  the  side  of  a  reliable  old  ox  and  sleep 
too,  being  awakened  when  the  ox  got  up  to  feed.  The  oxen  were  driven 
into  the  wagon  corral  about  daylight  and  yoked.  Every  wagon  had  its  speci- 
fied place  in  the  train  and  kept  it  during  the  entire  trip. 

Wagons  were  always  left  in  a  circle  at  night,  forming  a  corral.     Into 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 


193 


this  corral  the  cattle  were  driven  while  being  yoked.  In  case  of  an  attack, 
the  cattle  were  inside  the  corral  and  the  men  fought  under  the  wagons.  The 
teams  started  at  daylight  and  stopped  at  10  or  11  until  2  or  3,  and 
then  they  would  start  up  and  travel  until  dark.  Mr.  Howell  always  rested 
on  Sunday,  making  an  average  of  100  miles  a  week  with  his  ox 
teams.  When  the  train  started  out  each  man  was  given  ten  pounds  of  sugar 
which  was  to  last  him  to  Denver.  On  the  first  Sunday  the  men  would  make 
lemonade  of  sugar  and  vinegar  and  do  without  sugar  the  rest  of  the  trip.  Mr. 
Howell  saw  the  attack  on  George  W.  Howe's  train  on  the  Little  Blue  when 

George  Con was  killed  and  the  entire  train  burned.     Con was  an 

Atchisan  man.  Howell's  train  was  corraled  and  he  could  not  go  to  Howe's 
assistance. 

Howell  came  to  Atchison  county  in  1856  by  wagon  from  Fayette  county, 
Pennsylvania,  where  he  was  born,  December  26,  1824.  At  seventy  he  was 
stout  and  vigorous,  getting  up  every  moniing  at  4  o'clock  to  go  to  work. 
His  plains  experience  did  him  good.  He  died  on  the  ist  day  of  August,  1907, 
owning  a  large  tract  of  land  in  Grasshopper  township. 


BELA  M.  HUGHES  ELLSWORTH    CHESEBOROUGH 

JOHN  W.  CAIN. 

John  W.  Cain  and  his  two  sons,  John  S.  Cain  and  William  S.  Cain,  came 
to  Atchison  in  1856  from  the  Isle  of  Man,  and  preempted  a  quarter  section, 
five  miles  west  of  Atchison.  A.  D.  Cain,  another  son,  came  to  this  county  in 
1856,  accompanying  his  brother,  John  M.  Cain,  who  had  gone  to  his  old  home 

13 


194  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

in  the  Isle  of  ^lan  on  a  visit.  A.  D.  Lain  attended  school  longer  than  either 
of  his  three  brothers  and  was  a  graduate  of  King  W'illiamis. -College,  a  cele- 
brated institution  of  learning.  After  leaving  school  he  learned  the  business 
of  a  druggist.     He  was  borxLin  1846.     John  M.  Cain  was  seven  years  older. 

John  M.  Cain  enlisted  in  the  Thirteenth  Kansas  infantry  in  1862.  His 
brother,  \\illiam,  enlisted  in  Col.  John  A.  Martin's  regiment  the  year  before. 
In  less  than  a  year  John  M.  Cain  was  given  the  position  as  captain  in  the 
Eighty-third  U.  S.  infantry  and  raised  Company  C  in  Atchison.  Phillip 
Porter,  the  celebrated  negro  politician  and  orator,  of  Atchison,  was  orderly 
sergeant  of  Company  C,  which  had  ten  men  killed  in  the  battle  of  Prairie 
Grove.  After  serving  in  the  army  nearly  four  years,  John  M.  Cain  "returned 
to  his  farm  in  Atchison  county  in  1866  where  he  remained  until  1872,  when 
he  removed  to  Atchison  and  engaged  in  the  grain  business.  The  Cains  started 
the  exporting  of  flour  from  Kansas  and  their  business  was  very  largely 
export  business  during  their  operation  of  the  mill. 

John  W.  Cain,  father  of  the  Cain  brothers,  was  a  fierce  Free  State  man 
in  the  days  when  it  was  dangerous  to  be  a  Free  State  man  in  Atchison  county, 
but  as  he  was  a  powerful  man  and  of  undoubted  courage,  the  pro-slavery 
fans  thought  it  wise  to  forgive  him.  His  memory  as  well  as  the  memory  of 
his  sons,  John  M.  Cain  and  A.  D.  Cain,  are  still  highly  esteemed  by  the  older 
settlers  of  Atchison  county. 

DR.   W.   L.   CH.\LLISS. 

Dr,  \V.  L,  Challiss  came  to  Atchison  June  3,  1866,  on  the  steamboat 
'■]\Ieteor"  from  ^loorestown,  N.  J.,  where  he  had  been  a  practicing  physician. 
At  that  time  John  Alcorn  was  operating  a  horse  ferry  on  tiie  river  and  Dr. 
Challiss.  in  company  with  his  brother,  L.  C.  Challiss^  purchased  a  three- 
fourths  interest  in  the  ferry  franchise  after  operating  a  little  rival  ferry  for 
a  time,  which  was  known  as  the  "Red  Rover."  The  price  paid  for  the  fran- 
chise was  $1,800.00. 

In  the  fall  of  1856  Dr.  Challiss  went  to  Evansville,  Ind.,  and  contracted 
for  the  building  of  a  steam  ferry.  This  was  completed  in  Xo\eniber  and 
started  for  Atchison.  In  December  it  was  frozen  up  in  the  Missouri  river 
at  Carrollton,  Mo.,  and  left  in  charge  of  a  watchman.  The  crew  was  made 
up  of  old  acquaintances  nf  Dr.  Challiss  in  New  Jersey,  and  these  he  brought 
to  Atchison  in  two  stage  coaches  hired  for  the  purpose. 

On  February  7  of  the  following  year  Dr.  Challiss  started  down  tlie  river 
on  horse  back  after  his  ferry  boat,  accompanied  by  George  M.  Million.  Gran- 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  195 

ville  Alorrow  and  John  Cafferty.  There  had  been  a  thaw  and  a  rise  in  the 
river,  and  when  the  men  reached  tlie  vicinity  of  Carrollton  they  learned  that 
the  boat  had  gone  adrift.  They  followed  it  down  the  river,  hearing  of  it 
occasionally  and  finally  came  up  with  it  in  sight  of  Arrow  Rock.  The  boat 
had  grounded  on  a  bar  and  a  man  was  in  possession,  claiming  salvage.  Dr. 
Challiss  caught  the  man  off  the  boat,  took  possession  and  settled  with  him 
for  $25.00.  A  stoi-y  was  circulated  that  there  had  been  small-pox  on  the 
boat  and  it  narrowly  escaped  burning  at  the  hands  of  the  people  living  in  the' 
vicinity.  Dr.  Challiss  went  on  down  the  river  and  met  his  family  at  St.  Louis. 
When  the  steamer  on  which  they  were  passengers  reached  Arrow  Rock,  the 
captain  was  induced  to  pull  the  ferry  off  the  sand  bar,  and  within  four  days 
it  arrived  in  Atchison. 

This  boat  was  named  the  "Ida"  for  Dr.  Challiss'  oldest  daughter,  who 
became  the  wdfe  of  John  A.  Martin,  editor  of  the  .-licliiscni  Champion,  colonel 
of  the  Eighth  Kansas  regiment  and  governor  of  the  State  two  terms.  The 
"Ida"  was  brought  up  the  river  by  George  Million  and  Granville  Morrow, 
pilots,  and  John  Cafferty,  engineer.  George  Million  was  the  captain  when 
it  began  making  regular  trips  as  a  ferry,  receiving  originally  $50.00  per 
month.  During  the  last  years  of  his  service  he  received  $125.00  a  month. 
The  ferry  boat  business  was  very  profitable  and  $100.00  per  day  was  no 
unusual  income.  In  1S60  Dr.  Challiss  built  a  larger  ferry  at  Brownsxille, 
Penn.,  and  called  it  the  "J.  G.  Morrow."  When  it  arrived  at  Atchison  the 
Government  pressed  it  into  service  and  sent  it  to  Yankton  with  Indian  supplies. 
Bill  Reed  w'as  pilot  and  Dr.  Challiss,  captain.  A  quick  trip  w-as  made  to 
within  seventy  miles  of  Yankton  where  the  pilot  ran  the  boat  into  a  snag  and 
sank  it.  The  boat  cost  $25,000.00  and  nothing  was  saved  but  the  machinery. 
This  was  afterw-ards  placed  in  the  ferry  "S.  C.  Pomeroy,"  which  was  operated 
here  until  the  bridge  was  completed  in  1877.  After  this  the  "S.  C.  Pomeroy" 
was  taken  to  Kansas  City,  where  it  sank  during  a  storm.  S.  C.  Pomeroy 
owned  a  one-fourth  interest  in  the  "J.  G.  Morrow"  and  "S.  C.  Pomeroy"  and 
the  wreck  of  the  "Morrow"  cost  him  $5,000.00. 

The  "Ida"  was  taken  to  Leavenworth  on  the  completion  of  the  bridge 
and  was  in  service  there  many  years. 

In  the  early  days  Dr.  Challiss  was  a  Free  State  man  and  for  vears  he 
had  in  his  possession  a  letter  warning  him  to  leave  the  countr\-,  which  was 
written  during  tlie  exciting  period  1)efore  the  war.  Dr.  Challiss  remained 
active  in  the  affairs  of  the  town  for  many  years  but  practiced  his  profession 
only  spasmodically.  He  died  in  Dayton,  Ohio,  at  the  home  of  his  daughter, 
on  April  23,  1909. 


196  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

GEORGE  SCARBOROUGH. 

George  Scarborough  was  one  of  the  most  romantic  characters  that  ever 
lived  in  Atchison  county.  Infkienced  by  liis  niece's  description  of  Kansas, 
he  came  to  Sumner  in  1859  and  purchased  a  tract  of  land  now  owned  by  E.  W. 
Howe  and  known  as  Potato  Hill.  The  location  is  probably  the  finest  on  the 
Missouri  river.  The  farm  lies  on  top  of  the  bluff,  and  Scarborough's  house 
was  built  near  the  river.     He  was  well  fitted  to  enjoy  the  life  of  elegant 

Xleisure  and  seclusion,  which  he  did.  Early  in  life  he  went  to  Kentucky  from 
Connecticut  and  taught  school,  \\hile  there  he  married  the  daughter  of  a 
congressman  named  Triplett.  The  wife  died  a  year  later,  and  Scarborough 
came  into  possession  of  considerable  money.  After  that  he  adopted  a  literary 
and  scientific  life  and  spent  much  of  his  time  abroad,  where  he  collected 
many  pictures  and  other  art  treasures.  These  were  displayed  in  his  home 
below  Sumner.  Scarborough  was  a  botanist,  and  made  a  complete  collection 
of  the  flora  of  this  section,  which  he  sent  to  the  Smithsonian  Institution,  at 
Washington.  One  of  his  discoveries  was  that  Atchison  county  had  eleven 
varieties  of  the  oak.     Scarborough  was  one  of  the  original  founders  of  the 

"~;)f-First  National  Bank  of  this  city,  furnishing  most  of  the  original  capital. 

In  1869  he  went  to  Vineland,  N.  J-,  where  he  married  a  girl  of  twenty- 
three,  although  he  was  nearly  seventy.  His  wife  died  within  a  year,  in  child 
birth,  under  precisely  the  same  circumstances  as  his  first  wife.  Scarborough 
died  in  1883,  in  his  old  home  in  Connecticut,  in  absolute  poverty,  at  the  age 
of  eighty-four.  He  is  spoken  of  as  one  of  the  most  elegant  gentlemen  who 
distinguished  tlie  early  days. 

SAMUEL  HOLLISTER. 

Samuel  Hollister  was  one  of  the  original  settlers  of  Sumner.  He  landed 
at  Leavenworth  May  i,  1857,  coming  by  l>oat  from  Jefferson  City.  Two 
weeks  later  he  met  a  number  of  the  members  of  the  Sumner  Town  Company 
who  were  looking  for  somebody  to  go  to  Sumner  to  build  a  hotel.  Having 
been  a  contractor  and  builder  in  his  old  home  in  New  Jersey,  Mr.  Hollister 
accompanied  the  men  to  vSumner,  which  then  consisted  of  a  claim  cabin,  used  as 
a  hotel,  and  four  frame  houses  in  course  of  construction..  The  material  for 
the  frame  houses  had  been  brought  from  Cincinnati,  ready  framed,  and  when 
completed  were  16x24,  containing  two  rooms  each.  Mr.  Hollister  took 
the  contract  to  build  tlie  Baker  House,  which  contained  three  rooms  on  the 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  I97 

ground  floor.  Tlie  half  story  above  was  all  in  one  room,  where  the  guests 
slept.  The  frames  for  the  Baker  House  were  hewn  out  in  the  timber  adjoin- 
ing the  town ;  the  weather  boarding  and  shingles  were  shipped  up  the  river. 
The  hotel  was  completed  in  the  summer  of  1857,  and  was  operated  by  Hood 
Baker,  a  cousin  of  Capt.  David  Baker,  for  many  years  a  prominent  citizen 
of  Atchison. 

In  the  fall  of  the  same  year  Mr.  Hollister  began  work  on  the  Sumner 
House,  the  contract  price  being  $16,000.00.  The  brick  used  were  made  on 
the  ground.  The  lumlaer  came  by  boat  from  Pittsburgh,  Penn.  This  hotel 
was  completed  in  the  summer  of  the  following  year.  It  was  built  by  the 
town  company,  which  owed  Mr.  Hollister  $3,000.00  at  tlie  time  of  his  death, 
a  few  years  ago. 

Mr.  Hollister  lived  in  Sumner  twelve  years,  vigorously  fighting  Atchison. 
In  the  fall  of  1858  he  built  a  mill,  in  company  witli  Al  Barber,  later  adding  a 
gristmill,  which  was  the  second  built  in  the  county,  tlie  first  having  been  built 
in  Atchison,  by  William  Bowman.  Mr.  Hollister  went  down  the  river  in  a 
boat  in  January,  1859,  and  when  he  reached  his  old  home  in  tlie  Catskill  moun- 
tains, he  crossed  the  Hudson  river  on  the  ice.  During  this  trip  east  he  was 
married  to  Miss  Harriet  Carroll,  a  lineal  descendant  of  Charles  Carroll,  one 
of  the  signers  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence.  His  wife  returned  with 
him  to  Sumner,  and  they^afterwards  moved  to  Atchison,  where  they  lived  for 
many  years.     Mr.  Hollister  died  March  28,  1910. 

JOHN  TAYLOR. 

John  Taylor,  who  for  many  years  lived  on  a  farm  immediately  south  of 
the  State  Orphans'  Home,  was  a  resident  of  Missouri,  a  mile  and  a  quarter 
above  East  Atchison  in  1844,  ten  years  before  Kansas  was  opened  for  settle- 
ment. His  father,  Joseph  Taylor,  came  to  the  Platte  Purchase  in  1838,  from 
Pennsylvania,  settling  near  Weston.  At  that  time  most  of  the  best  claims 
were  taken.  John  Taylor's  recollection  was  that  the  very  earliest  settler  in 
that  vicinity  was  in  1837.  Joseph  Taylor  did  not  secure  a  very  good  claim, 
and  afterward  removed  to  Andrew  county,  finally  locating  a  mile  above  East 
Atchison,  in  1844.  John  Taylor  said  that  George  Million  was  living  on  the 
present  site  of  East  Atchison  when  his  father's  family  settled  in  the  bottom. 
It  was  Mr.  Taylor's  opinion  that  George  Million  settled  in  East  Atchison  in 
1842,  and  that  he  did  not  start  his  ferry  until  1850.  In  the  spring  of  that 
year  John  Taylor  crossed  the  river  on  George  Million's  flatboat  fcrrv,  and 


198  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

went  to  California,  in  company  with  his  brother,  Joe.  There  was  no  wagon 
road  running  west  from  Atchison  at  that  time.  John  and  Joe  Taylor  mined 
in  California  for  eighteen  months,  never  making  over  $20.00  per  day,  and 
usually  only  $5.00.  They  returned  home  by  the  way  of  the  Isthmus  of  Pan- 
ama, and  John  Taylor  got  the  small-pox  at  Glascow.  Mo.,  which  did  not  break 
out  on  him  until  he  'reached  East  Atchison.  This  was  supposed  to  be  the 
.  first  case  of  small-pox  in  this  section  of  the  country.  All  the  other  members 
of  the  family  .got  it.  and  the  wife  of  Jim  Stultz,  who  came  in  to  help  his 
mother,  also  got  it.  Their  pliysician  was  a  Doctor  Ankrom.  who  lived  in  the 
Narrows,  near  Rushville,  and  he  got  it,  too.  This  was  in  the  winter  of  185 1 
and  1852.  In  September,  1854,  ten  years  after  settling  in  East  Atchison,  Mr. 
„  Ta\lor  came  to  this  side  of  the  river.  \\'hen  he  arrived  Ladd  Yocum  was 
^  running  a  hotel  in  a  tent ;  there  was  nothing  else  on  the  town  site.  Late  in 
the  fall  George  T.  Challiss  completed  his  store,  which  was  the  first  l^uilding 
of  anv  kind  in  Atchison,  according  to  Mr.  Taylor.  He  says  tliat  George  Mil- 
■  lion  did  not  erect  his  claim  shanty  until  the  following  year. 

i\Ir.  Taylor  first  settled  in  the  bluffs,  northeast  of  Atchison,  but  after- 
wards moved  to  a  tract  of  land  owned  by  a  man  named  O.  B.  Dickerson,  who 
afterwards  built  the  first  livery  stable  in  Atchison.  Dickerson  sold  his  claim 
to  a  man  named  Adams.  B.  T.  Stringfellow's  father-in-law,  for  $600.00,  but 
Adams  did  not  comply  with  the  law  and  Taylor  jumped  it.  For  a  while  Tay- 
lor and  Adams  lived  on  the  same  quarter,  and  became  acquainted ;  then  Taylor 
discovered  that  Adams  paid  v$6oo.oo  for  the  claim,  and  gave  him  his  money 
back.  Taylor  said  he  never  had  any  short  words  with  Adams  ab(Uit  the 
claim.  l)ut  once.  Tiiey  met  on  the  iiill,  overlooking  the  ri\'er.  one  day.  and 
were  looking  at  the  wreck  of  the  old  "Pontiac,"  which  is  now  said  to  have  con- 
tained several  hundred  barrels  of  whiskey.  "Well,"  said  Adams,  "when  are 
you  going?"  "Going  where?"  asked  Taylor.  "To  Nova  Scotia,"  replied 
Adams.  "I  am  not  going  at  all,"  was  Taylor's  rseponse,  wliich  Adams  imder- 
stood  to  mean  that  he  was  not  going  to  leave  the  claim,  but  intended  to  fight. 
A  compromise  soon  followed. 

Taylor  says  the  "Pontiac"  was  carried  off  b}-  Atchison  people,  and  put 
into  their  houses,  and  that  years  afterwards,  the  writing  on  the  wheel  house 
could  be  seen  around  town.  There  was  no  whiskey  left  in  the  hold;  indeed, 
the  hold  was  carried  away. 

The  Taylor  place  was  considered  a  great  deal  more  valual)le  in  1855  than 
it  is  now :  people  felt  sure  that  within  four  or  five  years  John  Taylor  would 
cut  it  up  in  town  lots  and  sell  them  at  fabulous  prices,  and  go  abroad. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  199 

John  Taylor's  sympathies  were  ahvays  \\dllL-Lhe^SautlL_,Carolinians,  who 
made  tliis  section  so  warm  in  1856,  but  said  that  only  one  in  ten  were  good 
citizens :  the  others  were  tougiis.  One  of  them,  a  man  named  Newhall,  was 
killed  in  the  fight  at  Hickory  Point.  John  Robinson,  captain  of  a  southern 
party  at  Hickorj-  Point,  was  an  Atchison  man.  and  was  shot  in  the  hii). 

^Ir.  Taylor  said  that  in  1844  and  several  years  later  the  country  was  full 
of  bee  trees,  and  that  cattle  turned  into  the  rush  in  the  river  bottom  in  winter, 
came  out  fat  in  the  spring.  In  1844  there  was  a  settlement  of  fify  Kickapoo 
families  on  the  flat  just  atove  the  island  on  the  Kansas  side.  They  made  a 
great  deal  of  maple  sugar.  In  summer  these  Indians  went  out  to  the  buffalo 
grounds,  sixty  to  eightv  miles  west  of  the  river,  returning  in  the  fall,  to  be  near 
the  Missouri  settlers.  There  never  was  an  Indian  village  on  the  site  of  Atchi- 
son, altliough  Mrs.  Joe  \\'ade,  who  was  George  Million's  daughter,  claims  to 
have  remembered  coming  to  this  side  of  the  river  when  she  was  a  little  girl, 
and  seeing  a  dead  Indian  strapped  to  a  board  and  leaning  against  a  tree  on 
the  present  site  of  Commercial  street.  The  body  was  surrounded  with  totem 
poles.  There  was  no  game  at  that  time  on  this  side  of  the  river.  Indians 
themselves  hunted  deer  on  the  Missouri  side  in  winter,  and  were  very  friendly 
with  the  whites. 

John  Taylor  died  on  March  7,  1897. 

JOHN    M.    CROWELL. 

John  M.  Crowell  \\as  mayor  of  Atchison  tliree  terms,  coming  to  the  city  ' 
in  1858  from  Londonderry,  X.  H.,  where  he  was  bom  October  22,  1823. 
For  ten  years  he  was  a  merchant  iiere,  afterwards  being  appointed  Government 
storekeeper,  and  having  charge  of  a  distillery  below  town.  From  1870  to 
1885,  he  was  United  States  postoffice  inspector  for  nineteen  States  and  Terri- 
tories, and  in  that  capacity  visited  every  section  of  the  country.  He  resigned 
to  become  a  mail  contractor,  although  solicited  by  a  Democratic  postmaster 
general  to  remain.  His  record  in  Washington  was  as  good  as  that  of  an\' 
man  who  c\-er  worked  for  the  Government.  I\Ir.  Crowell  was  a  forty-niner. 
crossing  the  plains  during  tlie  great  rush  of  that  year,  and  engaging  ni  sluice 
mining.  He  made  four  trips  to  California,  but  never  by  railroad.  From  San 
Francisco  he  visited  China,  South  America,  the  Sandwich  Islands,  and  was 
a  great  traveler  in  his  time.  He  was  the  father  of  Frank  G.  Crowell,  who 
was  Ijorn  in  Atchison,  and  for  many  years  a  prominent  citizen  liere,  but  later 
resigning  his  position  as  county  attorney  of  Atchison  county  and  moving  to 
Kansas  City  to  engage  in  the  grain  business,  where  he  now  lives. 


200 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 


John  'SI.  Crowell's  daughter  became  Mrs.  F.  ]\I.  Baker,  wiio  accumulated 
a  fortune  in  the  grain  business  in  Atchison.  Mr.  Crowell  died  on  the  eleventh 
day  of  October,  1902. 


GEORGE  MILLION 


WILLLV.M    SCARBROl'GH 


LUTHER  DICKERSON. 

Luther  Dickerson  came  to  Atchison  county  in  Jnne.  1854,  immediately 
after  Kansas  was  opened  to  settlement,  from  Saline  county,  Missouri,  where  he 
had  lived  ten  years.  He  went  to  Missouri  from  Washington  county,  Ohio, 
where  he  was  born  in  1825.  After  looking  over  the  countr)-  Mr.  Dickerson 
returned  to  Missouri,  but  came  back  to  Kansas  the  following  October,  and 
"squatted"  on  a  tract  of  land  a  mile  north  of  the  State  Orphans'  Home.  From 
1854  to  1857  were  the  squatter  sovereignty  days,  during  which  period  a  set- 
tled could  have  no  title  to  land,  further  than  the  fact  of  his  settlement  on  the 
land  he  seleced  as  his  home.  Land  offices  were  not  established  until  in  1S57, 
when  the  squatter  filed  his  claims,  and  began  fighting  over  them.  The  first 
land  office  in  this  section  was  at  Doniphan.  John  W.  Whitfield,  who  was 
afterwards  in  Congress,  was  the  register.  About  a  year  later  the  land  office 
was  removed  to  Kickapoo,  just  below  Atchison. 

When  Mr.  Dickerson  squatted  on  his  claim  in  1854,  three-fourths  of  the 
land  around  him  was  taken.     Welcome  Nance,  Peter  Cumming-s,  John  Taylor 

Andy  Colgan  did  not  come  until 


and  Widow  Bovle  had  farms  at  that  time. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  20I 

1857.  The  settlers  of  1854  were  mostly  from  Missouri.  In  1855  came  an 
organized  band  of  South  Carolinians,  whose  object  was  to  make  Kansas  a 
slave  State.  Then  followed  the  fierce  and  relentless  fight  with  the  Free  State 
men,  which  ended  in  1857,  ^s  far  as  this  section  was  concerned.     That  is,  in 

1857  the  Free  State  men  won  control,  and  have  practically  kept  it  ever  since. 
In  the  fall  of  that  year  the  Free  State  men  elected  their  county  ticket,  and 
Luther  Dickerson  was  chosen  as  one  of  the  four  commissioners  and  was  made 
chairman. 

Luther  Dickerson  was  a  Free  State  man  and  was  fought  by  all  the  Mis- 
souri and  South  Carolinians.  His  land  was  contested,  and  he  was  beaten  in 
the  land  office,  but  he  finally  won  before  the  secretary  of  the  interior,  by 
proving  that  the  woman  who  was  contesting  him  was  a  foreigner.  Hiram 
Latham,  a  Free  State  man,  who  lived  across  the  road  from  Dickerson,  was 
murdered  in  Doniphan,  and  because  of  tiiis  murder  Frank  McVey  left  the 
country  and  never  came  back.  The  men  who  killed  Latham  were  ferried 
over  Independence  creek  by  Dickerson,  and,  noticing  that  they  were  armed,  he 
asked  where  they  were  going.     They  said  they  were  going  wolf  hunting.     In 

1858  Luther  Dickerson  was  elected  a  member  of  the  house  of  representatives, 
which  met  at  Lecompton,  and  tlien  adjourned  to  Lawrence.  In  the  same  vear, 
while  still  a  county  commissioner,  he  built  the  old  court  house,  which  occupied 
the  site  of  the  present  court  house. 

Luther  Dickerson  raised  the  first  company  of  soldiers  ever  organized  in 
the  State  of  Kansas,  in  May,  1861.  The  first  military  order  issued  in  the 
State  was  directed  to  him,  signed  by  John  A.  Martin,  assistant  adjutant 
general. 

But  while  his  company  was  the  first  organized,  it  happened  that  Dicker- 
son's  commission  as  captain  was  the  second  issued,  and  was  signed  by  Gov- 
ernor Charles  Robinson,  before  the  State  had  an  official  seal.  Afterwards,  Mr. 
Dickerson  served  in  the  regular  volunteer  service,  as  first  lieutenant. 

He  lived  on  his  land,  north  of  town,  for  many  years,  and  died  in  Atc!n',son 
on  the  thirteenth  day  of  December,  19 10. 

LUTHER   C.    CHALLISS. 

Luther  C.  Challiss  came  to  Atchison  in  1855  from  Boonville,  Mo.,  where 
he  was  engaged  as  a  merchant.  He  remained  here  continuously  until  1861 
as  merchant,  banker,  ferry  operator  and  real  estate  owner.     Luther  C.  Chal- 


202  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

liss'  addition,  the  east  line  of  which  is  at  the  alley  between  Seventh  and  Eightli 
streets,  was  preempted  by  ]\Ir.  Challiss  in  1857,  and  was  originally  com- 
posed of  198  acres. 

As  a  memlier  of  the  Territorial  council.  Mr.  Challiss  secured  the  first 
charter  for  a  railroad  west  from  Atchison,  known  as  the  Atchison  Pike's  Peak 
railroad,  now  the  Central  Branch.  He  was  the  first  president  of  the  road, 
and  originally  owned  every  dollar  of  the  stock.  He  also  managed  the  Kicka- 
poo  treaty,  which  gave  the  road  150.000  acres  of  land,  and  made  it  prominent 
in  \\'ashington  as  a  specific  possibility.  The  original  Government  subsidy  for 
this  road  was  ever}-  other  quarter  section  of  land  for  ten  miles  on  either  side, 
in  a  ddition  to  $16,000  to  $48,000  per  mile,  in  Government  bonds. 

At  the  same  time  Mr.  Challiss  secured  a  charter  for  the  Atchison-Pike's 
Peak  railroad,  he  secured  a  charter  for  the  Atchison.  Topeka  &  Santa  Fe  rail- 
road, his  original  idea  being  a  southern  route  to  the  Pacific,  and  that  road 
has  fulfilled  all  of  his  early  expectations. 

Mr.  Challiss  made  a  great  deal  of  money  in  Atchison,  and  in  1864  drifted 
to  New  York  and  \\'ashington,  where  he  became  an  operator  on  the  stock 
exchange.  Mr.  Challiss"  sympathies  were  with  tlie  South,  and  was  generally 
a  bull.  As  long  as  the  South  showed  its  ability  to  hold  out  Mr.  Challiss  made 
a  great  deal  of  money,  and  at  one  time  he  had  on  deposit  in  Xew  York 
$960,000.  but  the  tide  turned  against  him  when  the  South  began  to  fail, 
and  this  fortune  was  reduced  to  nothing. 

As  an  operator  on.\\'all  street  at  that  time,  Mr.  Challiss  outranked  Jim 
Fisk  and  Jay  Gould,  and  was  the  peer  of  Anthony  ^lorse  and  the  Jeromes. 
Jay  Gould  was  a  ver\-  common  man  at  that  time,  compared  to  Mr.  Challiss. 
and  a  very  little  thing  might  have  made  Mr.  Challiss  one  of  the  great  financial 
leaders  in  America.  An  incident  in  his  career  in  Xew  York  was  the  attempt 
of  W'oodhull  &  Claflin  to  break  him.  He  made  a  fight  that  is  still  remem- 
bered, and  sent  Woodhull  and  Claflin.  Colonel  Blood  Stephen,  Pearl  Andrews 
and  George  Francis  Train  to  jail,  where  they  remained  six  months.  Finally 
they  left  the  countn*-  as  a  result  of  a  compromise.-  Mr.  Challiss'  lawyers  were 
Roger  A.  Pr}or  and  Judge  FuUerton.  Judge  Fullerton  received  a  quarter 
section  of  land  in  Atchison  county  as  his  fee.  Mr.  Challiss  also  brought  the 
famous  Pacific  Mail  suit,  which  was  e(|ually  famous. 

He  returned  to  Atchison  in  1878.  looking  after  the  wreck  of  his  former 
possessions.  For  three  years  he  edited  the  Atchison  Champion,  and  bitterly 
opposed  John  J.  Ingalls  for  United  States  senator  in  i8go. 

Mr.  Challiss.  in  his  latter  vears.  became  a  verv  much  abused  man,  and 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  2O3 

was  looked  upon  as  one  of  the  unpojnilar  citizens  of  the  town,  but  it  may  be 
said  to  his  credit  that  he  did  much  for  Atchison,  and  was  largely  responsible 
for  making  the  town  the  terminus  of  the  Hannibal  «S:  St.  Joe  railroad.  He 
brought  Jay  Gould.  Henr}'  N.  Smith  and  Ben  Can-er  to  Atchison,  and  they 
agreed  to  extend  the  road  from  St.  Joseph  to  Atchison,  in  consideration  of 
$75,000.00  in  Atchison  bonds,  which  was  agreed  to.  Mr.  Challiss  had  some 
sort  of  a  deal  with  Henry  N.  Smith  while  they  were  operating  on  Wall  street, 
and  Challiss  claimed  that  Smith  owned  him  $107,000.00.  They  finally  settled 
the  matter,  by  Smith  agreeing  to  bring  the  Hannibal  &  St.  Joseph  road  here 
without  the  $75,000.00  in  bonds  the  people  had  agreed  to  give  him.  The 
Atchison  Champion  of  May  11,  1872,  contained  a  half  column  scare  head,  to 
the  effect  -that  Luther  C.  Challiss  telegraphed  from  New  York  that  the  bridge 
had  been  finally  secured,  and  gave  tlie  credit  of  securing  the  bridge  to  Chal- 
liss and  James  N.  Burnes. 

Mr.  Challiss  died  a  poor  man  on  the  si.xth  day  of  Jul}-,  1895. 

GEORGE  W.  GLICK. 

George  W.  Glick,  the  ninth  governor  of  Kansas,  for  a  number  of  years 
United  States  pension  agent  for  the  district  comprising  Kansas,  Missouri,  Col- 
orado, New  Mexico,  Oklahoma  and  Indian  Territory,  came  to  Atchison  in 
June,  1859,  from  Fremont,  Ohio,  \vhere  he  studied  law  in  the  office  of  Ruth- 
erford B.  Hayes,  who  afterwards  became  President  of  the  United  States.  Mr. 
Glick  came  to  Atchison  on  the  steamer  "W'm.  H.  Russell,"  named  for  and 
largely  owned  by  William  H.  Russell,  senior  member  of  the  celebrated  freight- 
ing firm  of  Russell,  Majors  &  Waddell.  Mr.  Glick  was  bom  in  Fairfield 
county,  Ohio,  July  4,  1829,  on  a  farm,  and  when  four  years  old  removed  with 
his  father's  family  to  within  a  mile  and  a  half  of  Fremont,  where  he  remained 
until  he  came  to  Atchison.  He  first  went  to  school  in  the  country,  near  Fre- 
mont, where  he  afterwards  taught  wlien  lie  was  nineteen.  Later  he  attended 
a  Dioclesion  school  at  Fremont,  founded  by  Dr.  Dio  Lewis,  who  afterwards 
became  famous  and  whose  name  then  was  Dioclesia  Lewis.  Later  he  attended 
Central  College,  Ohio,  but  did  not  graduate.  In  1849  he  began  the  study  of 
law  in  the  office  of  Bucklin  &  Hayes,  in  Fremont,  as  a  result  of  getting  his 
feet  in  a  threshing  machine.  It  was  supposed  that  he  would  never  be  fit 
for  farm  work  again,  init  he  afterwards  recovered.  Two  years  later  he  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  in  Cincinnati,  standing  an  examinatinn  with  the  graduat- 
ing class  of  the  Cincinnati  law  school.     He  practiced  eight  years  in  Fremont 


204  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

before  coming  to  Atchison,  building  up  a  good  business,  in  spite  of  the  fact 
that  he  always  went  out  to  the  farm  in  haying  time  and  harvested  and  helped 
his  father.  In  January,  following  his  arrival  in  Atchison,-  he  formed  a  part- 
nership with  A.  G.  Otis,  which  continued  as  long  as  he  practiced  law.  The 
firm  of  Otis  &  Glick  was  the  strongest  in  Atchison,  as  long  as  it  lasted,  and 
B.  P.  Waggener  was  a  student  in  their  office.  In  1872  Mr.  Glick  became  a 
town  farmer,  operating  a  farm  of  640  acres  four  miles  west  of  Atchison,  mak- 
ing a  specialty  of  Short  Horn  cattle,  paying  as  high  as  $1,000  for  several  sin- 
gle animals.  He  served  nine  terms  in  the  Kansas  legislature,  and  was  once 
county  commissioner,  and  once  county  auditor  of  Atchison  county.  While 
auditor  of  Atchison  county,  in  1882,  he  was  elected  governor,  by  9,000  plur- 
ality, over  Jim  P.  St.  John,  who  had  been  elected  two  years  before  by  about 
55,000.  In  1S84  he  was  re-nominated  as  governor  by  the  Democrats,  but  was 
defeated  by  John  A.  Martin.  He  first  received  the  nomination  for  governor 
nine  years  after  coming  to  Kansas,  but  was  defeated  by  the  Republicans.  He 
was  appointed  pension  agent  in  1885,  and  again  in  1893.  He  was  a  Mason, 
and  was  one  of  the  original  organizers  of  the  Kniglit  Templars  and  Royal 
Arch  Masons,  in  Atchison.  He  was  the  first  president  of  the  Atchison-Ne- 
braska  road,  having  built  it  to  the  county  line,  in  connection  with  Brown  and 
Bier.  Governor  Glick  sold  his  farm  near  Shannon  a  number  of  years  ago, 
and  during  the  latter  part  of  his  life  was  inactive  in  business  and  professional 
affairs.     He  died  on  the  thirteenth  day  of  April,  191 1. 

DR.  W.  K.  GRIMES. 

One  of  the  oldest  citizens  of  Atchison  was  Dr.  W.  H.  Grimes,  who  came 
here  from  Yellow  Spring,  Oliio,  in  1858.  His  son,  E.  B.  Grimes,  came  a  year 
before,  and  opened  a  drug  store  in  the  building  for  many  years  occupied  as 
an  office  by  the  Atchison  A\'ater  Company,  across  from  tlie  Byram  Hotel. 
Dr.  W.  H.  Grimes  practiced  medicine  until  the  war  broke  out,  when  he  became 
a  surgeon  in  the  Thirteenth  Kansas.  Returning  to  Atchison  at  the  close  of 
the  war,  he  continued  the  practice  of  medicine  until  his  death,  in  1879. 

E.  B.  Grimes  was  a  quarter-master  during  the  war  witli  a  rank  of  major. 
At  the  close  of  the  war  he  entered  the  regular  army,  and  built  many  of  the 
posts  in  the  Department  of  the  Platte,  notably  Ft.  Laramie,  Ft.  Fetterman  and 
Ft.  Douglass.     He  died  at  Ft.  Leavenworth,  in  1882. 

Another  son.  Dr.  R.  V.  Grimes,  was  a  lieutenant  in  his  father's  regiment. 
After  the  war  he  became  an  army  surgeon,  and  was  in  many  of  the  Indian 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  205 

campaigns  in  the  Northwest.  He  was  in  Men^itt's  command  when  it  went 
to  the  rescue  of  General  Custer,  and  was  the  surgeon  in  Major  Thornburg's 
command  when  it  was  surrounded  at  the  famous  fight  on  Milk  river.  The 
command  was  surrounded  five  days  by  the  Utes,  and  was  finally  rescued 
by  General  Merritt.  While  he  lived  in  Atchison  he  was  employed  as  a  printer 
on  the  Champion. 

Two  other  sons  of  Dr.  Grimes,  John  and  Howard  Grimes,  were  mem- 
bers of  Colonel  Jennison's  Seventh  Kansas  Jayhawkers. 

JOSHUA  WHEELER. 

Joshua  Wheeler  was  one  of  the  best  known,  as  well  as  one  of  the  most 
successful,  farmers  Atchison  county  ever  had.  His  papers  on  questions  per- 
taining to  agriculture  and  the  farm,  read  before  the  various  societies,  attracted 
wide-spread  attention.  In  State  affairs,  he  served  the  public  long  and  honor- 
ably, and  for  over  twenty  years  was  a  member  of  the  State  board  of  agricul- 
ture, serving  three  years  as  its  president.  His  long  connection  with  the  State 
Agriculture  College  game  him  an  extended  acquaintance  over  the  State,  and 
he  was  appointed  regent  for  that  institution  by  Governor  Hai-vey  in  1871,  and 
re-appointed  by  Governor  Martin  in  1888,  serving  until  April,  1894.  During 
several  years  of  that  time  he  was  treasurer  of  the  board,  and  gained  an  exten- 
sive knowledge  of  the  college  and  its  history.  He  served  in  the  State  senate 
during  1863  and  1864  and  in  the  fall  of  18S5  was  elected  for  another  tenn. 

Joshua  Wheeler  was  born  in  Buckingham,  England,  Februarj'  12,  1827, 
and  came  to  America  in  1844,  locating  in  New  Jersey,  where  he  resided  four 
years  before  removing  to  Illinois.  In  1857  a  colony  of  seven  or  eight  families 
of  Fulton  county,  Illinois,  farmers,  Seventh-Day  Baptists,  came  to  Kansas, 
and  located  in  the  southwest  portion  of  Atchison  county,  covering  the  entire 
distance  overland.  S.  P.  Griffin  and  Dennis  Sounders  preceded  the  colony 
in  the  spring  of  the  same  year  to  look  up  a  location.  They  went  as  far  to  the 
southwest  as  Emporia,  but  found  no  land  equal  to  that  of  Atchison  county. 
After  locating  the  land  for  the  colony  they  went  back  to  Illinois,  but  did  not 
accompany  the  colony  to  Kansas,  but  came  a  year  or  two  later.  Griffin 
farmed  for  nearly  twenty  years,  but  afterwards  became  a  Nortonville  mer- 
chant. He  was  the  father  of  Charles  T.  Griffin,  at  one  time  an  attorney  in 
Atchison. 

When  the  colony  of  Seventh-Day  people  arrived  at  the  end  of  their  des- 
tination they  found  the  land  in  possession  of  colonists,  but  they  bought  tliem 


20U  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

out,  preempted  claims  and  laid  out  the  now  famous  Seventh-Day  Lane.  The 
land  was  then  an  open  prairie,  occupied  only  by  an  occasional  hut.  It  is  at 
this  time  the  admiration  of  ever\-  visitor  abounding  in  well  cultivated  fields, 
pastures,  groves,  orchards,  comfortable  homes,  to  which  paint  is  no  stranger, 
large  barns,  uniformly  trimmed  hedges,  and  peopled  by  as  thrifty  a  class  as 
can  be  found  in  the  western  country.  Later  on  Seventh-Day  people  came 
from  Iowa,  Wisconsin  and  New  York,  and  joined  the  Illinois  colony  on  Sev- 
enth-Day Lane,  which  is  two  miles  in  length.  The  Seventh-Day  Baptists  ob- 
serve their  Sabbath  from  sundown  Friday  evening  to  sundown  Saturday  eve- 
ning. Their  church  has  a  seating  capacity  of  400,  which  is  always  comfort- 
ably filled,  and  was  built  in  1884.  prior  tn  wliich  time  the  Seventh-Day  Bap- 
tists worshiped  in  their  school  house. 

A.  A.  Randolph  was  the  first  pastor  of  the  church  on  Seventh-Day  Lane. 
He  came  here  from  Pennsylvania  in  1863,  and  died  in  1868.  S.  R.  Wheeler, 
a  brother  of  Joshua  Wheeler,  was  pastor  of  the  churcli  for  twelve  years. 

When  the  Seventh-Day  Baptists  built  their  homes  on  the  Lane  smooth 
wire  cost  eleven  and  one-half  cents  per  pound  in  Atchison,  and  ordinary 
flooring,  $100.00  per  thousand  feet.  Money  was  loaned  at  four  per  cent,  per 
month.     They  did  all  of  their  trading  in  Atchison  until  Xortonville  was  built. 

Joshua  \\'heeler  was  not  onl\-  a  successful  farmer,  liut  a  good  business 
man.  He  kept  a  regular  set  of  books,  and  could  always  tell  exactly  what  it 
cost  him  to  produce  a  bushel  of  wheat  in  any  of  the  different  years  of  his 
farm  experience.  He  could  tell  also  what  a  bushel  of  com,  fed  to  cattle, 
would  produce.     In  1877  he  sold  his  wheat  for  $1.75  per  bushel. 

Fie  owned  a  farm  of  over  300  acres,  just  at  the  west  end  of  tlie  Lane, 
where  he  died  on  the  fourteenth  day  of  May,  1896. 

WILLI.\M   HETIIERINGTOX. 

William  Hetherington,  founder  of  the  Exchange  National  Bank,  came 
to  Atchison  in  1859,  from  Pottsville.  Penn.,  wliere  he  operatetl  a  flouring 
mill.  His  three  oldest  children,  Mrs.  B.  P.  Waggener.  W.  W.  Hetherington 
and  C.  S.  Hetherington,  were  born  in  Pottsville.  Mrs.  W.  A.  Otis,  the  young- 
est daughter,  was  born  in  Atchison.  William  Hetherington  himself  was 
born  in  Milton,  Penn.,  May  10,  1821.  He  was  also  married  there.  When 
he  first  came  west  he  stopped  in  St.  Louis,  then  went  to  Kansas  City,  and 
later  to  Leavenworth,  where  he  bought  a  bankrupt  stock  of  goods  and  hauled 
them  to  Atchison  in  wagons.     This  was  in  1859.     The  same  vear  he  estab- 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  20/ 

lished  the  Exchange  Bank  of  W'ilham  Hetherington,  absorbing  the  Kansas 
Valley  Bank,  owned  by  Robert  L.  Pease,  which  had  been  established  several 
years  before. 

Mr.  Hetherington's  inflnence  in  Atchison  was  very  marked.  He  was  a 
cultured  gentleman  of  the  old  school,  and  was  so  generally  respected,  although 
alwa}-s  a  Democrat,  he  stood  very  high  in  the  sixties  when  the  sectional  bitter- 
ness was  at  its  height,  and  did  much  to  maintain  peace- between  the  contending 
factions.  He  was  a  verj-  able  public  speaker.  He  was  never  a  bitter  partisan, 
and  enjoyed  the  respect  of  the  people  to  an  unusual  degree.  He  was  one  of 
the  early  mayors  of  Atchison,  and  had  a  successful  career.  He  died  on  the 
twenty-first  day  of  January,   1890. 

WILLIAM    C.    SMITH. 

t 

A\'illiam  C.  Smith,  one  of  the  early  mayors  of  Atchison,  came  to  Kansas 
in  1858  from  Illinois,  settling-  near  Valley  Falls.  Two  years  later  he  traded 
his  farm  to  Sam  Dickson  for  a  stock  of  goods  in  Atchison  and  removed  to  this 
city.  The  firm  uf  \\'illiam  C.  Smith  &  Son  continued  sixteen  }ears.  The 
son  was  Henry  T.  Smith,  who  still  resides  in  Atchison  (1915).  Another  son 
is  W' illiam  R.  Smith,  who  is  at  present  the  attorney  for  the  Atchison,  Topeka 
&  Santa  Fe  Railway  Company,  at  Topeka,  for  a  number  of  years  was  a  justice 
of  the  supreme  court  of  Kansas.  His  oldest  daughter  married  P.  L.  Hub- 
bard,  who  afterwards  became  district  judge  of  Atchison  county,  and  another 
daughter  married  H.  C.  Solomon,  for  many  years  a  leading  attorney  of  Atchi- 
son. Mr.  Smith  died  in  1884.  He  \vas  mayor  two  terms;  member  of  the 
legislature,  council  and  the  board  of  education.  Although  Mr.  Smith  came 
to  Kansas  from  Illinois,  he  was  born  at  Columbus,  Ohio,  in  1817. 

JOHN   M.   PRICE. 

John  M.  Price  arrived  in  Atchison  with  his  wife  on  the  first  of  Septem- 
ber, 1858,  the  day  the  Massasoit  House  was  formally  opened  for  the  public. 
They  came  here  from  Platte  City,  Mo.,  to  visit  some  old  friends  fnMu  Ken- 
lucky,  who  had  moved  to  Kansas,  and  after  they  arrived  concluded  to  remain. 
The  Prices  originally  came  from  Irvine,  Ky.  Mr.  Price  studied  law  in  Irvine; 
was  admitted  and  elected  county  attorney  before  coming  to  Atchison.  He 
was  a  Union  man,  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  he  came  from  Kentucky,  and  was 
ver}-  active  in  a  business  and  professional  way  during  the  carlv  days  of  his 


t  . 


208  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  .    '-. 

U     ■*: 

\ 

residence  in  this  county,  and  for  many  years  tliereafter.  He  constructed  more 
large  and  substantial  buildings  in  Atchison  than  any  other  individual  who  ever 
lived  here.  He  built  tlie  house  for  a  residence,  now  occupied  by  Mt.  St. 
Scholastica  Academy,  an  opera  house  and  many  blocks  of  business  buildings 
and  residences.  He  was  a  member  of  the  legislature  several  times ;  was  prom- 
inently mentioned  as  a  candidate  for  United  States  senator.  Mr.  Price  died 
on  the  twentieth  day  of  October,  1898. 

SAMUEL  C.  KING. 

Samuel  C.  King  came  to  Atchison  March  27,  1857.  His  brothers,  Ed. 
and  John,  together  with  a  sister  and  his  widowed  mother,  arrived  here  the 
year  before,  coming  here  with  Dr.  W.  L.  Challiss,  in  the  steam  ferry.  "Ida." 
from  Brownsville,  Penn.,  where  that  boat  was  built.  The  King  family  came 
originally  from  England,  within  thirty-five  miles  of  Liverpool,  where  the 
children  were  born,  and  where  the  father  died.  Ed.  King  was  the  first  pilot 
of  the  ferry  boat.  "Ida,"  when  it  began  making  trips  to  Atchison.  The  three 
sons  and  the  mother  took  up  claims  in  Mt.  Pleasant  township.  While  living 
there  three  old  neighbors  came  out  and  Samuel  C.  King  went  out  wath  them 
to  look  for  claims.  They  were  told  that  there  was  plenty  of  vacant  land  near 
Monrovia,  but  Mr.  King  advised  them  that  it  was  too  far  out  in  the  wilderness, 
and  they  went  elsewhere.  (INIonrovia  is  fourteen  miles  from  Atchison).  While 
the  other  members  of  the  family  were  getting  their  start  Samuel  C.  King 
clerked  in  George  T.  Challiss'  store,  receiving  $25.00  per  month,  and  boarded 
himself.  He  afterwards  went  to  work  for  Mike  Finney,  steamboat  wharf 
master,  and  was  practically  the  first  express  agent  in  Atchison.  Later  he  went 
out  to  his  farm  and  split  rails  to  fence  it,  and  afterwards  clerked  for  BowTiian 
&  Blair  for  $25.00  per  month  and  board.  He  enlisted  in  the  navy  in  June, 
1861,  enlisting  as  a  landsman  on  the  man  of  war,  "Augusta."  He  sen-ed  on 
this  ship  through  all  the  exciting  scenes  of  the  navy  during  the  war,  and  was 
at  the  battle  of  Point  Royal.  He  assisted  in  capturing  eight  British  ships, 
which  tried  to  nm  the  blockade,  and  his  part  of  the  prize  monev  amounted  to 
over  $7,000.00.  He  was  at  the  bombardment  of  Ft.  Sumpter,  and  at  the  tak- 
ing of  Tyble  Island,  off  Savannah,  Ga.  He  spent  eleven  months  at  sea,  work- 
ing for  the  "Alabama."  and  rounded  Cape  Hatteras.  He  saw  the  burning  of 
Charleston,  and  finally  learning  that  his  mother  was  fatally  ill.  he  came  home. 
He  was  elected  county  treasurer  of  Atchison  county.  Mr.  King  remained  a 
prosperous  capitalist  and  real  estate  operator,  until  his  death  on  the  twenty- 
third  day  of  January,  1910. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  209 


CLEM  ROHR. 


Clem  Rohr  came  originally  from  Euffalo,  N.  Y.,  where  he  was  born  in 
1835.  He  learned  the  trade  of  harness  maker  there,  and  afterwards  worked 
at  his  trade  at  Chicago,  Detroit  and  Moline,  111.  In  Davenport,  Iowa,  lie 
heard  Jim  Lane  make  a  speech  about  Kansas.  This  speech  caused  Rohr  to 
go  to  Leavenworth  in  1856,  and  while  living  in  that  town  and  employed  as 
mail  carrier  he  ran  into  the  famous  battle  of  Hickory  Point.  He  slept  in 
Hickory  Point  the  niglit  after  the  fight  and  helped  fix  up  the  wounded.  He 
walked  to  Atchison  in  1857  from  Leavenworth,  with  Nick  Greiner,  for  many 
years  a  prosperous  German  farmer,  south  of  Atchison,  and  started  a  harness 
shop,  which  he  conducted  in  the  same  place  on  the  south  side  of  Commercial 
street,  between  Fourth  and  Fifth  streets,  for  over  forty  years. 

The  first  telegram  that  came  to  Atchison  announcing  that  Kansas  had 
been  admitted  was  sent  to  Clem  Rohr,  and  was  signed  by  S.  C.  Pomeroy. 
He  served  as  mayor  of  Atchison.  Early  in  the  sixties  when  the  home  guard 
was  organized  in  Atchison  Clem  Rohr  was  made  captain.  His  father  was 
one  of  Napoleon  Bonaparte's  body-guard,  and  was  with  that  great  soldier  at 
Austerlitz  in  the  Russian  campaign,  and  at  the  battle  of  Waterloo.  Mr.  Rohr 
always  claimed  that  Julius  Newman,  who  had  a  farm  near  the  Soldiers'  Home, 
made  the  first  filing  in  the  Lecompton  land  office. 

Mr.  Rohr  died  in  Atchison  on  the  twenty-third  day  of  Mav,  1910. 

R.  H.  WEIGHTMAN. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  and  romantic  early-day  characters  in  Atchi- 
son county  was  Maj.  R.  H.  Weightman,  an  ex-major  of  the  Cnited  States 
army,  who  was  associated  with  a  famous  frontier  tragedy.  Major  Weight- 
man  was  a  violent  pro-slavery  man  and  had  lieen  reared  in  the  South.  Before 
coming  to  Kickapoo,  where  he  was  connected  with  the  land  office,  and  subse- 
quently to  Atchison,  he  was  the  editor  of  the  Herald  at  Santa  Fe,  N.  M.,  and 
also  a  delegate  to  Congress  from  tliat  Territory. 

F.  X.  Aubrey,  the  other  party  to  the  quarrel,  was  a  French  Canadian,  of 
great  pluck  and  energy,  and  had  made  a  reputation  on  a  wager  in  1852,  riding 
from  Santa  Fe  to  Independence,  Mo.,  in  a  few  hours  over  eight  days.  The 
next  year  he  wagered  $1,000  he  could  go  the  same  distance  in  less  than  eight 
days.  His  bet  was  accepted  and  Aubrey  covered  the  distance  in  less  than 
five  days.     Following  these  rides  he  engaged  in  the  freighting  business  over 

14 


2IO  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

the  plains  and  he  and  Major  \^'eightman  became  warm  personal  friends. 
Aubrey  later  made  a  trip  to  California,  taking  a  herd  of  sheep,  which  he  sold 
at  a  fine  profit.  It  was  upon  his  return  from  this  trip  that  he  and  Weightman 
had  their  famous  quarrel.  The  fairest  account  of  this  incident  appeared  in  the 
Missouri  Republican.  September  28.  1854.  which  was  in  the  form  of  a  com- 
munication from  a  correspondent  of  that  paper,  and  was  as  follows : 

"the  c.\seof  major  weightman. 

"Mr.  Editor:  The  deplorable  event  by  which  F.  X.  Aubrey  lost  liis  life 
and  which  deprived  the  West  of  one  of  its  most  energetic  and  able  pioneers, 
will  not  be  passed  liglitly  over.  The  name  of  Mr.  Aubrey  had  become  too 
closely  identified  with  all  that  is  gallant,  preserving,  and — in  a  western  sense, 
at  least — brave  and  chivalrous,  that  his  memory  and  his  sudden  death  should 
not  awaken  painful  emotions  among  all  those  to  whom  his  name  had  become 
a  household  word ;  emotions  too  painful  to  expect  that,  under  his  influence, 
full  justice  would  be  done  to  both  parties  concerned.  When,  therefore,  an 
opportunity  is  afforded  by  which  the  facts,  as  nearly  as  we  can  approach  them, 
may  be  investigated,  it  would  seem  injustice  to  withhold  these  facts  from 
the  public. 

"Thougli,  perliaps,  less  liistorically  known  (if  the  expression  be  per- 
mitted) than  Mr.  Aubrey,  Major  Weightman  has  peculiar  claims  upon  the 
citizens  of  Missouri,  and  especially  of  St.  Louis,  for  demanding  full  and  im- 
partial justice  in  this  behalf.  Without  wishing  to  anticipate  the  judgment  of 
your  readers,  or  at  all  commenting  upon  the  evidence  which  will  be  found  be- 
low, your  correspondent,  in  view  of  the  grave  charge  in  wliich  Major  Weight- 
man  is  involved,  and  the  melancholy  importance  of  the  event,  deems  it  his 
duty,  notwithstanding,  here  to  state  what  may  be  known  to  most  of  your 
readers,  that  Major  Weightman,  for  years,  formerly,  was  a  resident  of  St. 
Louis,  beloved  and  respected,  almost  without  any  exception,  by  all  with 
whom  he  came  in  contact. 

•  "Amongst  the  many  of  Missouri's  citizens  who  participated  in  the  late 
Mexican  war.  Major,  then  Captain  Weightman,  at  the  head  of  his  Light 
Artiller}'  Company,  won  laurels  which  placed  his  name  foremost  among  the 
bravest  and  most  gallant  in  that  war.  His  fellow  soldiers  still  in  our  midst 
will  cheerfully  liear  your  correspondent  testimony,  that  Captain  Wcightman's 
gallantry  as  a  soldier  and  officer  was  onlj-  surpassed  by  his  urbanity  and  true 
kindliness  of  feeling  as  a  gentleman;  and  if  the  evidence  adduced  upon  his 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  .  211 

preliminary  examination  before  the  examining  magistrate  should  sustain 
Weightman's  plan  of  self-defense  in  tlie  premise's,  his  former  friends  here 
and  abroad,  and  his  fellow  soldiers,  will  be  glad  to  learn  that  the  qualities  of 
heart,  for  which  they  used  most  to  prize  Captain  Weightman,  in  former  years, 
remain  untainted  even  now,  when  his  name  has  become  unfortunately  coupled 
with  a  most  grave  and  serious  charge.  May  the  public  judge,  and  may  not 
the  unquestioned  enviable  renown  of  Captain  Aubrey's  name  tend  to  warp 
calm  judgment  in  pronouncing  upon  the  guilt  or  innocence  of  the  accused. 

"The  following  evidence,  being  a  synopsis  of  the  process  verbatim  at  the 
preliminary  examination  before  Judge  Davenport,  at  Santa  Fe.  have  been 
transmitted  to  your  correspondent  from  New  Mexico  by  a  third  person,  and, 
as  your  correspondent  has  every  reason  to  believe,  may  be  fully  relied  on. 
It  is  in  tlie  main  supported  by  your  former  notices  published  in  the  Republican 
concerning  this  same  transaction. 

"The  circumstances  are  these:  Major  Weightman,  hearing  of  the 
arrival  of  Aubrey,  and  that  he  was  at  the  store  of  the  Messrs.  Mercure,  mer- 
chants at  Santa  Fe,  crossed  the  plaza  to  see  him.  and  was  one  of  the  first 
to  take  him  by  the  hand  and  greet  him  as  a  friend.  When  Major  Weightman 
arried  at  the  store  of  the  Messrs.  Mercure,  several  persons  had  alreadv  arrived 
to  pay  their  respects  to  Mr.  Aubrey. 

"Aubrey  and  Weightman  met  kindly,  shook  hands,  and  conversed  pleas- 
antly for  a  short  time,  when  something  having  been  said  bv  a  tiiird  person 
about  the  route  by  which  Aubrey  had  arrived  from  California.  Aubrey  asked 
the  major  if  he  had  yet  published  his  paper  in  Albuquerque.  The  major  said, 
no;  that  it  was  dead — had  died  a  natural  death  from  want  of  subscribers. 
Aubrey  then  said  it  should  have  died,  because  of  the  lies  with  which  it  was 
filled.  This  was  said  without  excitement.  \¥hen  Weightman  asked  'What 
lies?'  Aubrey  remarked :  'When  1  returned  from  California  last  year  you  asked 
me  for  information  in  respect  to  my  route,  and  afterwards  you  abused  me.' 
This  Weightman  denied,  saying,  'No,  Aubrey,  I  did  not  abuse  you.'  Aul^rey 
then  said,  more  or  less  excited,  'I  say  you  did,  and  I  now  repeat,  it  is  a  lie."  at 
the  same  time  bringing  his  hand  down  with  force  upon  the  counter. 

"At  this  Weightman,  who  was  sitting  on  the  counter,  five  or  six  feet  from 
Aubrey,  sprang  down  and  approached  Aubrey,  who  had  been  standing  near 
the  counter,  and  taking  a  glass  from  which  Aubrey  had  been  drinking  (a 
toddy),  threw  the  contents  in  his  face.  \\'eigiitnian  immediatelv  stepped 
back,  when  Aubrey  drew  a  pistol  (Colt's  belt  pistol),  the  first  shot  from 
which  took  effect  in  the  ceiling  (supposed  to  have  gone  off  while  cocking). 


212  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

Weightman  then  drew  a  knife,  and  before  another  shot  could  be  fired,  closed 
with  Aubrey  and  stabbed  him  in  the  abdomen,  and  soon  after  seized  Aub- 
rey's pistol. 

"The  Messrs.  Mercure  rvished  on  and  seized  the  parties.  Aubrey  rapidly 
sank,  and  as  soon  as  he  relinquished  his  pistol  Weightman  said :  'I  did  it  in  my 
own  defense,  and  I  will  go  and  surrender  myself  to  the  authorities,'  which  he 
did,  accompanied  by  his  friend.  Major  Cunningham.  Aubrey  died  in  a  few 
minutes.  He  received  but  the  one  blow.  Major  Weightman  has  carried 
a  bowie  knife  for  his  own  protection  for  a  year  past,  believing  it  to  be  necessary 
for  him  to  do  so.  This  was  stated  as  the  cause  of  his  being  armed.  Aubrey 
was  of  the  number  of  those  who  were  inimical  to  him.  The  relations  between 
Aubrey  and  Weightman  had  been  heretofore  of  the  most  agreeable  character." 

Major  Weightman  was  a  resident  of  Atchison  only  a  few  years.  At  the 
outbreak  of  the  war  he  joined  the  southern  army,  and  lost  his  life  in  the 
battle  of  Wilson's  Creek. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


AGRICULTURE  AND  ITS  DEVELOPMENT. 


AX    AGRICULTURAL    COMMUXITV SCIENTIFIC    FARMIXG FARMERS,    THE    ARIS- 
TOCRACY  OF   THE   WEST MODERN   IMPROVEMENT TOPOGRAPHY SOIL 

STATISTICS. 

Atchison  county  is  distinctively  an  agricultural  community.  There  have 
been  some  earnest  efforts  made  in  the  past  to  develop  its  mineral  resources, 
and  it  is  not  be_\ond  the  realm  of  possibilit}-  that  future  efforts  in  that  direc- 
tion will  unlock  hidden  resources  of  fabulous  value.  But  in  the  future,  as  in 
the  past,  agriculture  will  be  the  big  important  dividend  producer  in  this 
county.  L'p  to  this  time  it  is  not  unfair  to  say  that  only  the  surface  of  the 
soil  has  been  scratched.  Fanning  has  been  the  occupation  of  a  veiy  large 
portion  of  our  people  from  the  days  when  the  first  settlers  took  up  their 
claims  and  with  crude  implements,  broke  the  sod,  down  to  this  en- 
lightened age,  of  the  riding  plow  and  the  traction  engine,  but  scientific  hus- 
bandly has  not  been  followed  on  a  large  scale  in  this  county.  Crops  have 
been  so  easy  to  produce,  on  account  of  rich  soil  and  a  favorable  climate,  that 
the  methods  employed  in  countries  not  so  blessed  and  of  a  greater  popula- 
tion, have  not  been  followed  in  the  past.  This  is  not  an  arraignment  of  the 
former,  for  Atchison  county  has  been  peculiarly  blessed  in  its  possession 
of  an  intelligent  lot  of  thrifty  farmers.  They  have  toiled  and  labored  early 
and  late ;  they  have  built  comfortable  homes,  accumulated  fortunes,  and  are 
the  sturdy,  dependable  citizens  of  the  county,  but  for  over  si.xty  years  they 
have  lacked  organization  and  the  prosperous  farmers  have  succeeded  because 
of  their  own  personal  initiative,  judgment  and  hard  work.  As  a  class  they 
have  not  made  the  progress  to  which  they  are  justly  entitled.  Those  that 
came  early  and  remained,  have  in  most  instances  met  with  rare  success,  but 
they  worked   out    their  own    salvation,    unaided   by   scientific   organization. 

213 


214  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

One  hundred  and  sixty  of  them  have  banded  togetlier  for  mutual  lielp  and 
have  secured  a  county  agricultural  agent  to  assist  them  in  this  direction, 
as  the  rich  countrj-  in  the  States  east  of  us  have  been  forced  to  do.  The 
soil  also  has  an  abundance  of  potash  and  a  creditable  amount  of  phosphorus, 
so  with  the  proper  use  of  legumes  and  manure,  with  the  addition  of  some 
phosphorus,  the  fertility  of  the  soil  may  be  increased  and  maintained  in- 
definitely. If  soil  washing  is  stopped  and  the  organic  matter  in  the  soil 
maintained,  this  county  has  a  soil,  that  agriculturally  speaking,  is  second  to 
none. 

The  real  aristocracy  in  the  ^^'est,  will,  in  future  generations,  trace  its 
ancestry  back  to  the  pioneers,  who  settled  on  the  land  and  tilled  it.  Those 
who  went  into  trade  and  the  professions  when  they  came  to  Atchison  county 
prior  to  i860,  and  in  subsequent  years,  have  prospered,  in  part,  b}'  their  wits, 
but  in  the  main,  on  the  farmer.  The  farmei-s  were  then,  as  now,  the  real 
wealth  producers  and  so  it  has  come  to  pass,  after  these  many  years,  that 
the  farmer  "has  arrived,"  and  with  the  increase  in  population  and  the  gen- 
eral trend  of  advancement  and  improvement  in  all  human  activities,  farming 
now  stands  near  the  top  of  the  big  human  enterprises.  The  desire  for  organ- 
ization and  cooperation  among  the  farmers  is  growing  even,'where,  and  it 
has  taken  hold  of  Atchison  county  in  recent  years.       * 

The  farmer's  life  in  this  county,  in  the  late  fifties  and  early  sixties,  was  a 
hard  and  lonely  one.  During  those  years  many  homesteads  were  preempted, 
fifteen  to  twenty-one  miles  southwest,  west  and  northwest  of  Atchison,  and 
onto  these  the  young  pioneers  took  their  wives  and  families.  There  they 
built  their  log  houses,  "broke  out"  their  land,  and  put  it  to  com  and  wheat. 
There  were  few  neighbors,  fewer  creature  comforts,  and  no  conveniences. 
It  was  a  solitar)-  life. 

This  history  contains  biographical  sketches  of  many  of  these  pioneers, 
and  in  them  will  be  found  the  intimate  stories  of  hardships,  privations  and 
discomforts.  They  came  to  conquer  the  resources  of  nature,  and  they  ac- 
complished what  they  came  after.  There  were  no  highways  over  which  to 
convey  their  crops  when  harvested,  and  the  ways  to  the  nearest  market  were 
long  and  dreary  ones.  It  was  a  two  days'  trip  over  the  prairies  to  Atchison 
with  a  load  of  grain,  and  there  were  few  ways  to  economize  time,  although, 
fortunately,  time  was  not  an  object  then,  as  it  is  in  these  restless  days. 

And  yet  within  the  short  span  of  the  lives  of  farmers  who  are  still  here, 
there  has  been  a  marvelous  development.  Log  houses  have  given  way  to 
fine  commodious  homes,  steam  heated  and  electric  lighted :  great  bams  shel- 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  215 

ter  the  stock,  and  house  the  grain ;  the  telephone,  the  rural  delivery  and  the 
automobile  have  revolutionized  the  farmer's  life  and  the  farmer's  wife. 
Better  roads  are  the  order  of  the  day,  and  it  will  be  along  this  line  that  great 
progress  will  be  made  in  the  immediate  future.  Meanwhile,  land  values 
are  on  the  increase,  and  the  quarter  sections  that  sold  from  $500  to  $800 
each,  fifty  years  ago,  are  now  bringing  $16,000  to  $24,000  each.  Within 
the  year  19 15  there  has  been  a  general  trend  of  sentiment  among  the  more 
enterprising  farmers  to  put  farming  upon  a  more  scientific  basis.  The  serv- 
ices of  a  farm  adviser  have  been  secured,  whose  duty  it  is  to  assist  in  this 
direction.  They  are  learning  more  of  food  values,  crop  rotation  and  diversi- 
fication, soil  culture  and  plant  life.  As  the  value  of  these  things  become 
more  apparent,  the  farming  industry  will  thrive  more,  and  in  another  gen- 
eration the  problem  of  keeping  the  young  men  and  young  women  on  the  farm 
will  have  been  solved. 

The  richest  and  most  valuable  farming  land  in  Atchison  county  is  very 
generally  distributed.  There  are  parts  of  each  township  that  are  rough  and 
broken,  but  as  the  population  increases  land  not  now  regarded  as  choice  v.-ill 
be  made  to  produce  alnindant  crops.  The  river  bluffs,  which  have  stood  so 
long  in  timber,  are  gradually  being  cleared  and  the  bare  hills  which  are  left, 
are  admirably  adapted  to  fruit,  wheat  and  alfalfa.  Much  of  this  land  is  as 
well  adapted  to  fruit  raising  as  is  the  already  famous  Wathena  district,  some 
of  it  being  exactly  the  same  type  of  soil.  All  that  is  needed  is  that  the  fruit 
growers  give  their  plantations  care.  The  orchard  that  is  properly  cared  for 
produces  fruit  of  a  quality  far  superior  to  that  of  the  famous  Northwest. 
Incidentally,  this  land  returns  the  grower  a  greater  net  profit. 

Atchison  county  lies  within  the  glaciated  portion  of  the  plains  region. 
The  underlying  rocks  are  buried  by  the  glacial  till,  but  in  turn  is  covered  by 
a  deposit  of  fine  silty  material,  known  as  loess.  Practically  all  the  soil 
throughout  this  country  is  derived  from  the  loess  covering.  The  principal 
soil  is  a  brown,  almost  black,  silty  loam,  well  adapted  to  the  production  of 
general  farm  crops.  The  rainfall  is  sufficient  for  the  maturing  of  all  crops, 
the  nonnal  anual  precipitation  ranging  from  fifteen  to  twenty-five  inches. 
Atchison  county  has  a  population  ranging  from  28,000  to  30,000  people. 
There  was  a  slight  decrease  in  the  population  between  the  years  of  1900  and 
1910,  yet,  in  spite  of  this  apparent  unfavorable  showing,  the  value  of  farm 
land  and  farm  products  have  increased.  About  ninety-five  per  cent,  of  the 
land  in  this  county  is  in  farms,  of  an  average  value  of  $69.26  per  acre.  The 
proportionate  land  area  is  263,680  acres,  of  which  249,339  acres  are  in  farms, 


2l6  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

with  an  aggregate  land  \-alue  of  $17,270,130,  which  is  more  than  double 
what  it  was  in  1900,  and  over  two  million  dollars  more  than  the  whole  of  the 
Louisiana  Purchase  cost  us  in  1S03.  Figures  and  statistics  are  proverbially 
dr\-  and  uninteresting,  but  there  is  no  place  in  which  they  can  be  more  ap- 
propriately used  than  in  historj^,  and  no  language  that  can  be  employed 
could  tell  a  tetter  story  of  the  agricultural  progress  of  Atchison  county,  than 
the  statistics  taken  from  the  thirteenth  census  of  the  United  States.  From 
this  source  we  find  that  the  total  value  of  improvements  on  the  farms  in  this 
county  in  1910  was  $2,692,755,  and  that  the  value  of  the  implements  and 
machinery  used  by  the  farmers,  not  including  automobiles,  was  $499,129. 
While  the  value  of  domestic  animals  and  live  stock  was  $2,149,863,  and  in 
these  figures  poultry  is  not  included.  The  chicken,  duck,  goose  and  turkey 
census  reached  150,127,  and  these  were  valued  at  $77,926.  The  total  value 
of  all  crops  shown  by  the  census  of  1910  was  as  follows: 

Cereals    $1,928,065.00 

Other  grain  and  seeds  3o77-00 

Hay  and  forage   281,793.00 

Vegetables    94,232.00 

Fruits  and  nuts   32,297.00 

All  other  crops    30,883.00 

Grand   Total    $2,370,847.00 

Making  a  grand  total  of  $2,370,847.00. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


THE  PRESS. 


INFLUENCE    OF    NEWSPAPERS PART    PLAYED    BY    THE    EARLY    PRESS SQUAT- 
TER    SOVEREIGN'" "freedom's     CHAMPIOn" "CHAMPION     AND     PRESS," 

PIONEER   EDITORS LATER    NEWSPAPERS  AND   NEWSPAPER    MEN. 

Of  all  the  mighty  powers  for  good  and  evil,  none  can  excel  the  news- 
paper. Take  all  the  newspapers  out  of  the  world  today  and  there  would 
be  chaos.  Mankind  would  be  groping  in  the  -dark,  and  life  itself  would  be 
a  vain  and  empty  thing.  Newspapers  are  the  arteries  through  which  the  life- 
blood  of  the  world  runs.  They  carry  to  our  firesides  the  continued  story  of 
civilization. 

Early  in  the  history  of  Atchison  county,  before  the  schools  and  the 
churches,  the  ne\yspaper  appeared.  It  received  a  bounty  of  the  original  town 
company  when  that  association,  September  21,  1854,  bv  a  resolution,  donated 
$400  to  Robert  Kelley  and  Dr.  J-  H.  Stringfellow,  to  start  a  printing  office, 
and  it  was  then  that  the  Squatter  Sovereign  was  conceived,  and  after  a  brief 
period  of  gestation,  was  born  February  3,  1855.  By  a  strange  stroke  of  mis- 
fortune this  first  newspaper  in  the  county  stood  for  a  wrong  princijik-  and 
preached  bad  doctrine,  for  it  advocated  human  slavery.  Yet  it  was  a  crea- 
ture of  environment,  and  reflected  the  prevailing  sentiment  of  its  constituency. 
It  was  fearless  in  its  attitude  and  rabid  in  its  utterances.  It  was  a  violent 
organ  of  hate  and  bitterness  toward  all  Free  State  men.  and  in  it  appeared 
a  constant  flood  of  inflammatory  comment  directed  against  those  who  op- 
posed slavery,  and  were  determined  that  Kansas  should  be  the  land  of  the 
brave  and  the  home  of  the  free.  But  as  the  pro-slavery  cause  waned,  the 
Squatter  Sovereign  waned  with  it,  and  in  the  fall  of  1857,  when  saner  coun- 
sel and  the  feeling  of  brotherhood  grew,  the  town  company  disposed  of  its 

217 


2l8  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

interest  in  tlie  Sqiaittcr  Soz-crcigii  to  the  New  England  Aid  Society,  of  which 
S.  C.  Pomeroy  was  agent,  and  the  paper  then  passed  into  the  hands  of  Rob- 
ert McBratney  and  Franklin  G.  Adams.  Mr.  Adams  and  Mr.  McBratney 
were  both  Free  Soilers,  but  they  did  not  run  the  paper  long.  It  was  shortly 
sold  to  O.  F.  Short,  wdio  ran  it  until  the  following  Februar>%  and  on  the  twen- 
tieth day  of  that  month,  1858,  John  A.  Martin  purchased  the  plant  and 
changed  the  name  of  the  paper  to  Freedom's  Champion.  Under  that  name 
Colonel  Martin  made  of  his  paper  one  of  the  leading  Free  State  organs  of 
the  Territor}'.  Always  a  brilliant  editor,  of  courage  and  deep  convictions, 
Colonel  Martin  during  his  whole  career  never  performed  a  greater  service 
than  during  the  time  he  shouted  the  battle-cr\'  of  freedom  through  the  col- 
umns of  Freedom's  Champion,  from  1858  to  1861.  In  September  of  the  lat- 
ter year,  he  laid  aside  his  pen  and  took  up  his  sword  in  defense  of  the  prin- 
ciples he  so  stoutly  advocated,  and  thus  translated  his  words  into  deeds.  When 
he  went  to  the  front  he  left  the  Champion  in  charge  of  George  I.  Stchbins, 
who  continued  in  charge  until  the  fall  of  1863,  when  it  was  leased  to  Jo!m  J. 
Ingalls  and  Robert  H.  Horton.  These  two  men  afterwards  became  political 
rivals.  Both  were  lawyers  and  both  residents  of  Atchison  for  many  years. 
I  Horton  was  a  typical  lawyer,  smooth  and  tactful,  who  enjoyed  a  suc- 
Icesgful  career  in  the  practice  of  his  profession  and  on  the  bench.  Ingalls 
was  of  a  different  temperament,  being  more  intellectual,  caring  little  for  the 
law,  less  tactful,  Init  ambitious.  They  bolli  met  in  the  arena  of  politics,  and 
Horton  was  the  vanquished.  Following  the  senatorial  election  of  1879,  at 
which  they  were  both  candidates,  they  became  bitter  enemies,  and  did  not 
speak  until  they  met,  by  chance,  in  London,  in  1891.  W'hile  these  two  men 
were  editors  of  the  Champion,  Ingalls  did  most  of  the  writing  and  kept  things 
warm  until  the  return  of  Colonel  IMartin  from  the  war  in  January,  1865,  one 
of  the  Nation's  heroes.  Three  months  after  his  return,  on  the  twenty-second 
day  of  Marcli,  1865,  Colonel  Martin  became  the  publisher  of  a  daily  paper, 
and  on  August  11,  1868,  the  Freedom's  Champion  was  consolidated  with 
the  Atchison  Free  Press,  under  the  name  of  CItampion  and  Press.  The 
Free  Press  was  a  Republican  daily  paper,  and  first  appeared  May  5,  1864, 
with  Franklin  G.  Adams  as  its  editor  and  proprietor.  In  April,  1865,  Frank 
A.  Root  became  a  partner,  and  subsequently,  L.  R.  Elliott,  who  had  been  an 
assistant  editor,  became  a  proprietor,  with  Mr.  Root  retiring  later,  when  the 
paper  was  consolidated  with  tlie  Champion. 

The  office  of  the  Champion  and  Press  was  destroyed  by  fire  May  20, 
1869,  but  three  weeks  later  the  paper  was  in  running  order,  with  John  .\. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  2ig 

Martin  as  sole  editor  and  proprietor,  and  from  that  date  until  llie  death  of 
Mr.  Martin  October  2,  1889,  it  remained  one  of  the  most  influential  and 
prosperous  papers  in  tlie  State  of  Kansas. 

Upon  the  death  of  Mr.  Martin,  the  newspaper  property  was  turned  over 
to  his  father-in-law,  W.  L.  Challiss,  as  executor  of  Mr.  Martin's  estate,  and 
on  the  day  of  Mr.  Martin's  death  the  name  of  Phillip  Krohn  appears  as  man- 
aging editor.  Krohn  occupied  that  imprjrtant  place  until  March  29,  1890, 
when  his  name  appeared  for  the  last  time  as  editor.  Dr.  Phillip  Krohn  was 
a  man  of  brilliant  attainments,  a  fluent  writer,  and  a  pleasing  public  speaker. 
He  was  a  Methodist  minister  by  profession,  but.  althouh  he  occupied  the 
pulpit  upon  occasions,  his  name  was  seldom  taken  seriously  in  connection 
with  religious  work.  From  the  date  of  Governor  Martin's  death  the  paper 
gradually  waned  in  influence.  The  paper  remained  the  property  of  the  estate 
of  Governor  Martin,  and  Luther  C.  Challiss  was  editor  and  manager,  until 
October  II,  1894.  when  A.  J.  Felt,  an  ex-lieutenant  governor  of  Kansas,  be- 
came its  editor  and  proprietor.  The  paper  did  not  prosper  under  the  man- 
agement of  Mr.  Felt,  and  four  years  later  a  company  was  organized  by 
Charles  M.  Sheldon,  a  promoter,  and  Mr.  Sheldon  became  its  editor  May 
2,  i8g8.  Mr.  Sheldon  was  an  enthusiastic  and  aggressive  individual,  who 
had  very  little  respect  for  the  value  of  money,  which  he  spent  so  lavishly  that 
two  months  later,  July  i,  1898,  his  name  appeared  for  the  last  time  as  edi- 
tor of  the  Champion.  On  the  twentieth  of  that  month  the  paper  was  sold 
to  satisfy  a  mort.ga.ge  and  the  property  was  re-purchased  by  A.  ].  Felt,  who 
immediately  transferred  it  to  the  Champion  Linotype  Printing  Company,  a 
partnership,  composed  of  Edward  Skinner.  George  T.  Housen,  Charles  O. 
Hovatter,  James  McNamara  and  A.  J.  Felt.  Mr.  Felt  again  resumed  the 
editorial  management  of  the  paper,  and  remained  in  charge  until  January  i, 
1899. 

February  3,  1899,  Henry  Kuhn,  who  surveyed  the  townsite  of  Atchi- 
son, returned  to  the  city  with  his  son,  James  G.  Kuhn.  They  made  a  heroic 
effort  to  restore  the  lost  prestige  of  the  Champion,  but  soon  became  dis- 
couraged, and  in  the  latter  part  of  May  or  early  in  the  June  following,  they 
gave  up  the  ghost  and  silently  disappeared.  The  mortgagees  continued 
the  publication  of  the  paper,  and  July  31,  1899,  the  name  of  John  A.  Reynolds 
appears  as  business  manager.  It  had  no  editor  until  August  23,  1899,  when 
James  G.  Day,  Jr.,  a  young  lawyer,  occupying  a  desk  in  the  office  of  Wag- 
gener,  Horton  &  Orr,  became  editor  and  manager.  Mr.  Dav  ran  a  daily 
until  January  9,  1900,  when  it  was  discontinued.     The  following  March  he 


220  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

published  a  daily  for  one  week,  "as  the  devil  would  run  it,"  a  piece  of  cyni- 
cism in  reply  to  an  effort  the  Topcka  Capital  made  a  short  time  before,  when 
that  paper  was  turned  over  to  Rev.  Charles  M.  Sheldon,  the  eminent  Con- 
gregational preacher,  who  ran  that  paper  one  week,  "As  Jesus  would  run  it." 

Meanwhile,  the  Chaiupion  had  its  ups  and  downs,  but  did  not  die.  A 
daily  again  appeared  April  22,  1901,  with  Ewing  Herbert,  one  of  the  cele- 
brated newspaper  men  of  Kansas,  as  its  editor  and  owner.  Mr.  Herbert 
was  at  that  time  the  owner  of  the  Brozvu  County  U'orld,  at  Hiawatha.  He 
conceived  the  idea  that  Atchison  offered  an  attractive  field  for  a  newspaper 
venture,  and  he  succeeded  in  interesting  some  local  capital  in  his  enterprise. 
Capt.  John  Seaton  was  a  stockholder,  among  others,  and  Jay  House,  the 
present  mayor  of  Topeka  (  1915)  and  a  brilliant  newspaper  paragrapher.  was 
city  editor.  Mr.  Herbert  spent  only  part  of  his  time  in  Atchison,  and  turned 
over  the  management  of  the  Champiun  to  Mr.  House.  It  looked  for  a  time 
as  if  Mr.  Herbert  was  going  to  make  a  success  of  his  venture,  but  just  at 
the  height  of  his  prosperity  he  was  guilty  of  an  editorial  indiscretion,  which 
turned  some  powerful  influences  against  the  paper,  and  on  August  17,  1901, 
Mr.  Herbert  gave  up  his  effort  as  a  bad  job  and  turned  the  plant  over  to  one 
W.  A.  Robinson,  formerly  of  St.  Louis,  Mo.  Mr.  Robinson  was  a  follower 
of  Henry  George,  the  great  single  taxer,  and  conceived  it  to  be  his  duty  to 
spread  the  single  tax  propaganda  through  the  editorial  columns  of  the  Cham- 
pion. His  efforts  in  this  direction  did  not  pro\-e  profitable,  and  becoming 
disheartened  and  discouraged  he  fled  from  the  city  shortly  thereafter,  a  much 
poorer  but  wiser  man. 

The  Champion  next  fell  into  the  hands  of  Corman  IT.  Young,  for  many 
years  a  successful  music  merchant,  of  Atchison,  who  incidentally  ac(]uired  a 
small  job  printing  plant,  which  he  operated  on  North  Fifth  street,  and  which 
he  subsecjuently  merged  with  the  Champion  plant,  having  acquired  that  by 
paying  off  the  mortgage  which  Mr.  Robinson  gave  Ewing  Herbert  at  the 
lime  he  undertook  to  acquire  the  property.  Mr.  Young  ran  a  weekly  paper 
for  a  number  of  years,  until  May,  1907.  when  he  employed  Walt  Mason,  the 
famous  prose  poet  of  the  United  States,  to  assume  the  editorial  management 
of  a  daily.  Mr.  Mason  many  years  before  had  been  a  resident  of  Atchison, 
and  ran  the  Globe  during  the  absence  of  Mr.  Howe  in  Europe.  He  was  not 
so  famous  in  1907  as  he  is  in  1915.  but  he  was  just  as  brilliant.  He  pub- 
lished the  daily  Champion  on  pink  paper  and  filled  it  with  columns  of  edi- 
torial matter  and  humorous  running  comment  on  current  affairs.  Mr.  Mason 
had  a  wonderful  capacity  for  work  and  could  prepare  more  "copy"  in  one 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  221 

day  tlian  all  the  other  writers  on  tlie  paper  could  prepare  in  a  week.  Dur- 
ing the  summer  of  1907,  Sheffield  Ingalls,  having  returned  from  the  legisla- 
ture, where  he  was  a  member  of  the  house  of  representatives,  became  an  edi- 
torial writer  on  the  Champion.  November  20,  1907,  Mr.  Young  prevailed 
upon  Mr.  Ingalls  to  give  up  his  other  work  and  become  editor  of  the  paper. 
As  Mr.  Ingalls  walked  into  the  office,  Mr.  Mason  walked  out,  never  to  re- 
turn. Mr.  Ingalls  remained  editor  and  manager  of  the  Champion  until  Oc- 
tober 6,  1909,  having  been  frustrated  in  plans  he  had  made  to  acquire  the 
property  as  his  own.  Mr.  Young  continued  to  run  the  paper  until  July  i, 
191 1,  when  Mr.  Ingalls,  with  the  assistance  of  J.  C.  Killarney,  succeeded  in 
organizing  a  company,  which  purchased  the  paper  and  turned  it  over  to  Eu- 
gene C.  Pulliam,  as  editor.  Mr.  Pulliam  was  a  young  man,  who  had  served 
his  apprenticeship  on  the  Kansas  City  Star  as  a  reporter.  He  was  a  good 
writer,  but  lacked  experience  and  business  judgment,  and  while  he  made  a 
vigorous  effort  to  run  the  paper,  and  had  the  benefit  of  strong  financial  con- 
nections, he  did  not  succeed,  and  September  i,  1914,  he  turned  the  paper  over 
to  Sheffield  Ingalls  as  trustee,  and  it  was  subsequently  sold  to  A.  S.Andereck 
and  his  brother,  A.  P.  Andereck,  of  Kankakee,  111.  A  few  months  later  a 
company  was  organized,  composed  of  the  Andereck  brothers,  O.  A.  Simmons, 
vice-president  of  the  First  National  Bank.  Wilbur  C.  Hawk  and  Sheffield 
Ingalls,  who  in  191 5  are  conducting  the  paper,  and  it  is  enjoying  its  most 
prosperous  days  since  the  death  of  its  brilliant  editor,  John  A.   Martin. 

In  1877  there  came  to  Atchison  a  young  man  who  subsequently  became 
one  of  the  famous  editors  of  the  United  States,  Edgar  Watson  Howe.  Mr. 
Howe  was  born  in  Wabash  county,  Indiana,  May  3,  1854,  a  son  of  Plenry 
and  Elizabeth  Howe.  When  he  was  about  three  years  of  age  his  family  re- 
moved to  Bethany,  Harrison  county,  Missouri,  where  the  father,  a  Meth- 
odist preacher,  published  a  newspaper  of  strong  abolition  sentiments.  The 
younger  Mr.  Howe  served  an  apprenticeship  at  the  printer's  trade  in  his 
father's  office,  and  in  1868  started  out  for  himself.  He  visited  various  cities, 
working  at  the  case  to  earn  money  to  pay  his  way  from  one  place  to  another, 
and  at  the  age  of  eighteen  became  the  publisher  of  the  weekly  Globe,  at 
Golden,  Colo.  From  there  he  went  to  Falls  City,  Neb.,  where  he  published 
a  newspaper,  subsequently  coming  to  Atchison,  and  established  the  Daily 
Globe.  WHien  Mr.  Howe  reached  Atchison,  the  Champion,  under  the  man- 
agement of  John  A.  Martin,  was  the  most  powerful  newspaper  organ  in  the 
northern  half  of  Kansas,  and  the  field  here  was  none  too  promising  on  this 
account.     However,  Mr.  Howe  proceeded  to  publish  a  paper  of  an  entirely 


222  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

different  type  than  that  published  by  Mr.  Martin.  It  was  a  small  slieet,  and 
was  devoted  to  "gab,  gossip  and  paid  locals,"  and  for  over  thirty  years  this 
policy  was  successfully  maintained  by  Mr.  Howe.  It  was  unique  in  the 
journalistic  world,  and  under  the  management  of  Mr.  Howe  it  acquired  a 
National  reputation,  chiefly  because  of  the  quaint,  homely  philosophy  it  con- 
tained and  the  unusual  treatment  he  gave  the  ordinary  incidents  of  human 
life.  As  a  reporter  of  this  class  of  news,  Mr.  Howe  was  perhaps  without  a 
peer  in  the  country.  For  over  thirty  years  he  tramped  the  streets  of  Atchi- 
son with  note-book  and  pencil,  and  to  practically  ever\-  item  he  turned  in  he 
gave  a  peculiar  twist,  which  reflected  a  remarkable  insight  of  human  nature. 
With  Mr.  Howe  were  associated  Miss  Frances  L.  Garside.  Ralph  ("Doc") 
Tennal.  Miss  Nellie  Webb  and  J-  E.  Rank.  To  each  of  them  Mr.  Howe 
was  indebted  for  much  of  the  success  the  Globe  attained.  The  death  of  Col. 
John  A.  Martin  and  the  collapse  of  the  Champion,  that  followed,  gave  Mr. 
Howe  his  opportunity,  and  for  the  greater  part  of  his  active  newspaper 
career  in  Atchison  he  had  the  field  to  himself.  The  Globe  was  a  great 
financial  success,  and  in  one  year  it  has  been  said  that  Mr.  Howe  cleared 
close  to  $24,000  on  his  property.  "Doc"  Tennal  was  the  first  one  of  Mr. 
Howe's  faithful  associates  to  break  up  the  Globe  family.  Mr.  Tennal  was  a 
remarkable  reporter  of  local  news,  but  being  ambitious  and  realizing  the  lim- 
itations by  which  he  was  surrounded,  he  concluded  to  acquire  a  newspaper 
property  of  his  own,  and  in  pursuance  of  that  plan,  he  bought  the  Sabetha 
Herald  in  1905,  subsequently  relinquishing  it  to  become  editor  of  the  Kansas 
City  Weekly  Star.  He  returned  some  years  later  to  Saljetha.  and  re-pur- 
chased the  Herald  plant,  and  is  now  the  editor  of  that  prosperous  and  pro- 
gressive paper  (1915). 

J.  E.  Rank  left  the  Globe  a  few  years  later,  and  went  to  Bartlesville. 
Okla.,  where  he  ran  a  paper  a  short  time,  and  then  returned  to  Atchison, 
and  his  first  newspaper  love. 

Miss  Garside,  who  was  one  of  the  most  brilliant  newspaper  women  in 
the  country,  went  from  the  Globe  to  the  Nezv  York  Journal,  and  in  1909  Mr. 
Howe  turned  the  Globe  over  to  his  son,  Eugene  Howe,  who  is  now  (1915) 
its  editor  and  principal  owner.  Associated  with  him  are  Mr.  Rank  and  Miss 
Nellie  Webb,  together  with  other  old  Globe  employes. 

Miss  Webb  is  the  society  reporter,  and  in  this  capacity  she  has  acquired 
a  brilliant  reputation  among  the  newspaper  women  of  Kansas.  The  "policy" 
of  the  Globe  remains  vmchanged,  and,  while  it  mav  not  enjoy  the  same  pres- 
tige It  had  during  the  days  of  the  elder  Howe,  it  is  still  one  of  the  money- 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON'  COUNTY  223 

making  newspaper  plants  of  Kansas.  Eugene  Howe  is  a  young  man  of  much 
promise.  He  is  still  young  and  has  spent  his  life  in  newspaper  work.  He 
has  carried  the  new  responsibilities  thrust  upon  him  by  his  father  both  grace- 
fully and  tactfully,  and  there  is  every  reason  to  predict  a  successful  future 
for  him. 

Among  the  early  newspaper  enterprises  of  Atchison  was  The  Patriot, 
established  by  Nelson  Abbott  October  25,  1867.  In  September.  1868, 
Messrs.  H.  Clay  Park,  B.  P.  Waggener  and  Mr.  Abbott  fonned  a  partner- 
ship, under  the  name  of  H.  Clay  Park  &  Company,  and  purchased  the  estab- 
lishment, and  in  October  of  the  same  year,  the  paper  passed  into  the  hands 
of  C.  F.  and  C.  P.  Cochrane,  but  shortly  thereafter  reverted  to  Nelson  Ab- 
bott, who  remained  in  control  until  December,  1875.  Dr.  H.  B.  Horn,  for 
many  years  a  respected  and  honored  citizen  of  Atchison,  was  connected  with 
the  paper  as  bookkeeper  and  business  manager,  and  performed  much  of  the 
editorial  work,  and  when  Mr.  Abl)ott  finallv  relinquished  control  of  the 
paper,  it  fell  again  into  the  hands  of  H.  Clay  Park,  who  together  with  F.  L. 
Vandergrift  and  P.  H.  Peters,  assumed  control.  Mr.  Peters  did  not  remain 
long  in  the  partnership,  and  in  1877  he  sold  his  interest  to  E.  W.  Beall.  The 
paper  was  Democratic,  and  Mr.  Park,  who  was  very  actively  identified  with 
the  affairs  of  Atchison  in  the  early  days,  was  an  aljle  editor.  He  left  Atchi- 
son twenty-five  years  later,  to  become  an  editorial  writer  on  the  St.  Joseph 
Neii's  and  Press.  F.  L.  Vandergrift  is  one  of  the  famous  newspaper  men 
of  Kansas,  and  for  many  years  was  the  representati\e  in  Kansas  of  the 
Kansas  City  Star.  He  is  one  of  the  best  loved  and  best  known  newspaper 
writers  of  the  W'est,  and  is  now  (1915)  editor  of  the  Earth,  a  publication 
devoted  to  the  interests  of  the  Santa  Fe  railroad. 

One  of  the  well  known  newspaper  men  of  the  West  connected  with 
The  Patriot  was  Tom  Stivers,  who  was  coimected  with  the  Champion  for 
eight  years,  and  in  January,  1879,  became  a  partner  with  Mr.  Park  and  Mr. 
Vandergrift. 

The  Patriot  was  an  afternoon  daily  paper,  and  always  stanchly  Dem- 
ocratic in  politics,  and  for  many  years  was  a  successful  journalistic  enter- 
prise. This  paper  continued  to  be  published  either  as  a  weekly  or  a  daily 
until  about  October  12,  1895.  It  was  in  a  precarious  condition  many  years 
before  that  date,  and  had  a  number  of  different  editors,  among  them  F.  M. 
Stambaugh  and  W.  J.  Montgomery.  The  Atchison  Morning  Star  and  Daily 
Patriot  was  built  upon  the  wreck  of  the  original  Patriot,  its  first  issue  being 
dated  October  13,  1895,  and  running  until  February  23,  1896. 

The  Atchison  Union  was  a  Democratic  paper,  established  by  Gideon  O. 


224  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY 

Chase,  about  1858.  It  had  an  office  in  a  frame  building  at  tlie  southwest 
corner  of  Fifth  and  Commercial  streets,  subsequently  occupied  by  the  Cham- 
pioH.  Mr.  Chase  came  from  \Vaverly,  N.  Y.,  and  his  paper,  while  Dem- 
ocratic, was  for  the  Union  and  against  slavery.  Mr.  Chase  did  not  remain 
in  charge  of  the  paper  very  long,  and  turned  it  over  to  \\'.  H.  Addoms  and 
G.  I.  Stebbins.  Shortly  thereafter  Stebbins  retired,  and  Addoms  went  to 
Leavenworth,  where  he  started  a  paper,  turning  his  interest  over  to  A.  P. 
Cochrane,  who  was  an  employe  in  the  office.  Cochrane  did  not  run  the  paper 
but  a  short  time,  when  a  Mr.  Leland.  Francis  J.  Marion  and  Franklin  G. 
Adams  assumed  control  and  ran  it  a  short  time,  when  Marion  took  the  plant 
of  Plattsburg,  Mo.,  and  junked  it,  and  for  many  years  what  was  left  of  the 
paper  was  piled  up  in  the  court  house  at  that  place. 

The  Atchison  Church  Visitor  was  established  in  1906,  and  was  published 
by  the  pastors  of  the  following  churches :  English  Lutheran,  Methodist, 
Christian,  Congregational,  Presbyterian,  Baptist. 

On  January  14,  1911,  Paul  Tonsing  became  its  editor  and  publisher. 
The  paper  is  printed  by  Mr.  Tonsing  in  the  office  over  500  Commercial 
street,  so  long  occupied  as  the  editorial  room  of  John  A.  Martin,  of  whom 
Mr.  Tonsing  is  a  son-in-law.  Mr.  Tonsing  is  a  Lutlieran  minister  by  profes- 
sion, and  for  a  number  of  years  after  his  gradtiation  from  Midland  College, 
he  did  pastoral  work  in  a  number  of  Lutheran  churches  in  Nebraska  and 
Kansas.  Mr.  Tonsing  is  a  reformer,  and  a  man  not  without  courage  and 
ability.  His  views  are  looked  upon  as  too  extreme  by  the  conservative  liberal 
element  of  Atchison,  but  all  give  him  credit  for  being  conscientious  and 
honest.  He  is  a  hard-working,  industrious  citizen,  and,  while  he  has  made 
many  active  enemies  in  his  reform  work,  he  enjoys  the  personal  satisfaction 
of  seeing  many  of  the  reforms  he  has  advocated  come  to  pass.  He  is  an 
avowed  foe  of  the  liquor  traffic,  and  has  perhaps  done  more  than  any  other 
individual  m  the  community  to  make  his  views  on  that  question  effective. 
In  connection  with  the  publication  of  the  Church  Visitor,  Mr.  Tonsing  also 
prints  and  edits  the  Western  Chief,  a  monthly  publication  devoted  to  the 
Improved  Order  of  Redmen. 

E.  W.  Hoive's  Monthly  was  started  by  Mr.  Howe  in  March,  1911.  It  is 
published  monthly  and  contains  practicallv  all  of  the  present  literary  efforts 
of  its  editor.  Mr.  Howe  has  adopted  the  use  of  pink  paper  for  this  publica- 
tion, which  is  composed  of  four  pages.  It  contains  no  advertising  matter, 
but  has  a  large  circulation  among  friends  and  admirers  of  Mr.  Howe's 
peculiar  literary  type.     Mr.  Howe  has  popularized  this  monthly  by  making 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  225 

the  price  so  low  that  no  subscriber  can  afford  not  to  take  it,  and  when  he  has 
reached  a  circulation  large  enough,  he  plans  to  put  it  on  a  profitable  basis 
as  an  advertising  medium. 

The  Effingham  Ncic  Leaf  was  started  about  April  12,  1894,  with  J\I.  C. 
Klingman,  editor,  and  his  wife,  Mrs.  Ima  L.  Klingman,  as  associate  editor. 
The  New  Leaf  was  the  successor  of  the  Effingham  Times,  founded  in  1887, 
and  the  Effingham  Graphic,  founded  in  1891,  and  the  Effingham  World, 
founded  in  1893.  After  the  death  of  M.  C.  Klingman,  at  the  Missouri  Bap- 
tist sanitarium,  at  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  May  5,  1899,  Mrs.  Klingman  took  charge 
as  editor  and  publisher,  and  employed  W.  W.  Cahoon,  associate  editor.  Jan- 
uary 4,  1901,  J.  W.  Coleman  became  the  editor  and  publisher,  and  W.  W. 
Cahoon,  associate  editor.  In  December,  1903,  W.  \\'.  Cahoon  purchased 
a  one-half  interest  and  the  firm  became  Coleman  &  Cahoon.  ^Ir.  Coleman 
repurchased  the  paper  October  16,  1903,  and  continued  its  publication  until 
September  8,  1905,  when  Mr.  Cahoon  and  C.  E.  Sells  became  the  editors 
and  publishers.  May  4  of  the  following  year  Mr.  Cahoon  sold  his  interest 
to  W.  H.  Sells,  and  August  31,  1906,  C.  E.  and  A.  J.  Sells  took  charge  of 
the  paper,  and  in  191 5  were  still  its  publishers. 

The  Effingham  Neiv  Leaf  is  a  successful  country  newspaper,  serving 
its  readers  faithfully  and  satisfactorily. 

The  Miiscotah  Record  was  founded  about  October  i,  1884,  by  F.  M. 
Bonham,  who  ran  the  paper  until  about  1886,  when  on  August  18  of  that 
year  the  Miller  brothers  became  its  editors  and  publishers.  They  sold  it 
to  Claud  Martin  and  Coleman  Martin  December  4,  1889,  who  subsequently 
sold  the  plan  to  M.  C.  Klingman,  editor  of  the  Effingham  A'czi'  Leaf,  INIay, 
1890.  Mr.  Klingman  turned  the  pro])erty  over  to  Fred  W.  Badger  July  18. 
1890,  who  continued  the  paper  until  December  8,  1893,  when  he  disposed  of 
it  to  John  Ford.  Ford  published  the  paper  until  November  i,  1894,  when  he 
sold  it  to  James  S.  Martin  and  Guy  L.  Stotter,  the  latter  assuming  entire 
control  March  6,  1896.  Mr.  Stotter  sold  the  Record  to  J.  W.  Campbell 
August  17,  1905,  but  assumed  control  of  it  again  November  23,  1905,  and 
remained  in  control  until  June  6,  1907,  when  J.  A.  Shoemaker,  who  after- 
wards became  county  superintendent  of  Atchison  county,  appeared  as  its 
editor  and  publisher.  When  Mr.  Shoemaker  was  elected  county  superin- 
tendent, he  turned  the  property  over  to  A.  \V.  Huntis,  who  on  Februar}-  3, 
1910,  sold  it  to  P.  J.  Cortelyon,  and  March  7,  191 2,  the  property  was  pur- 
chased by  R.  M.  Dunlap,  who  is  now  (191 5)  its  editor  and  publisher. 

15 


226  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

The  Huron  Herald  started  January  7,  1892,  with  Frank  I.  White  as 
editor  and  publisher.  On  May  16,  1895,  Messrs.  Priest  &  Priest  took 
charge  and  were  in  control  October  18,  1896,  when  the  office  was 
destroyed  by  fire.  The  paper  was  suspended  for  a  few  weeks  and  the  next 
issue  was  dated  November  6,  1896,  with  W.  E.  Johnson,  editor  and  pub- 
lisher. The  Herald  suspended  publication  in  February,  1897,  and  was  again 
resurrected  by  W.  A.  Huff  by  the  issue  of  April  9,  1897.  Mr.  Huff  dis- 
continued the  paiier  in  1900,  and  went  to  Brown  county,  where  he  was  active 
in  newspaper  work  in  that  county.  The  Huron  Herald  was  revived  again 
April  12,  1907,  by  J.  E.  Smith,  who  published  it  until  March  12,  1914,  and 
March  19  of  that  year,  J.  M.  Delaney  announced  that  through  no  fault  of  his> 
he  was  forced  to  take  control  of  the  paper,  and  had  employed  Herman  Van- 
On  August  19,  1915.  T.  A.  Cur  became  editor,  and  on  November  11,  1915. 
August  19,  1915,  T.  A.  Cur  became  editor,  and  November  11,  1915,  Orvil 
L.  Pancake  was  in  charge. 

The  Potter  Kansan  was  originally  known  as  the  Potter  Leaf,  which 
started  November  22,  1900,  by  Eppie  L.  Barber  and  Norene  Barber,  his 
wife.  Mr.  Barber  surrendered  control  of  the  paper  September  17,  1903. 
turning  it  over  to  his  wife,  who  became  its  publisher.  Shortly  thereafter, 
Charles  B.  Remsburg,  who  for  many  years  was  a  well  known  newspaper  re- 
porter in  northeastern  Kansas,  appeared  as  its  editor  and  publisher,  and  re- 
mained in  charge  until  May  11,  1905,  when  he  turned  it  over  to  J.  W.  Thomp- 
son and  his  wife.  Mrs.  J.  W.  Thompson.  On  August  17,  1905,  the  Thomp- 
sons leased  the  paper  to  R.  J.  Wilson,  but  in  the  following  December  Mr. 
Thompson  resumed  control  again  and  placed  Howard  C.  King  in  charge  as 
local  editor  and  business  manager.  On  March  22,  1906,  W.  .\.  Remsburg  be- 
came proprietor  and  in  the  following  September,  J.  E.  Remsburg  purchased 
'lie  plant,  and  is  now  its  editor. 

The  Potter  Kansan  is  one  of  the  best  known  country  weekly  papers  in 
Kansas  and  the  contributions  from  the  pen  of  George  J.  Remsburg,  the  noted 
archeologist  and  newspaper  paragrapher  and  poet,  are  frequently  quoted  by 
the  newspapers  of  the  State. 

Atchison  county,  perhaps,  has  been  the  graveyard  for  as  many  news- 
papers as  any  other  county  in  the  State.  The  State  Historical  Society  has 
reserved  the  record,  and  in  many  instances,  the  files,  of  newspapers,  which 
have  been  born,  and  after  a  brief  existence,  have  did  in  this  county. 

The  first  rival  newspaper  of  the  Champion,  then  the  Squatter  Sovcreiijin, 
was  the  Simmer  Gazette,  published  at  Sumner  in  1857.  Tt  survived  only  a 
short  time,  as  also  did  the  Western  Spy,  which  lived  a  few  months  in  i860. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  227 

In  1857  The  Kansas  Zcitimg  was  started  by  Kab  &  Sussman,  but  was 
moved  to  Leavenworth  in  1859. 

Half  a  dozen  papers  sprung  up  in  1862  and  1863,  among  which  were: 
The  Pleifei;  The  Bulletin,  The  Union-Banner,  The  Anti-J ayhawker ,  The 
Standard,  and  Die  Tackle. 

In  1873  the  anti  John  A.  Martin  crowd,  headed  by  John  M.  Price,  started 
a  RepubHcan  daily  and  weekly,  called  the  Globe,  with  A.  W.  Wagnhals,  J.  B. 
Button,  Rev.  E.  Cooper,  T.  F.  Smith  and  Franklin  G.  Adams  as  the  prin- 
cipal writers.  It  lasted  but  a  few  months.  Wagnhals  subsequently  changed 
his  name  to  Wagnalls,  and  moved  to  New  York  City,  where  he  became  a 
great  publisher  as  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Funk  &  Wagnalls,  which  pub- 
lished the  Standard  Dictionary  and  a  number  of  other  well  known  publica- 
tions. 

The  following  list  shows  the  different  publications  received  by  the  His- 
torical Society  from  Atchison  county  at  the  end  of  the  year  1915  : 

Atchison  Champion,  daily  and  weekly. 

Atchison  Globe,  daily  and  weekly. 

The  Adidland,  Atchison. 

The  Abbey  Student,  Atchison. 

Midland  College  Bulletin,  Atchison. 

St.  Benedict's  Calendar,  Atchison. 

The  West  em  Chief,  Atchison. 

Atchison  Church  Visitor. 

E.  W.  Hozt'e's  Monthly,  Atchison. 

Kansas  Synod  Lutheran,  .^itchison. 

The  Optimist,  Atchison. 

Effingham  Nezv  Leaf. 

Atchison  County  High  School  Nezus,  Effingham. 

Muscotah  Record. 

Potter  Kansan. 

Huron  LIcrald. 

.\mong  the  numerous  publications  that  have  enjoyed  a  brief  existence 
in  this  county,  are  the  following: 

Kansas  Churchman,  published  at  Atchison  from  November,  1891,  to 
December.  1892.  Rev.  E.  K.  Brooke  was  editor.  This  publication  had 
Ijeen  published  at  Salina,  Kan.,  previously,  and  from  Atchison  was  removed 
to  Lawrence. 


226  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISOX  COUNTY 

.Irriiigtoii  Argus,  started  by  T.  W.  Gardner,  and  was  suspended  after 
the  tentli  number. 

The  American  Journal  of  Education  was  published  at  Atchison  and  St. 
Louis,  Mo.,  by  Messrs.  J-  B.  IMerwin  and  I.  C.  Scott,  in  1870. 

The  Atchisonian,  estabhshed  March  24,  1877,  by  the  Atchison  Publish- 
ing Company.  This  paper  was  a  six  column,  eight  page  affair,  with  a  patent 
inside.    The  last  issue  appeared  ^lay  26,  1877. 

Atchison  Daily  Times  was  started  February  3,  1887.  by  J'>hn  X.  Re\n- 
olds,  Init  after  the  seventh  issue  the  paper  was  changed  to  a  weekly,  and 
called  the  Atchison  Weekly  Times,  from  March  19  to  July  2,  1887.  The 
ne.xt  issue  was  dated  July  11,  1887.  and  was  again  called  The  Atchison  Daily 
Times,  and  ran  as  such  until  August  6.  1887.  when  it  suspended.  John  X. 
Reynolds  was.  in  many  ways,  a  unique  character.  He  came  to  Atchison  as 
the  organizer  and  manager  of  a  live  stock  insurance  company.  He  was  at 
one  time  a  preacher,  and  his  career  in  Atchison  was  remarkable  for  its  vio- 
lence and  his  disregard  for  both  the  proprieties  and  the  ethics  of  the  news- 
paper profession.  He  was  looked  upon  by  mau}^  as  an  irresponsible  dem- 
agogue, and  it  was  supposed  that  he  ran  his  paper  for  blackmailing  purposes. 
The  story  goes  that  during  his  management  of  the  live  stock  insurance  com- 
pany, he  incurred  an  ad\ertising  bill  with  one  of  the  local  papers,  and  fail- 
ing to  pay  the  bill,  the  editor  of  the  local  paper,  instead  of  having  recourse  to 
the  courts,  began  to  lieap  abuse  upon  Reynolds,  and.  using  this  as  a  pretext. 
Reynolds  established  the  Times,  for  the  purpose  of  retaliation.  As  the  result 
of  this  episode,  Reynolds  became  very  violent  in  his  denunciation  of  many 
men  of  established  reputations  in  the  community,  and  during  the  time  that 
he  published  his  paper  tliere  was  much  e.xcitement  of  an  undesirable  charac- 
ter in  the  city.  Reynolds  finally  landed  in  the  Kansas  State  penitentiary,  hav- 
ing served  a  term  previously  in  the  Missouri  State  penitentiary.  He  wrote 
a  book  subsequently,  relating  largely  to  liis  treatment  in  these  two  institu- 
tions, which  he  entitled.  "The  Twin  Hells."  For  a  short  period  he  edited  his 
paper  from  the  county  jail  in  .\tchison.  but  in  1888  J.  .\.  Sunderland  took 
hold  of  the  Times,  and  it  was  publi.shed  up  to  Januarv  31.  1891. 

The  Suiniay  Morning  Call  was  started  by  the  Call  Printing  Company, 
with  Frank  Pearce  as  editor  and  publisher,  and  was  first  issued  in  magazine 
form  February  8,  1880.  March  28,  1880.  Barton  Lowe  &  Company  became 
editors  and  publishers,  enlarging  the  paper  to  a  five  column  folio.  January 
30.  1881.  Luther  L.  Higby  appears  as  a  member  of  the  firm,  but  with  the 
issue  of  October  9,  1881.  Luther  L.  Higby  became  sole  owner.  X^ovember 
6,  1881,  C.  F.  Cochrane  became  one  of  the  editors,  and  Tanuarv  18,  1882, 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  229 

Cliris  Rutt  became  a  partner  of  Mr.  Higby,  and  ihis  firm  sold  tlic  plant  to 
Herman  J.  Rodman  October  22,  1882,  who  continued  it  until  Xo\enil>er  18, 
1S83,  when  the  name  was  changed  to  The  Western  Mercury,  with  E.  j.  Van 
Deventer  and  H.  J.  Rodman  as  pubhshers,  and  it  was  continued  until  about 
1886. 

The  Missouri  Valley  Farmer  was  publislied  by  A.  J.  Felt  during  the 
time  that  Mr.  Felt  was  editor  of  the  Chainpioii.  The  first  issue  of  the  Farmer 
was  dated  January  5,  1893,  and  it  continued  until  August  18,  1898,  at  which 
time  it  was  sold  to  C.  M.  Sheldon,  who  also  became  owner  of  the  Champion, 
and  the  Missouri  Valley  Farmer  was  moved  to  Kansas  City. 

The  Ncz\.'  West  was  a  monthly  journal  of  immigration,  publi^vlied  by 
the  Immigrant  Union,  that  was  established  in  Atchison  in  August,  1878.  It 
was  issued  in  magazine  form  and  contained  aljout  sixteen  pages  of  reading 
matter.  The  earlier  numbers  of  the  publication  were  printed  at  Hannibal, 
Mo.,  and  in  1878  H.  H.  .\llen,  who  was  for  many  years  a  real  estate  opera- 
tor in  .\tchison,  became  the  editor  of  this  paper.  Mr.  Allen  subsequently 
sold  the  property  to  J.  (j.  P.  Hilderbrand,  who  later  turned  the  property  over 
to  two  men  by  the  names  of  Berry  and  Henrw  The  last  issue  a])peared  about 
July,   1880. 

.  Itchison  Baptist  was  a  monthly  magazine,  printed  by  the  City  Mission 
Publication  Company,  of  Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  in  the  interests  of  the  First  Baptist 
church,  of  Atchison.  It  lasted  about  three  years,  and  W.  H.  Park  was  the 
local  editor. 

Kansas  Agriculturist  was  a  weekly  publication,  which  was  established 
July  18,  1898,  and  probably  died  about  March  20,  1899. 

The  Atchisou  Blade  was  estaltlished  July  16,  1892,  and  published  by  the 
Blade  Publishing  Company,  composed  of  Dr.  Grant  Brown,  Natt  G.  Langston, 
and  Will  Harris,  three  prominent  negroes  of  Atchison.  It  was  a  four  page, 
six  column  paper,  and  was  operated,  after  several  changes  in  the  manage- 
ment, until  alxjut  January  20,  1894.  It  again  resumed  publication  November 
5,  1897,  and  was  run  until  September  19,  1898,  by  H.  Lewis  Dorsey. 

The  Kansas  Statesman.  Atchison,  was  established  February  15,  1901,  by 
G.  \\.  Myers  &  Sons,  office.  315  Commercial  street.  This  pajjcr  was  ab- 
sorbed by  the  Atchison  Champion,  after  the  issue  of  Octolier  11.   1901. 

The  Trades  Union,  Atchison,  was  founded  September  5,  1885,  by  Frank 
Hall,  R.  Tompkins,  and  James  ^V.  Reilly.  This  paper  was  the  official  paper 
of  the  Kansas  State  Assembly  of  the  Knights  of  Labor,  office.  521  Com- 
mercial street.  The  last  issue  on  file  is  dated  November  6,  1886.  and  the  paper 
moved  to  Topeka  after  this  date. 


230  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

The  Atchison  Banner  was  a  German  paper,  and  C.  F.  Ruth  was  editor 
and  publisher.  Tliis  was  a  seven  column,  four  page  paper,  and  was  founded 
March  i.  1878.  It  was  enlarged  to  an  eight  column  paper  the  same  year. 
It  supported  the  Republican  State  ticket  in  1878.  The  paper  was  suspended 
after  the  issue  of  July  12,  1879. 

The  Bible  Investigator  was  a  monthly  publication,  started  about  July, 
1881,  by  William  Kirby  and  A.  D.  Stevens.  It  was  printed  by  W.  H.  Has- 
kell &  Son,  who  for  many  years  conducted  a  prosperous  printing  business  in 
Atchison.  The  editor  was  William  Kirby,  and  a  Mr.  Stevens  was  the  man- 
ager, both  of  whom  were  residents  of  Doniphan,  and  a  notice  in  the  paper 
asked  that  communications  for  either  one  should  be  addressed  to  that  place- 
It  was  in  operation  about  five  months. 

Atchison's  Monthly  was  published  by  W.  H.  Haskell  &  Son,  and  the  man- 
aging editor  was  Herman  J.  Rodman.     It  did  not  last  long. 

Sentinel  of  the  Northivest  was  a  monthly  publication,  of  which  Dr.  A. 
H.  Lanphear  was  editor.  The  only  issue  of  which  there  is  any  record  was 
Volume  I,  No.  i,  date  January  i.  1883. 

Sunday  Morning  Facts  was  published  by  E.  W.  Beal  from  September 
2,  1883,  until  about  Februarj-  3,  1884. 

Der  Humorist,  was  as  the  title  indicates,  a  German  publication,  with  L. 
Willstaedt  as  its  publisher.  This  paper,  or  magazine,  was  also  short  lived, 
lasting  less  than  a  year. 

Atchison  Sundciy  Morning  Sermon,  published  by  J.  W.  and  J.  M.  Tan- 
ner.    First  issue  was  Jime  i,  188;,  and  the  last  issue  about  July  27.  1884. 

Atchison  Advance,  published  by  Frank  Hall  and  Dr.  H.  B.  Horn.  The 
first  issue  of  this  paper  was  November  5,  1884,  and  the  last  issue  was  Jan- 
uar\-  3,  1885. 

The  Messachorean  was  started  in  1887,  and  issued  about  every  two 
months.  It  was  devoted  to  the  interest  of  Midland  College,  and  edited  by  the 
faculty.     It  died  about  June,   1888. 

The  Atchison  Daily  Bee  was  one  of  John  N.  Reynolds'  enterprises, 
which  started  March  25,  1880,  and  suspended  April  4,  1880. 

The  Tradesman  was  a  monthly  publication,  devoted  to  the  trade  union- 
ism, and  was  edited  by  Robert  Tompkins,  the  veteran  editor  and  publisher. 

Stcbhins  &  Talbot's  Real  Estate  Record,  established  in  1869,  by  C.  I. 
Stebbins.  W.  R.  Stebbins.  and  J.  H.  Talbot.  This  was.  as  its  name  implies, 
a  publication  devoted  to  Ixioming  real  estate  in  .\tchison  county  and  ^•icinity. 

Kansas  Monthly  Souz-enir  was  published  by  Fitch  Rice  &  Company  from 
Februari-,  1873.  to  sometime  in  June  of  the  same  year. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  23 1 

Gardner's  Real  Estate  Bulletin  was  another  real  estate  journal,  pub- 
lished monthly,  by  C.  V.  Gardner  in  1873. 

The  Short  Line  Advocate  was  issued  by  the  Atchison  &  Denver  Rail- 
road Company  in  1879. 

Der  Courier  was  another  German  publication,  published  at  Atchison  and 
Topeka.  by  Edward  F.  Fleischer  in  1879. 

The  Public  Ledger  was  started  August  19,  1880,  by  W.  J.  Granger. 
It  supported  the  National  Greenback  ticket  of  that  year,  and  Octoljer  30,  1888, 
Granger  turned  the  paper  over  to  F.  A.  Davis  &  Son,  who  ran  it  a  short  time. 
Mr.  Granger  returned  to  Atchison  eighteen  years  later,  and  became  a  re- 
porter on  the  Atchison  Champion,  and  during  the  interval  published  papers 
in  Effingham  and  other  places.  In  191 5  he  was  the  publisher  and  owner  of 
the  Nettazi-aka  Talk. 

The  Western  Farm  Home  was  a  continuation  of  the  New  West  Monthly. 
Its  first  issue  was  in  January,  1881,  with  James  P.  Henry  and  George  H. 
Pardee  as  editors  and  publishers.     It  suspended  publication  in  October,  1881. 

High  School  Quarterly  was  published  at  Effingham  for  the  first  time 
January,  1895,  with  S.  J.  Hunter,  editor,  and  John  W.  Wilson,  business  man- 
ager. This  magazine  was  published  in  the  interests  of  the  Atchison  high 
school.  It  was  subsequently  changed  to  The  High  School  Bulletin,  after 
which  it  was  issued  regularly  once  a  month  during  the  school  year.  It  sus- 
pended publication  about  September,  1902. 

The  Oracle  was  another  Effingham  publication,  started  December,  1901, 
which  was  conducted  by  Guy  Hendrickson  and  the  students  of  the  .Atchison 
high  school,  in  the  interests  of  that  institution.  It  suspended  publication 
about  May,  1902. 

The  A.  C.  H.  S.  Nezvsletter  was  a  monthly  publication,  started  in  Feb- 
ruary, 1901,  by  John  W.  Wilson,  principal  of  the  Atchison  countv  hi.gh  school. 
There  were  only  three  numbers  of  this  paper,  which  was  a  monthly. 

The  Atchison  County  Visitor  was  still  another  Effingham  publication, 
started  by  W.  J.  Granger  March  10,  1905.  Guy  C.  Hendrickson  became 
business  manager  June  8,  1906,  and  the  paper  suspended  during  the  year 
1907. 

The  Potter  Press,  started  April  8,  1898,  with  E.  Campbell  as  editor,  and 
Jewell  &  Campbell  as  publishers.  It  lasted  until  September  30,  1898,  when 
it  was  consolidated  with  the  Easton  (Leavenworth  county)  Light.  Januan- 
27,  1899,  it  resumed  publication,  with  M.  L.  and  K.  Lockwood  as  editors,  and 


232  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

E.  E.  Campbell  as  local  editor,  but  again  consolidated  with  the  Easton  Light 
September  i,   1899. 

The  Atchison  County  Recorder  was  started  June  i,  1900,  and  published 
by  the  Lockwood  Printing  Compam ,  of  Atchison.  Its  last  issue  was  dated 
October  26,    1900. 

The  Mtiscotah  Nezcs  was  filed  April  5,  1880,  by  Nash  &  Walkup,  and 
lasted  about  three  months. 

The  Weeky  Journal  was  started  by  G.  W.  Messigh  in  Effingham  Sep- 
tember 2,  1892,  who  ran  it  until  February  23,  1893,  when  it  died. 

The  Arrington  Times  was  started  May  28,  1896,  by  W.  A.  Huff.  In 
September  of  the  same  year  its  name  was  changed  to  The  Atchison  County 
Times,  and  it  suspended  sometime  in  1897. 

The  Prairie  Press  was  started  in  Lancaster  May  12,  1888,  with  W.  C. 
Adkins  as  editor  and  publisher,  and  it  was  run  until  ]March  7,  1890,  when 
it  was  succeeded  by  the  Huron  Graphic. 

The  Huron  Headlight,  started  March  13,  1884,  and  died  on  the  same 
date. 

The  Huron  Messenger  was  started  July  2,  1884,  by  J.  M.  Warton,  and 
also  died  on  the  same  day  it  was  born. 

The  Weekly  Graphic,  which  succeeded  to  all  the  rights  and  privileges 
of  the  Prairie  Press,  of  Lancaster,  was  started  by  W.  C.  Adkins  April  5, 
[890.  Mr.  Adkins  ran  this  paper  until  March  28,  1891,  at  which  time  he 
sold  it  to  J.  A.  Sunderland,  of  Atchison,  who  ran  it  until  May  2,  1891,  when 
Mr.  Adkins  again  took  control  of  the  paper  and  ran  it  until  the  following  fall. 

The  Huron  Times  was  a  kind  of  continuation  of  the  Atchison  Times, 
and  \'i>lume  4.  Xo.  i.  of  this  paper,  was  dated  .\pril  4,  1891.  There 
were  hut  fmir  issues  of  the  Times,  after  the  plant  was  ni(i\cd  from 
.\tchison  to  Huron,  the  last  issue  being  dated  April  25,  1891.  J.  A.  Sunder- 
land was  also  editor  and  publisher  of  this  paper,  after  he  moved  it  from  Atch- 
ison to  Huron.  The  Huron  Times  was  a  weekly  publication,  by  G.  E.  Nichols, 
and  \\as  started  February  22.  1901,  and  published  seventeen  times,  when  it 
died. 

T/ic  Effingham  Enterprise  was  founded  about  July  i,  1893.  by  W.  H. 
Bright.  It  was  short  lived,  and  little  is  known  of  its  history  after  the  date 
just  mentioned. 

The  Peoples'  Press  was  a  party  organ,  started  in  August,  1883.  by  the 
Peoples'  Press  Association,  and  suspended  September  15  of  the  same  year. 

The  A't'ii'  Kansas  Maga:;inc  was  started  b)  L^r.  W.  H.  Wynn,  for  many 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  _\^3 

years  a  much  beloved  and  g'reatly  respected  professor  of  Englisli  literature  at 
Midland  College.  Dr.  Wynn  conceived  the  idea  that  there  was  a  place  for 
a  monthly  magazine  in  Atchison,  to  be  conducted  along  the  lines  of  the 
original  Kansas  I\Iaga::iiic.  published  in  1873,  which  contained  some  of  the 
best  literature  that  had  ever  been  produced  in  Kansas.  Associated  with  Dr. 
Wynn  were  Dr.  \V.  \\\  Campbell,  R.  M.  Manley,  B.  P.  Waggener,  H.  :M. 
Jackson,  H.  H.  Allen,  and  A..  J.  Harwi.  The  first  issue  appeared  February 
18,  1892,  and  the  last  issue  appeared  September  30,  1893. 

Midivest  Moose  Rezneia  was  the  official  organ  of  the  local  lodge  of  the 
Loyal  Order  of  Moose,  published  monthly  by  Frank  L.  Danforth,  editor.  It 
was  founded  in  1912,  and  ran  only  a  few  months. 

The  Atchison  Tribune  was  started  in  1896,  but  the  name  of  the  editor 
and  publisher  are  unknown. 

T]ic  Western  Chief  is  a  monthly  publication,  devoted  to  the  Order  of 
Redmen,  and  was  founded  about  April,  1909.  Paul  Tonsing  is  editor  and 
publisher. 

Benedictine  Parish  Monthly,  started  in  Atchison,  in  March,  1907,  and 
published  by  St.  Benedict's  College,  until  Jaimary,  1910. 

The  College  Revieiv  was  published  monthly  in  Lawrence  and  Atchison, 
by  A.  G.  Coonvod  and'  G.  T.  Smith,  from  1891  to  1900.  Coimrod  &  Smith 
w-ere  the  owners  of  business  colleges  at  Atchison  and  Lawrence. 

Kansas  Telegraph  was  a  German  paper,  started  by  H.  Von  Langen 
December  23,  1880,  and  was  published  in  Atchison  until  1881,  when  it  was 
removed  to  Topeka,  where  it  was  published  for  many  years. 

Atchison  Journal  was  another  German  publication,  started  by  John 
Hoenscheidt  in  1880,  but  was  short  lived. 

The  Kansas  Staats-Anzciger  was  started  in  Topeka  in  1879,  ^"d  pub- 
ished  until  1881,  when  it  was  moved  to  Atchison.     It  was  also  short  lived. 

Plain  Facts  was  a  "weekly  publication,  started  in  Atchison  October  4, 
1897,  and  published  by  authority  of  twenty-five  Atchison  Populists,  who  were 
opposed  to  the  election  of  George  W.  Click,  the  so-called  Populist  candidates 
for  State  senator.     It  lasted  three  issues. 

The  Atchison  Journal  was  the  official  publication  of  the  Trades  and 
Labor  Council  of  Atchison.  It  started  early  in  the  year  1905,  bv  W.  T. 
Granger,  and  discontinued  the  last  of  November  of  the  same  year. 

The  Atchison  Morning  Star  was  a  daily  paper,  published  bv  J.  A.  Ruul- 
ston,  and  started  June  14,  1905,  lasting  until  August  30,  1905. 

The  .Itchison  Tribune  was  a  weekly  publication,  started  ]\Iarch  27,  1896, 
by  W".  TI.  TTiggins,  and  suspended  publication  July  16,  1896. 


CHAPTER  XV. 


BANKS  AND  BANKING. 


EARLY  DAY  BANKING PIONEER    FINANCIERS THE    OLDEST    BANK PRIVATE, 

STATE,    AND    NATIONAL    BANKS ATCHISON    COX'NTY    BANKERS    AND    THE 

DEVELOPMENT  OF  BANKING  INSTITUTIONS. 

Banking  was  a  precarious  business  during  tlie  Territorial  days  in  Kan- 
sas. There  were  no  banks,  as  we  know  them,  until  January  29,  1857.  when 
the  Territorial  legislature  passed  an  act  providing  that  every  company  or 
association  of  persons  formed  for  banking  purposes  within  the  Territory,  and 
without  an  act  of  legislature  authorizing  the  same,  should  be  deemed  unlawful. 
Upon  tlie  passage  of  tliis  act.  the  first  bank  authorized  to  do  business  under 
it  was  The  Kansas  Valley  Bank,  of  Leavenworth,  with  an  authorized  capital 
stock  of  $800,000.00,  with  five  branches,  at  Atchison,  LeCompton,  Doniphan, 
Ft.  Scott  and  Shawnee.  The  authorized  capital  stock  of  each  one  of  the 
branches  was  $300,000.00,  and  under  the  terms  of  the  act,  each  branch  was 
independent  of  the  Leavenworth  institution.  The  great  Govemment  Over- 
land Transportation  Company  of  Majors  Smoot-Russell  &  Company  was  the 

.  big  financial  power  behind  this  organization.  The  Leavenworth  bank  was 
never  formed,  and  the  Atchison  branch  was  the  first  to  start  out  under  this  act 
of  the  legislature,  being  authorized  to  begin  business  February  19,  1857,  with 
securiiies  amounting  to  $100,000.  Dr.  John  H.  Stringfellow,  Joseph  Plean 
and  Samuel  Dickson  were  authorizd  to  open  subscription  books.  Tlie  board 
of  directors  included  Samuel  C.  Pomeroy,  who  was  president ;  W.  li.  Russell, 

/  L.  R.  Smoot,  \\'.  B.  Waddell.  Franklin  G.  Adams,  Samuel  Dickson  and  W.  E. 
Gaylord.  Sliortly  after  the  bank  began  Inisiness  there  were  rumors  emanat- 
ing from  the  rival  towns  of  Sumner  and  Doniphan  that  the  Atchison  institu- 
tion was  about  to  suspend,  and  for  the  purpose  of  allaying  any  susjiicion  on 
the  part  of  the  ]iulilic,  created  by  these  ruiuors,  tiie  directors  publishetl  a  state- 

-'34 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  235 

ment  of  its  condition,  showing  that  the  assets  were  $36,638.00.  with  liabilities 
of  $20,118.00.  In  July  or  AugiLSt,  1857,  L.  S.  Boling.  of  LeCompton,  was 
appointed  to  examine  and  report  on  the  financial  condition  of  the  Atchison 
branch  of  the  Kansas  Vallc}'  Bank,  and  this  is  the  first  record  in  Kansas  of 
a  proceeding  of  this  kind. 

Samuel  C.  Pomemy  resigned  as  president  of  the  bank  in  1858,  and  was 
succeeded  b)-  William  H.  Russell,  of  the  contracting  firm  of  Majors-Smoot- 
Russell  &  Company.  G.  H.  Fairchild  was  made  vice-president,  and  R.  L. 
Pease,  cashier. 

In  1861,  this  bank,  then  called  the  Kansas  Valley  Bank,  had  its  name 
changed  by  act  of  the  legislature,  to  the  Bank  of  the  State  of  Kansas,  and  it 
was  conducted  under  that  name  until  1866.  when  the  stockholders  wound  up 
its  affairs. 

The  legitimate  successor  of  the  Bank  of  the  State  of  Kansas  was  Hether- 
jngton's  Exchange  Bank,  which  was  founded  in  1859  by  William  Heth- 
erington. 

The  Exchange  National  Bank,  of  Atchison,  Kan.,  is  the  oldest  banking 
institution  in  the  city  of  Atchison,  having  been  established  in  1859,  while 
Kansas  was  a  Territory.  The  bank  was  then  named  the  Hetherington  Ex- 
change Bank.  That  bank  became  the  successor  of  the  Bank  of  the  State  of 
Kansas,  which  was  organized  in  1857.  The  founder  of  the  Hetherington  Ex- 
change Bank  was  William  Hetherington,  and,  except  for  one  year  during  the 
Civil  war,  it  has  been  in  successful  operation  since  it  was  established.  It 
passed  through  the  period  of  its  existence  during  Territorial  days,  and  the 
depressing  financial  conditions  as  a  result  of  the  war,  and  business  reversals 
incident  to  the  re-construction  period,  and  its  management  was  at  all  times 
conducted  upon  the  theory  of  its  motto  adopted  by  William  Hetherington  in 
an  early  day  that  "Safety  First"  in  all  of  its  business  transactions  was  the 
secret  of  success. 

The  bank's  first  business  home  was  in  the  Otis  &  Click  building,  opposite 
the  Byram  Hotel.  In  1869  it  was  moved  to  the  Hetherington  building,  at  the 
northwest  corner  of  Fourth  and  Commercial  streets.  Later  on,  and  in  1885, 
the  bank  was  moved  to  the  southwest  corner  of  Sixth  and  Commercial  streets, 
into  the  building  erected  by  its  president,  William  Hetherington.  where  it 
has  since  been  located. 

In  1876,  William  Hetherington  admitted  into  the  firm,  as  a  partner,  W^eb- 
ster  W.  Hetherington,  his  eldest  son,  and  in  1881.  Clifford  S.  Hetherington, 
his  youngest  son,  became  associated  with  him.     In  the  year  1882  the  Heth- 


/ 


236  II ISTCJKV  OK  ATCHISON   COIXTY 

eringlon  Exchange  Bank  was  incorporated  under  the  laws  of  Congress,  as 
a  National  bank,  under  the  name  of  The  Exchange  National  Bank  of  Atchison, 
with  a  paid-up  capital  of  Sioo.ooo.  and  surplus  of  $20,000,  and  at  once  took 
high  rank  as  one  of  the  strongest  and  most  conservative  banks  in  northeastern 
Kansas,  and  has  ever  since  maintained  that  reputation. 

The  Exchange  National  Bank  was  organized  with  William  Hetherington 
/  as  president,  August  Byram,  vice-president,  \\''ebster  \V.  Hetherington,  cash- 
ier, and  C.  S.  Hetherington,  assistant  cashier.  In  1890,  upon  the  death  of 
its  president,  William  Hetherington,  Webster  W.  Hetherington  was  elected 
president,  B.  P.  Waggener,  vice-president,  and  C.  S.  Hctlierington.  cashier. 
In  1892,  upon  the  death  of  its  then  president.  Webster  W.  Hetherington. 
B.  P.  Waggener  was  elected  president,  .\.  j.  ilarwi,  vice-president.  W.  P. 
^^  aggener.  vice-president,  C.  S.  Hetherington.  cashier.  C.  W.  Ferguson,  assist- 
ant cashier,  and  Webster  \\'irt  Hetherington,  teller.  In  October,  1906,  C.  S. 
Hetherington,  the  cashier,  died,  and  C.  \\'.  Ferguson  was  elected  cashier,  and 
\\'ebster  Wirt  Hetherington,  assistant  cashier,  and  Edgar  Mattocks,  teller. 
In  April,  1907,  the  cajiital  stock  of  the  bank  was  increased  to  $200,000.00 
with  a  surplus  of  $50,000,  and  ex-Governor  W.  J.  Bailey  was  elected  vice- 
president  and  managing  officer  of  the  bank,  which  pnsition  he  has  since  held. 
Upon  the  death  of  A.  J.  Harwi,  his  son,  Frank  E.  Harwi.  was  elected  director, 
and  succeeded  his  father,  A.  J.  Harwi.  as  vice-president,  which  position  he 
now  Iiolds. 

In  1892  the  bank  adopted  a  i)_\-law.  wliirh  pniliibited  any  officer  or 
director  of  the  bank  from  borrowing  any  money  from  it,  or  becoming  an  en- 
dorser or  surety  on  any  obligation  or  note  to  the  bank,  since  which  lime  no 
officer  or  director  of  the  bank  has  been  permitted  to  borrow  an\-  of  its  funds 
on  deposit.  The  wisdom  of  this  by-law  adopted  in  1892  lias  repeatedly  been 
approved  by  the  comptroller  of  the  currency.  The  management  of  the  Ex- 
cliange  National  Bank  has  adopted  and  adliered  to  tliis  policy,  because  it  be- 
lieves that  a  bank  officer  or  director  should  not  be  iiermitted.  under  any  cir- 
cumstances or  in  any  emergency,  to  use  any  of  its  deposits  in  an}-  of  his  own 
personal  speculations  or  ventures. 

In  February,  1914,  Webster  Wirt  Hetherington  was  appointed  cashier, 
and  Edgar  Mattocks  was  elected  assistant  cashier,  and  George  L.  Wolfe,  teller. 

While  the  bank  it  known  far  and  wide  throughout  the  State  of  Kansas 
for  its  conservatism,  yet  it  makes  an  effort  to  accommodate  all  business  insti- 
tutions in  the  city  of  Atchison  entitled  to  assistance  and  credit.  It  aims  to 
be  a  distinctive  Atchison  institution. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  237 

Luther  C.  Challiss  ap])eared  as  a  banker  in  tlie  city  directory  of  1859 
and  1 86 1,  operating  his  bank  at  the  corner  of  Second  and  Commercial  streets, 
but  not  much  is  known  of  this  institution. 

First  National  Bank  was  organized  on  tlie  first  day  of  October,  1866,  by  I 
David  Auld,  with  the  following  as  the  first  board  of  directors :  David  Auld, 
Henry  Kuhn,  H.  H.  Moulton,  George  Scarborough,  C.  G.  Foster,  D.  C.  New- 
comb,  and  J.  M.  Linley.  David  Auld  was  elected  president,  George  Scarbor- 
ough, vice-president,  and  W.  R.  Stebbins  as  cashier.  For  thirty-eight  year? 
this  bank  was  under  the  careful  and  conservative  management  of  David  Auld, 
who  died  in  October,  1904,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  son,  David  Auld,  Jr. 
The  bank  began  business  in  July,  1867,  and  since  that  time  has  been  one  of- 
the  strongest  financial  institutions  in  the  West.  It  has  always  had  the  benefit 
of  the  services  of  experienced  men  in  the  banking  business,  and  has  followed 
a  conservative  policy  during  the  whole  of  its  existence.  In  1910  the  controll- 
ing interest  in  the  First  National  Bank  was  purchased  by  the  Commercial 
State  Bank,  which  was  organized  in  Atchison  in  1906  by  Sheffield  Ingalls  and 
O.  A.  Simmons.  In  tiie  merger  that  took  place  the  Commercial  State  Bank 
was  absorbed  by  the  First  National  Bank,  and  has  continued  under  the  latter 
name  to  maintain  its  high  standard  of  conservatism,  and  with  the  introduction 
of  new  blood  and  new  methods,  it  embarked  upon  a  policy  of  service  which 
has  redounded  to  the  lasting  benefit  of  the  community.  The  present  officials 
of  this  institution  are  as  follows:  Edward  Perdue,  president;  J.  H.  Barry, 
chairman  of  the  board;  O.  A.  Simmons,  first  vice-president  and  manager;  J. 
M.  Schott,  second  vice-president;  Charles  Linley,  cashier;  George  H.  Ed- 
wards, assistant  cashier ;  F.  J.  Ledoux,  assistant  cashier. 

The  directors  represent  varied  business  interests  of  this  city  and  county, 
and  are  as  follows:  Edward  Perdue,.  J.  II.  Barry,  O.  A.  Simmons.  Charles 
Linley,  J.  M.  Schott,  C.  C.  McCarthy,  August  Manglesdorf,  Leo  Nusbaum, 
Sheffield  Ingalls,  A.  E.  Mize,  M.  Noll  and  Wl  T.  Hutson. 

The  Atchison  Savings  Bank  claims  the  distinction  of  being  "The  Old- 
est State  Bank  in  Kansas."  ha\ing  enjoyefl  a  continuous  corporate  existence 
of  over  forty-six  years. 

R.  A.  Park  was  its  organizer  and  first  cashier,  and  in  June,  1869,  it  ^ 
opened  its  doors  for  business  in  a  brick  one-story  building  at  the  northwest 
corner  of  Fifth  and  Commercial  streets.  At  that  time  most  of  the  business 
was  centered  close  to  the  river,  and  this  was  considered  quite  an  "up  town" 
location,  but  time  has  vindicated  the  judgment  of  its  carl\-  directors  in  anticipat- 
ing the  westward  growth  of  the  town.     With  the  expectation  of  building 


23S  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

thereon  the  bank  early  acquired  title  to  the  lot  at  the  southwest  corner  of 
Fifth  and  Commercial  streets,  but  subsequently  disposed  of  it  to  the  late  Ex- 
Governor  John  \.  Martin,  who  built  the  Cliaiiif<ion  building  thereon,  and  the 
bank  moved  to  its  present  (|uarters.  which  it  had  acquired,  and  still  owns,  at 
the  southeast  comer  of  Fifth  and  Commercial. 

^\■illianl  C.  Smith  (father  of  Henry  T.  Smitli)  was  the  first  president  but 
the  late  Judge  A.  G.  Otis  soon  thereafter  succeeded  him  and  remained  presi- 
dent until  1891. 

Thomas  Muiphy  (father  of  John  Murphy  and  one  of  the  builders  of  tlie 
present  Cain  Mill  Company  mill).  W.  W".  Guthrie,  Julius  Kuhn,  C.  J.  Drury, 
Col.  W'm.  Osborn.  J.  W.  Parker,  and  otlier  men  prominent  in  the  business  and 
thereon  the  bank  early  acquired  title  to  the  lot  at  the  southwest  comer  of 
social  life  of  that  period  were  among  its  early  stockholders  and  directors,  while 
for  seventeen  years  the  late  T.  C.  Piatt  served  as  teller,  and  by  his  affability 
and  facultv  of  remembering  people,  made  many  friends  for  the  institution.  A 
baseball  Ixit.  kept  under  the  counter,  was  his  weapon  for  defending  the  funds 
in  liis  care.  Courtney  Challiss,  George  H.  Lawton,  ''Vode"  Kathrens,  Lowen- 
holt.  O.  Orlopp  and  \\'ill  H.  Bryning  and  others  also  served  varying  terms  as 
early  emplovees  and  will  be  remembered  for  their  distinctive  personalities.  An 
apothecar}'"s  scale  for  weighing  gold  dust  was  part  of  the  early  equipment,  but 
one  trial  was  sufficient  to  prove  the  presence  of  too  much  dust  and  too  little 
gold  in  the  commodity  offered.  For  almost  twenty  years  the  bank  ran  with 
but  few  restrictions  from  the  State,  the  law  simply  requiring  it  to  file  an 
annual  statement  of  its  capital,  surplus,  etc..  with  list  of  stockholders  and  offi- 
cers, and  publish  a  statement  of  its  financial  condition  as  of  some  one  day  in  the 
year.  Needless  to  say  the  day  selected  was  usually  one  on  which  tlie  deposits, 
loans  and  resources  would  make  a  satisfactory  showing,  but  about  1890  the 
legislature  enacted  a  banking  law.  which  has  since  been  several  times  per- 
fected by  amendments,  which  brought  this  and  all  other  State  banks  under  its 
provisions,  and  the  supervision  of  a  State  bank  commissioner,  with  cast  iron 
restrictions  as  to  the  relative  amounts  of  loans,  cash  resen'es,  etc.,  and  al- 
though some  of  the  requirements  seemed  unduly  severe  to  those  accustomed 
to  the  former  unrestrained  exercise  of  their  own  individual  judgment,  few 
would  now  deny  that  it  was  wise  and  much  needed  legislation. 

Following  the  retirement  from  the  bank  in  1891  of  Judge  Otis,  Col.  Wil- 
liam Osbom  became  president,  serving  until  his  death,  when  R.  A.  Park  suc- 
ceeded to  the  office  and  served  until  his  deatli  in  looj.  C.  J.  Drurv  being 
elected  his  successor  and  giving  the  institution  his  services  for  about  a  year, 
seconded  by  J.  T.  Hersey  as  vice-president,  but  both  these  gentlemen  then  re- 


ilXalURY  Ul-   ATCHISON  COUNTY  239 

tired  upon  the  acquisition  of  a  majority  of  the  stock  Ijv  Messrs.  T.  M.  Walker, 
J.  C.  Fox  and  F.  M.  Baker.  Of  later  years  the  growth  of  the  bank  lias  been 
marked,  the  capital  and  surplus  having  repeatedly  been  enlarged,  and  de- 
posits and  loans  having  shown  a  corresponding  increase.  The  late  Tlieodore 
Bartholow  added  his  ripe  experience  as  a  successful  banker  to  the  board  of 
directors,  while  F.  G.  Crowell,  Joseph  W.  Allen,  William  Carlisle,  with 
Messrs.  Walker,  Baker  and  Fox  and  others  as  stockholders  and  directors  gave 
the  institution  a  Statewide  prominence. 

R.  A.  Park,  the  second,  who  resigned  as  vice-president  in  191 1  to  engage 
in  business  elsewhere,  entered  the  bank  in  1881 ;  became  cashier  in  1892: 
elected  vice-president  in  1910,  being  succeedd  as  cashir  by  F.  M.  Woodford, 
who  entered  the  bank's  employ  in  1900  as  bookkeeper. 

C.  W.  Ferguson,  formerly  cashier  of  the  Exchange  National  Bank,  has 
recently  been  elected  a  vice-president  of  the  Savings  Bank,  and  the  present 
officers  and  directors  are  as  follows:  T.  M.  Walker,  president;  Joseph  W. 
Allen,  vice-president;  C.  W.  Ferguson,  vice-president;  F.  M.  Wbodford, 
cashier;  W.  T.  Fox,  assistant  cashier. 

The  German-American  State  Bank  of  x\tchison  was  chartered  May  15, 
1912,  and  began  doing  business  June  21,  1912.  Its  original  board  of  direc- 
tors was  composed  of  Louis  W.  Voit,  Henry  Klostermeier,  William  Klos- 
termeier,  F.  A.  Manglesdorf,  L.  A.  Libel,  G.  T.  Bolman,  and  F.  A. 
Manglesdorf.  Three  months  later  the  charter  was  amended  and  Charles 
Haase  and  W.  A.  Dilgert  were  added  to  the  board  of  directors. 
This  bank  was  organized  with  a  cjiijital  stock  of  $50,000,  and  a  surplus  ac- 
count of  $io,oco.  At  the  first  meeting  of  the  board  of  directors,  the  follow- 
ing officers  were  elected :  Louis  W.  Voigt,  president ;  Henry  Klostermeier, 
vice-president;  William  Klosterweier,  vice-president;  F.  A.  Manglesdorf, 
cashier. 

At  the  time  the  membership  of  the  board  was  increased,  Guy  Elwell  was 
elected  assistant  cashier.  This  bank  occupies  handsome  quarters  at  the  south- 
east comer  of  Eighth  and  Commercial  streets,  and  has  shown  a  remarkable 
growth  since  its  organization.  The  only  change  in  the  board  of  directors 
that  has  been  made  since  its  organization  was  the  substitution  of  E.  F.  Man- 
glesdorf for  his  brother,  A.  F,  Manglersdorf.  At  the  close  of  the  first  busi- 
ness day  of  the  bank  it  had  deposits  aggregating  $25,000,  and  at  the  end 
of  one  year  the  deposits  had  increased  to  $248,000,  and  at  the  end  of  the 
second  year  it  was  $323,000,  and  at  the  end  of  the  third  year  it  was  $425,- 
000,  and  in  191 5  it  boasted  of  total  deposits  amounting  to  $525,000,  with  a 


240  HISTOK^■  OF  ATCHISON   COl"NTY 

surplus  and  undivided  account  of  $21,000.  This  hank  has  liad  an  ahle  set  of 
officers,  and  its  directors  are  among  tlie  most  infkiential  and  sul)stantial  cit- 
izens of  the  community.  It  started  in  by  making  an  aggressive  campaign 
for  husiness,  and  it  accomphshed  what  it  went  after.  The  institution  is  con- 
ducted along  broad  and  conservative  lines,  and  renders  not  only  good  service 
to  its  many  patrons,  but  to  the  community  as  well. 

German  Savings  Bank. — 'i'his  institutinu  was  organized  in  iSj^^,  with 
the  following  officers:  George  Storch,  president;  Robert  Forbriger,  Nice- 
president  :  John  Belz,  cashier. 

The  capital  stock  of  the  bank  was  $10,000  and  its  deposits  were  about 
$100,000.  It  conducted  a  general  l)anking  business,  together  with  a  regular 
savings  department  in  connection  therewith.  This  bank  was  located  at  406 
Commercial  street,  and  wouiul  up  its  affairs  in  1886,  when  it  was  merged 
with  the  United  States  National  Bank  and  the  Dime  Savings  Bank,  both  of 
which  failed. 

The  Atchison  National  Bank. — This  bank  was  organized  April  i,  1S73, 
by  John  M.  Price  as  president:  M.  Barratt  as  cashier.  G.  D.  Harrison  suc- 
ceeded Mr.  Price  as  president,  in  which  capacity  he  served  until  1878,  at  which 
time  he  was  succeeded  by  C.  J.  Drur\-,  with  R.  PI.  Ballentine  as  vice-president. 
When  this  bank  commenced  business  it  had  a  capital  of  $100,000,  but  in  1877 
it  was  reduced  to  $50,000.  It  was  located  for  many  years  at  503  Commercial 
street,  afterwards  moving  to  what  is  now  the  Simpson  building,  in  the  corner 
occupied  by  the  Barth  Clothing  Company,  where  it  failed  in  19 — . 

The  .Atchison  State  Bank. — This  bank  was  organized  prior  to  i8(j],  and 
went  into  voluntary  liquidation  Alarcii  24.  1S98,  at  which  time  John  M.  Cain 
was  president  and  cashier,  and  John  H.  Murray  was  secretary.  It  was  located 
on  West  Main  street,  near  the  corner  of  Thirteenth  street. 

The  Commercial  State  bank  was  chartered  September  8,  1906,  and  be- 
gan business  October  31  of  the  same  year,  and  subsequently  merged  with 
the  First  National  Bank  March  24,  1910. 

The  Union  Trust  Company  was  chartered  February  28,  1907,  and  was 
organized  by  B.  P.  Waggcner,  witli  a  jjaitl-up  capital  stock  of  Sioo.oco. 
March  24,  1909,  his  charter  was  amended  and  it  became  the  Exchange  State 
Bank  of  .\tcliison,  the  officers  of  which  arc:  !•".  !•".  TIarwi.  president,  and  Ed- 
ward Iverson.  casliier.  This  bank  has  a  paid-up  capital  of  $50,000,  with  sur- 
plus and  undivided  profits  of  $34,776,91,  with  average  deposits  of  $350,000. 
It  is  one  of  the  strong  State  banking  institvitions  of  Kansas,  and  is  doing  a 
prosperous  business. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  24I 

Atchison  county  has  a  number  of  strong,  flourishing  banks,  located  at 
Effingham.  Muscotah,  Potter,  Huron,  Lancaster  and  Cummings. 

The  l-"armers  and  Merchants  State  Bank,  at  Effingham,  was  organized  in 
1905,  with  a  capital  of  $12,000  by  A.  J.  Smith,  U.  B.  Sharpless,  Fred  Sutter, 
R.  M.  Thomas  and  J.  W.  Davis.  Since  its  organization  there  have  been  a 
few  changes  among  the  officers  and  the  board  of  directors,  and  in  1915  the 
officers  were :  Fred  Sutter,  president ;  L.  T.  Hawk,  vice-president ;  E-.  J.  Kel- 
ley,  cashier:  D.  R.  Gerety,  assistant  cashier.  The  present  board  of  directors 
is  as  follows :  Fred  Sutter,  L.  T.  Hawk,  Alex.  McKay,  U.  B.  Sharpless, 
E.  J.  Kelley. 

The  capital  stock  and  surplus  in  1915  exceeds  $15,000,  and  the  bank's 
average  deposits  are  about  $120,000.  In  1910  a  handsome  and  commodious 
brick  building  was  erected  at  the  corner  of  Main  and  Howard  streets  for  its 
new  home,  and  it  was  fitted  with  attractive  new  fixtures  and  a  burglar-proof 
vault  of  modern  structures,  at  a  cost  of  $4,000.  This  institution  is  purely  a 
local  concern,  financed  by  local  capital ;  all  of  the  stockholders  reside  in  Ef- 
fingham and  vicinity,  and  comprise  leading  merchants  and  farmers  of  the 
Effingham  district. 

The  State  Bank  of  Effingham  was  organized  in  1889,  and  occupies  its 
own  quarters  in  a  substantial  and  commodious  brick  building  on  the  Main 
street  of  Effingham,  which  was  erected  in  1897.  In  IQ12  handsome  new  fix- 
tures and  a  burglar-proof  vault  were  purchased  at  large  cost.  The  first  presi- 
dent of  this  bank  was  \\'esley  Cummings,  and  the  first  cashier  was  Gilbert 
Campbell,  with  Harvey  Sharp  as  assistant  cashier  and  bookkeeper.  Mr.  Cum- 
mings continued  as  president  until  his  death  in  1899,  and  was  succeeded  by 
L.  -A.  Murphy,  who  in  turn  was  succeeded  by  T.  J.  BohannDu,  who  served  un- 
til his  death,  August  29,  1913.  A.  M.  Ellsworth  became  cashier  in  1892,  and 
was  succeeded  by  W.  M.  Walker,  who  served  in  that  cai)acity  until  1905, 
when  he  is  turn  was  succeeded  bj^  Clarence  L.  Cummings.  the  present  cashier 
of  this  substantial  and  growing  institution.  The  president  officers  of  the 
bank  are  as  follows :  R.  G.  Bohannon,  president ;  A.  E.  Mayhew,  vice-presi- 
dent; C.  L.  Cummings,  cashier:  Carl  B.  Searls,  bookkeeper.  The  directors 
are:  H.  A.  McLenon,  A.  E.  Mayhew,  R.  G.  Bohannon  and  C.  L.  Cummings. 
The  capital  stock  is  $20,000,  with  suqjlus  of  $13,500  and  deposits  average 
$100,000.  This  institution  is  one  of  the  most  flourishing  banks  in  the  county, 
and  its  officers  and  directors  are  substantial  business  men  and  farmers,  who 
are  not  only  highly  regarded  in  Effingham  and  vicinity,  but  throughout  all  of 
northeastern  Kansas. 

16 


242  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

The  State  Bank  of  Lancaster  was  organized  March,  1896,  by  W.  W. 
Stepp,  Mark  S.  Cloyes,  C.  L.  Cummings,  T.  J.  Bohannon,  and  Dr.  A.  L. 
Charles.  T.  J.  Bohannon  was  elected  its  first  president,  and  C.  L.  Cummings 
its  first  cashier.  It  had  a  capital  stock  of  $5,000,  which  subsequently  was  in- 
creased to  $io,coo,  and  in  1915  it  had  a  surplus  of  $5,000,  with  deposits  ag- 
gregating $80,000.  The  present  directors  of  this  bank  are  as  follows  (1915)  : 
M.  J.  Hines,  C.  E.  Smith,  A.  J.  Smith,  J.  F.  Shell  and  M.  E.  Smith,  and  its 
present  officers  are:  M.  J.  Hines,  president;  C.  E.  Smith,  vice-president;  A. 
J.  Smith,  cashier,  and  C.  G.  Stickler,  assistant  cashier. 

The  State  Bank  of  Cummings  was  organized  by  H.  J.  Barber  and  E.  W. 
Kaufman  in  1908,  with  a  capital  stock  of  $10,000.  E.  \\\  Kaufman  was 
elected  president;  B.  F.  Cline,  vice-president,  and  H.  J.  Barber,  cashier.  The 
capital  stock  in  191 5  was  $10,000,  with  a  surplus  of  $5,000  and  deposits  ag- 
gregating $60,000.  A  neat  and  substantial  brick  building  was  erected  for 
l)anking  quarters  and  equipped  with  liandsonie  fixtures  and  burglar-proof 
vault,  at  a  cost  of  $3,500.  The  officers  of  the  bank  in  1916  were  as  follows  : 
President,  John  Ferris ;  cashier,  H.  J.  Barber,  and  the  directors  were  John 
Ferris,  H.  J.  Barber,  C.  A.  Lewis,  William  Hegarty  and  F.  W.  Kaufman. 
The  bank  is  in  a  thrifty  condition,  and  has  shown  a  steady  increase  in  growth 
from  the  date  of  its  organization. 

The  Farmers'  State  Bank  of  Potter,  Kan.,  was  organized  in  1905  by  B. 
C.  Daum,  C.  K.  Hawley,  P.  C.  Grenier,  Arthur  Davis,  James  Grapengieszer. 
l''red  Potter,  John  Niemann,  C.  L.  Cline,  J.  H.  Glancy,  who  subsequently 
became  directors  of  this  enterprising  institution.  The  capital  stock  was  fixed 
at  $12,000,  and  the  first  president  of  the  bank  was  B.  C.  Daum,  and  the  first 
cashier  was  C.  K.  Hawley.  There  are  thirty-two  stockholders  in  this  insti- 
tution, who  are  practically  all  farmers,  residing  in  the  immediate  neighborhood 
of  Potter.  In  1916  the  officers  were  as  follows:  President,  P.  C.  Grenier: 
cashier,  A.  H.  Manglesdorf;  vice-president,  C.  E.  Hudson,  and  the  capital 
stock  was  $12,000,  with  a  surplus  of  $5,500  and  deposits  aggregating  $80,000. 

It  is  unusual  to  find  two  substantial  banking  instiutions  in  a  town  the 
size  of  Potter,  as  it  is  supposed  that  one  bank  in  such  a  community  would 
meet  all  the  requirements  of  its  citizens. 

The  Potter  State  Bank  preceded  the  organization  of  the  Farmers'  State 
Rank  five  years.  It  was  organized  in  1900  by  O.  A.  Simmons,  L.  M.  Jewell 
and  Fred  Ode,  with  a  capital  stock  of  $5,000.  O.  A.  Simmons  remained  the 
active  cashier  and  manager  of  the  bank  for  two  years,  being  succeeded  by 
L.  M.  Jewell  in  1902,  who  served  until  1906.     Mr.  Jewell  was  succeeded  by 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  243 

H.  A.  Ode.  A  new  brick  building  was  erected  for  this  very  enterprising 
financial  institution  in  1909,  and  equipped  with  new  modern  fixtures  and  a 
fine  burglar-proof  vault.  The  capital  stock  of  this  bank  in  1916  was  $10,000, 
with  a  surplus  of  $10,000  and  deposits  aggregating  $125,000.  The  officers 
for  tliat  year  were  as  follows :  President,  L.  M.  Jewell ;  vice-president,  Fred 
Ode ;  cashier,  H.  A.  Ode,  and  in  addition  to  the  officers,  the  following  prom- 
inent farmers  of  Walnut  and  Mount  Pleasant  townships  are  directors:  C.  N. 
Faulcomer,  C.  W.  Carson,  E.  H.  Blodgett  and  Adam  Ehart.  There  are  over 
seventeen  stockholders,  all  of  whom  are  prosperous  and  well  to  do  farmers, 
living  in  the  vicinity  of  Potter.  This  bank  has  grown  rapidly,  both  in  pres- 
tige and  strength  since  its  organization,  and  its  average  net  annual  profits 
since  its  organization  have  been  about  $2,000. 

The  Muscotah  State  Bank  was  organized  by  George  Storch  in  1870,  as 
a  private  bank,  who  remained  in  charge  until  about  1890,  when  Mr.  Storch 
sold  his  interest  to  Harvey  and  Calvert.  This  firm  conducted  tlie  bank  as  a 
private  institution  until  about  January  i,  1902,  when  it  was  organized  into  a 
State  bank,  with  A.  B.  Harvey,  president,  and  J.  H.  Calvert,  cashier.  Mr. 
Harvey  remained  president  until  about  1910,  and  in  that  year  C.  C.  Hart 
became  its  cashier.  The  officers  of  this  institution  in  1916  were  as  follows: 
A.  D.  Wilcox,  president:  C.  C.  Hart,  vice-president;  R.  A.  Allison,  cashier. 
The  directors  are:  A.  D.  Wilcox,  C.  C.  Hart,  A.  H.  Calvert,  M.  E.  Bevens, 
R.  A.  Allison  and  Thomas  R3'an.  The  capital  stock  is  $10,000.00,  with  a 
surplus  of  $10,000.00,  and  deposits  aggregating  $100,000.00.  This  institu- 
tion is  the  oldest  bank  outside  of  the  city  of  Atchison,  and  remains  todav  one 
of  the  most  substantial  financial  institutions  in  this  part  of  the  State. 

The  Huron  State  Bank  was  organized  in  1891,  with  a  capital  stock  of 
$10,000.  The  first  directors  were  Edward  Perdue,  John  Swartz,  John  Dro- 
han,  John  English,  David  Rouse,  David  Rouse,  Jr.,  and  T.  B.  Marshall.  Its 
first  officers  were  Edward  Perdue,  president;  John  Swartz,  vice-president, 
and  W.  C.  McLain,  cashier.  This  is  one  of  the  substantial  banks  of  the  county, 
and  showed  by  one  of  its  last  statements  a  capital  stock  of  $10,000,  with 
surplus  fund  of  $5,000.00  and  deposits  aggregating  $80,000.00.  Its  officers 
in  1916  are  as  follows:  Edward  Perdue,  president;  David  Rouse,  Jr.,  vice- 
president,  C.  E.  Smith,  cashier,  and  Cloyd  Smith,  assistant  cashier.  In  addi- 
tion to  the  officers,  T.  B.  Smith,  Jr.,  is  the  fifth  director. 

Mr.  Perdue,  who  is  the  president  of  this  bank,  is  one  of  the  leading  citi- 
zens of  Atchison  county,  and  in  addition  to  being  president  of  the  Huron  bank, 
is  also  president  of  the  First  National  Bank  of  Achison. 


244  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COL'NTY 

C.  E.  Smitli,  the  cashier,  is  also  one  of  the  well  known  and  most  conserva- 
tive bankers  of  the  State,  and  the  officers  and  directors  of  this  institution  have 
reason  to  be  proud  of  the  splendid  growth  and  standing  of  their  institution. 

The  Farmers  State  Bank  of  Muscotah  was  organized  and  opened  for 
!.)usiness  February  21,  1910,  with  a  capital  stock  of  $10,000.  It  now  has  a 
surplus  and  undivided  account  of  approximately  $5,000,  and  its  deposits 
average  $70,000.  The  first  directors  were  L.  Cortelyou,  A.  T.  Cortelyou, 
L.  Cortelyou,  Jr..  and  H.  M.  Turner,  who  came  from  Moberly.  Mo.  W.  M. 
V\'alker,  of  Atchison,  was  one  of  tlie  organizers  of  this  institution,  but  he  sold 
his  interest  a  few  weeks  after  organization  and  was  succeeded  by  William 
Buckles  on  the  board  of  directors.  L.  Cortelyou  was  elected  president,  and 
H.  M.  Turner,  casiiier,  and  they  have  continued  as  the  active  officers  of  the 
bank.  The  present  board  of  directors  consists  of  L.  Cortelyou.  \\'illiam 
Buckles,  M.  C.  \'ansell,  John  Sullivan,  J.  W.  A.  Miller  and  H.  M.  Turner. 
As  this  history  is  written  it  is  said  that  there  has  been  a  consolidation  of  the 
two  Muscotah  banks,  under  the  name  of  the  Farmers  State  Bank.  A  charter 
has  been  granted  and  the  new  in.stitution  will  have  a  capital  of  $15,000.  L. 
Cortelyou  is  to  he  the  president,  H;  M.  Turner,  cashier,  and  Ralph  .\llison, 
assistant  casiiier.  The  bank  will  continue  to  occupy  tlie  present  quarters  of 
the  Farmers  State  Bank,  and  the  merger,  when  effected,  will  give  Muscotah 
one  of  the  liest  banks  in  the  county. 

The  Commerce  Trust  Compan\-  of  Atchison,  with  a  paid-u])  capital  stock 
of  $100,000,  received  its  charter  from  the  State  February  11.  1916.  The  first 
meeting  of  the  board  of  directors  was  held  in  the  office  of  the  Commerce 
Investment  Company  on  the  evening  of  Februar}'  ig,  1916,  at  which  time 
the  following  officers  were  elected:  President,  Sheffield  Ingalls:  vice-presi- 
dents, Mcnry  Diegel,  .\.  J.  Schoencckcr,  M.  J.  Iloran  :  treasurer.  F.llswortii 
Ingalls;  .secretary,  Frank  H.  Manglesdorf;  trust  officer,  H.  A.  Schoenecker; 
general  counsel,  J.  M.  Challiss.  The  following  named  citizens  were  the  first 
directors  of  the  company:  H.  A.  Schoenecker,  Henry  Diegel.  J.  C.  Killarney, 
O.  .\.  Simmons,  .\.  J.  Schoenecker,  Ellsworth  Ingalls.  T.  E.  Snowden,  Clive 
Hastings,  M.  J.  Horan,  F.  H.  IManglesdorf,  H.  E.  Muchnic  and  Sheffield 
Ingalls.  The  company  is  a  development  of  the  Commerce  Investment  Com- 
pany, established  in  1910.  and  does  a  general  trust  business,  as  provided  by 
the  laws  of  Kansas.    It  began  business  March  2,  1916. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


CHURCHES. 


METHODIST CHRISTIAN PRESBYTERIAN BAPTIST SALEM    CHURCH   GER- 
MAN  EVANGELICAL  ZION   CHURCH FIRST   CHURCH    OF   CHRIST,   SCIENTIST 

ST.      P.\TRICK's,      MT.      PLEASANT TRINITY     CHURCH,      EPISCOPAL ST. 

MARK%     ENGLISH     LUTHERAN ST.     BENEDICTS     ABBEY FIRST     GERMAN 

EVANGELICAN   LUTHERAN   CHURCH. 

Aletliodism  was  introduced  into  Atcliison  l3y  the  Rev.  James  Shaw,  wlio 
had  Ijeen  a  pruminent  member  of  the  Detroit  conference,  both  as  pastor 
and  missionary  among  the  Indiaiis  along  tlie  Lake  Superior  district,  and 
also  as  presi(h'ng  elder.  Being  in  poor  health  and  desiring  a  new  location,  he 
came  to  Leavenworth  in  March.  1856,  and  finding  that  Leavenworth  was 
already  pro\i(led  \\ith  a  pastor,  he  proceeded  to  Atchisnn.  He  did  not  find 
Atchison  ver\-  friendly  toward  preachers  when  he  arrived,  and  the  Pardee 
Butler  incident  was  fresh  in  the  minds  of  the  people  at  that  time.  So  the 
Re\'.  Mr.  Shaw  went  farther  north,  to  Doniphan  and  Geary  City,  which  were 
Free  State  towns.  He  soon  thereafter  went  to  Detroit  for  his  family,  and 
soon  after  his  return  to  Geary  City,  he  was  appointed  as  pastor  at  Atchison 
and  Monrovia.  He  preached  his  first  sermon  in  May.  1S57,  in  the  office  of 
S.  C.  Pomeroy,  which  was  located  on  the  corner  of  Third  and  Com- 
mercial streets,  and  this  was  the  first  sermon  from  the  lips  of  a  preacher 
of  any  denomination  that  was  delivered  in  Atchison.  He  organized  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church  in  January,  1858,  w'ith  members  from  various - 
denominations.  The  first  services  were  held  in  a  room  in  the  building  on 
the  southeast  corner  of  Second  and  Commercial  streets.  He  later  raised 
$2,000  for  a  new  church  building,  S.  C.  Pomeroy,  O.  F.  Short  and  Robert 
McBratney  each  pledging  $500,  on  condition  that  the  new  building  should 
be  located  on  the  north  side  of  Parallel  street,  near  Fifth  street. 

245 


24O  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

Rev.  I.  F.  Collins  succeeded  ^Ir.  Shaw,  and  Rev.  C.  H.  Lovejoy,  who 
liad  been  preaching  at  Lawrence  for  two  years,  was  sent  to  Sumner.  Upon 
the  arrival  of  Mr.  Collins,  he  at  once  began  the  erection  of  the  new  church 
building  on  Parallel  street,  the  two  lots  on  which  the  building  was  subse- 
quently erected  being  donated  by  the  Atchison  Town  Company.  The  trus- 
tees of  the  church  at  that  time  were :  John  T.  Dougherty,  Edwin  O.  CoUins, 
Archie  C.  Master,  David  F.  Beagle,  William  A.  Butler,  Joseph  H.  Gilbert, 
Robert  Hancock,  Cyrus  A.  Comstock  and  Calvin  W.  Phelps.  The  church 
building  was  completed  in  April,  1859,  and  was  fifty-eight  feet  long  and 
thirty-two  feet  wide.  It  had  a  seating  capacity  of  350  people,  and  cost 
$3,075.  The  structure  was  dedicated  May  8,  1859,  and  Rev.  Hugh  D. 
Fisher,  the  famous  Fee  State  Methodist  preacher,  came  up  from  Leaven- 
worth and  assisted  in  the  dedication.  During  tlie  first  year  in  the  new 
church,  two  young  men  came  to  Atchison,  who  afterwards  became  success- 
ful and  honored  citizens  of  the  town,  Samuel  Card  and  D.  C.  NewComb.  They 
subsequently  formed  a  partnership  and  conducted  a  drygoods  store  under 
the  name  of  Gard  &  Newcomb,  which  for  many  years  remained  one  of  the 
leading  finns  of  the  city.  Mr.  Gard  died  many  years  ago,  and  in  1915  Mr. 
Newcomb  still  lives.  The  Methodist  church,  perhaps,  owes  more  to  D.  C. 
Newcomb  than  any  otlier  man  who  was  ever  identified  with  it.  His  money, 
business  sagacity  and  consecration  have  made  possible  the  success  of  Meth- 
odism in  Atchison.  His  motto  has  always  been,  "It  is  safe  to  do  right,  and 
unsafe  to  do  wrong." 

Butcher,  Auld  &  Dean,  famous  contractors  of  an  early  day,  who  built 
the  first  railroad  between  Atchison  and  St.  Joseph,  with  their  families,  united 
with  the  Methodist  church  and  became  stanch  supporters  of  it.  J.  C.  Reisner, 
who  came  to  Atchison  in  1858,  and  his  wife,  Rebecca,  were  also  prominent 
early  members  of  the  church.  They  built  the  Tremont  House,  which  for 
a  great  many  years  was  the  leading  hotel,  located  where  the  Burlington 
freight  house  now  stands.  Rev.  Dr.  Christian  F.  Reisner,  pastor  of  Grace 
Church,  New  York  City,  was  the  youngest  son  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Reisner. 
The  fourth  session  of  the  Kansas-Nebraska  conference,  which  met  in  Omaha 
in  May.  1859,  returned  Rev.  Collins  to  Atchison,  and  during  that  year  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  John  M.  Crowell  and  the  McCullev  brothers  united  with  the 
church.  In  December,  1859,  Abraham  Lincoln,  on  his  visit  to  Kansas,  spoke 
in  the  little  church  edifice  on  Parallel  street,  reference  to  which  has  already 
been  made  in  this  history.  In  the  fifth  session  of  the  Kansas-Nebraska  con- 
ference. Rev.  Milton  ]\Ialien  was  appointed  to  .Atchison.     It  was  a  critical 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  247 

period  in  the  history  of  the  town,  and  the  Rev.  Mahen  was  admonished 
to  be  very  cautious  on  the  question  of  slavery,  but  he  had  courage  and 
patriotism  enough  to  order  the  Stars  and  Stripes  hoisted  on  his  church.  That 
year  T.  B.  Davis  and  his  wife,  Kathryn,  came  to  Atchison  and  became  use-"^ 
ful  members.  "Grandma"  Davis  is  hving  in  1916,  and  on  February'  21,  1915, 
celebrated  her  ninetieth  birthday.  Owing  to  the  great  drought  that  visited 
Atchison  in  i860,  the  church  did  not  prosper  greatly  during  the  period  of 
Mr.  Mahen's  pastorate,  but  in  the  succeeding  session  of  the  Kansas  confer- 
ence, which  met  March  21,  1861,  Mr.  Mahen  was  returned  to  Atchison,  and 
it  was  during  this  year  that  a  severe  storm,  which  destroyed  Sumner,  wrecked 
the  church  building  so  that  extensive  repairs  were  necessary.  In  the  seventh 
session  of  the  Kansas  conference,  March,  1862,  the  Rev.  Mr.  James  Shaw 
was  returned  to  Atchison. 

W.  M.  Davies  was  the  superintendent  of  the  Sunday  school,  having 
been  elected  in  1859.  In  1863  Rev.  W.  Marlatt  was  appointed  for  Atchison, 
and  March  10,  1864,  Mr.  Marlatt  was  succeeded  by  Dr.  W.  R.  Davis,  who 
had  been  president  of  Baker  University.  Rev.  Mr.  Davis  was  retained  in 
March,  1865,  by  the  tenth  session  of  the  conference,  and  was  succeeded  by 
Rev.  W.  K.  Marshall.  Mr.  Marshall  was  returned  to  Atchison  in  1867,  and 
in  March,  1868,  Rev.  Hugh  D.  Fisher,  who  was  known  during  the  war  as 
the  "fighting  chaplain,"  was  made  pastor  at  Atchison.  He  found  condi- 
tions ratlier  discouraging,  but  went  to  work  to  pav  off  the  debts  on  the 
church  property  and  repair  the  building.  He  created  a  great  deal  of  interest  in 
the  town  in  religious  matters,  and  the  little  church  building  on  Parallel  street 
having  become  too  small,  two  lots  on  the  corner  of  Fifth  and  Kansas  avenue 
were  purchased  in  1870,  and  the  basement  of  the  present  building  was  erected 
and  dedicated  by  Dr.  Fisher,  who  remained  pastor  of  the  church  for  three 
years.  Dr.  Fisher  was  one  of  the  strong  preachers  of  Kansas  in  that  day,  and  ' 
a  strong  anti-slaver}-  sympathizer.  He  built  the  church  at  Leavenworth  in  V 
1859,  which  was  one  of  the  famous  churches  of  the  State,  and  popularly 
known  as  the  cradle  of  prohibition.  He  was  in  Lawrence  when  Ouantrell 
sacked  the  town,  and  after  an  eventul  life  as  pastor,  chaplain  and  missionary, 
Dr.  Fisher  died  at  Baldwin.  Kan.,  October  23,   1905. 

Rev.  T.  J.  Leak  succeeded  Mr.  Fisher,  and  it  was  during  Mr.  Leak's 
pastorate  that  the  new  church  was  dedicated,  October  26,  1873.  Three 
years  later  the  Rev.  Mr.  Leak  was  succeeded  by  Dr.  George  S.  Dearborn. 
Rev.  William  Friend  succeeded  Dr.  Dearborn  in  March,  1876,  who  was  suc- 
ceeded by  E.  W.  Van  Deventer.     Dr.  Philipp  Kmhn  became  pastor  in  1882. 


248  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

He  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  A.  H.  Tevis.  Dr.  J.  W.  Alderman  came  to  Atchi- 
son in  1887  and  remained  until  March,  1893,  and  was  succeeded  by  Dr.  E.  H. 
Brumbaugh,  who  became  pastor  in  March,  1893.  Rev.  S.  V.  Leach  followed 
Dr.  Brumbaugh  in  1897,  who  in  turn  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  G.  W.  Grines, 
and  since  that  time  Dr.  H.  E.  Wolf,  Rev.  W.  T.  Stott.  Dr.  I.  B.  Pulliam  and 
Dr.  John  W.  Scott  filled  the  pulpit  of  the  church  down  to  the  year  1914, 
when  Rev.  Thomas  E.  Chandler,  who  for  five  years  previous  had  been  super- 
intendent of  the  Ottawa  district,  became  pastor  of  the  church.  Dr.  Chandler 
is  one  of  the  best  informed,  most  eloquent  and  beloved  pastors  the  church 
lias  ever  had.  He  is  not  only  popular  among  his  own  church  people,  but  has 
made  numerous  friends  outside  his  fold.  In  September,  191 5.  through  the 
efforts  of  Dr.  Chandler,  assisted  by  Dr.  C.  F.  Reisner,  pastor  of  Grace 
Church,  New  York  City,  together  with  C.  D.  \\'alker  and  others,  $42,000 
was  raised  for  the  erection  of  a  new  church.  When  it  is  completed  it  will 
be  one  of  tlie  finest  churcii  edifices  in  Kansas. 

CHRISTAIN. 

The  Christian  church  was  organized  in  Pioneer  Hall,  corner  of  Kansas 
avenue  and  Fourth  street,  May  20,  1882,  with  twenty-four  charter  memliers. 
At  the  end  of  the  first  year  there  were  fifty-five  members,  and  in  April,  1884,' 
the  church  was  incorporated  under  the  laws  of  Kansas.  The  first  church 
edifice  was  located  at  the  corner  of  Tenth  street  and  Kansas  avenue,  and  was 
dedicated  May  24,  1885.  at  a  cost  of  $2,604.  The  building  was  much  en- 
larged during  the  ministry  of  W.  H.  White.  In  1912.  the  congregation 
having  outgrown  its  old  liuilding,  agitation  for  a  new  building  was  started, 
and  a  new  site  was  selected  at  Seventh  and  Santa  Fe  streets,  and  on  August 
19,  1914,  a  beautiful  new  church  was  dedicated,  which  cost  $47,000.  The 
church  also  owns  a  lot  adjoining  the  church,  upon  which  a  parsonage  will 
be  erected.  The  present  memljership  is  T.400,  and  the  Bible  school  is  next 
10  the  largest  in  the  State.  The  Sunday  school  is  thoroughly  graded,  with 
eight  departments,  si.xty-five  officers  and  teachers,  with  H.  P.  Armstrong, 
superintendent.     The  church  has  thirty  deacons  and  elders. 

The  records  show  thai  as  earlv  as  1869  the  Christian  church  had  fol- 
lowers in  this  community,  and  among  the  ])astors  who  served  in  the  early  days 
were  William  C.  Rodgers,  James  K.  Gaston  and  C.  C.  Band.  The  early 
congregation  went  so  far  as  to  purchase  a  lot  at  the  corner  of  Seventh  and 
Santa  l-'e  streets,  opposite  the  present  new  edifice,  and  a  t'oundation  was  laid 
for  a  l)uilding.  but  the  plan  had  to  lie  abandoned  because  of  lack  of  fluids. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY 


249 


Miss  Etta  Beason,  of  Atchison,  and  T.  D.  McCleery,  of  Effingham, 
are  tlie  two  surviving  charter  members. 

The  names  of  the  pastors  who  ha\'e  served  the  church  since  1882  are 
as  follows:    Rl.  P.   Hayden,  W.   S.  Priest.  J.   S.  Myers,   Rev.  Cox,  W.  H. 


White    Tein|ile    ChriKtiaii    Church.    Aicliisuii,    Kan. 

White,  Lowell  McPherson.  Rev.  Ingram.  M.  E.  Harlan,  E.  L.  Ely,  W.  T. 
!  niton,  Z.  E.  Bates.  Tlie  present  pastor  of  the  church  is  Rev.  Jesse  M. 
Bader,  one  of  the  most  popular,  aggressive  and  conscientious  ministers  in 
.Atchison. 

PRESBYTERIAN. 


The  First  Presliyterian  Cliurch  was  organized  October  21,  1858,  by  a 
committee  from  tlie  Presli\tery  nf  Highland,  Rcw  Alexander  W.  I'ilzer,  of 
Leavenworth,  chairman.  The  number  of  persons  entering  into  the  organiza- 
tion on  that  day  was  eight.  Their  names  were  as  follows:  William  M. 
Davies,  Mary  Davies,  George  f>.  Trwin.  Rebecca  Irwin,  .\nnie  Love,  .Andrew 
Hamilton,    Maximilla    Ireland   ;nid    Ivlward    Hair.      'i1ic    following   persons 


250 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 


have  served  the  church  as  ministers:  Rev.  Juhus  Spencer,  from  April,  1858, 
for  about  eighteen  months:  Rev.  H.  H.  Dobbins,  for  seven  months,  from 
September,  1863;  Rev.  T.  P.  Lemis  commenced  his  labors  in  April,  1865, 
and  continued  with  the  church  until  February,  1868;  Rev.  Edward  Cooper 
had  charge  of  the  churcii  from  December,  1868,  until  December,  1875;  Rev. 
J.  H.  Clark  officiated  as  pastor  from  March,  1876,  until  June,  1878;  Rev. 
M.  L.  Howie  began  his  labors  in  November,  1878,  and  continued  with  the 


Presbyterian  Church  at  Atchison,  Kan. 

church  until  November,  1882:  he  died  in  Chicago  in  .'Xugust,  1013:  Rev.  D. 
C.  Miiner  began  his  work  in  December,  1882,  and  continued  with  tlic  church 
until  Septeml)er  23,  1887;  Rev.  M.  L.  Ilowic  (second  term),  November  11, 
1887,  to  1897;  Rev.  J.  D.  Countermine,  from  1897  to  1899:  Rev.  B.  F.  Boyle 
came  February  25,  1900,  and  continued  as  pastor  until  in  tlie  fall  of  1911. 
Rev.  W.  I.  Alexander  came  in  November,  191 1,  and  continued  his  labors 
until  September,   1914.     Rev.  W.  C.  Tsett  was  called  in  September.  1015. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  25 1 

For  some  months  after  its  organization  the  church  had  no  regular  min- 
ister and  services  \\f«re  held  in  a  store  room,  hall  and  private  residences.  For 
a  time  the  church  held  meetings  in  Bang's  Hall  on  Commercial  street,  and 
in  Price's  Hall,  on  the  corner  of  Fourth  and  Main  streets.  During  the  pas- 
torate of  Rev.  Lewis,  the  building  on  Fourth  street,  between  Commercial  and 
Main  streets,  known  as  "the  Presbyterian  hall,"  was  erected,  and  the  con- 
gregation commenced  using  it  as  a  place  of  worship  in  1865.  The  congre- 
gation began  the  erection  of  the  present  church  building  in  1880.  The  cor- 
ner stone  was  laid  on  September  15  of  that  year.  About  the  time  of  begin- 
ning the  building,  Mrs.  S.  Donald,  Mrs.  Judge  Berry,  Mrs.  C.  A.  Stuart  and 
Mrs.  A.  J.  North  canvassed  the  city  and  secured  large  subscriptions  to  the 
building  fund.  The  building  committee  consisted  of  A.  W.  Simpson,  A.  F. 
Martin  and  J.  M.  Covert.  The  elders  in  1880  were  as  follows :  A.  B.  Mc- 
Queen, A.  J.  North,  J.  M.  Covert,  J.  W.  Allen,  J.  S.  Trimble,  and  Harry 
Harkness.  The  deacons  in  the  same  year  were  as  follows :  B.  F.  Hudson,  J. 
Edward  Lewis,  S.  D.  D.  Smith  and  D.  M.  Wynkoop.  The  trustees  were 
as  follows :  B.  F.  Hudson,  president ;  A.  F.  Martin,  secretary ;  David  Lukens, 
treasurer;  E.  K.  Blair,  R.  B.  Drury,  A.  W.  Simpson,  S.  D.  D.  Smith.  Offi- 
cers of  the  Sunday  school  were  as  follows :  A.  F.  Martin,  superintendent ; 
J.  M.  Covert,  assistant  superintendent,  and  J.  E.  Lewis,  secretary  and  treas- 
urer. Officers  of  the  Ladies'  Aid  Society  were  as  follows :  Mrs.  A.  J.  North, 
president ;  Mrs.  W.  C.  North,  secretary ;  Mrs.  E.  K.  Blair,  treasurer.  Young 
Ladies'  Society:  Miss  May  Seaton,  president;  Miss  Tola  Thomas,  secretary; 
Miss  Nellie  George,  treasurer.  In  the  year  1858  the  persons  active  in  the 
church  at  that  time  were :  Mrs.  Thomas  Seip,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  William  Davis, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  A.  B.  McQueen.  The  first  deaconesses  were:  Mrs.  C.  J.  Par- 
menter  and  Miss  Anna  J.  North,  ordained  in   1888. 

BAl'TIST. 

The  First  Baptist  Church  of  Atchison  was  organized  in  1858,  in  Allen's 
Hall,  on  the  northwest  corner  of  Second  and  Commercial  streets.  At  the 
time  of  the  organization  there  were  but  nine  members,  of  whom  three  are 
still  living  and  members  of  the  church,  though  non-resident :  Mrs.  L.  A. 
Alderson,  Mrs.  Aaron  Stephenson  and  Mrs.  Mary  A.  Challiss.  Dr.  W.  L. 
Challiss  was  soon  added  to  the  membership.  The  lots  on  the  corner  of  Ninth 
street  and  Kansas  avenue  were  donated  by  Luther  C.  Challiss,  and  a  Iiouse 


252  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISOX   COUNTY 

of  worship  was  erected  upon  it.  and 'this  location  lias  l)een  the  home  of  the 
church  ever  since. 

Rev.  L.  A.  Alderson  was  the  first  pastor  of  the  church,  and  he  served 
faithfully  three  years  without  salarj'.  Then  followed  Rev.  Dr.  Perkins  from 
New  Jersey,  and  Rev.  Frank  Remington. 

Just  at  this  time  the  troubles  of  the  war  came  on  and  very  little  could 
be  accomplished.  Rev.  J.  W.  Warder  became  pastor  in  1866  and  the  church 
grew  strong  under  his  ministry.  Rev.  H.  A.  Guild  successfully  served  the 
church  for  a  time  in  1868.  Rev.  J.  Sawyer  accepted  the  pastorate,  and  then 
Rev.  E.  Gunn. 

Rev.  J.  W.  Luke  was  pastor  directly  before  Rev.  Alulford.  He  bap- 
tized some  of  our  best  workers  and  did  excellent  and  permanent  work  for 
the  church. 

The  twenty-fifth  anniversary  was  fittingly  celebrated  at  the  home  of 
Mrs.  John  M.  Price,  and  a  silver  offering  was  received  toward  a  new  build- 
ing which  came  soon  after,  under  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  J.  B.  Mulford.  who 
was  called  to  his  reward  from  here. 

Rev.  D.  D.  Proper  followed  and  Rev.  E.  P.  Brand  and  Rev.  G.  W. 
Rogers,  all  of  whom  served  the  church  under  great  difficulties.  There  was 
a  heavy  debt  left  upon  the  new  building,  which  was  drawing  a  high  rate  of 
interest,  and  the  constant  calls  for  money  which  was  paid  with  apparently  no 
returns,  discouraged  the  membership.  Still,  the  pastors  resolutely  worked 
at  the  great  task.  Rev.  G.  W.  Rogers  undertook  to  raise  $5,000  of  the 
mortgage,  and  B.  P.  Waggener,  who  had  always  been  a  generous  contribu- 
tor, gave  $2,000,  and  made  a  liberal  loan  tesides.  Not  long  after  Rev.  Rog- 
ers was  called  to  another  field,  and  again  the  church  had  a  pastorless  period, 
but  greatly  enjoyed  the  ministrations  of  the  late  Dr.  Murphy.  l\e\'.  J.  R. 
Comer  was  called  to  the  pastorate  June  i,  1895,  and  faithfully  served  the 
church  twelve  years.  Much  of  the  money  pledged  during  Dr.  Rogers'  pas- 
torate was  paid  in  or  collected  while  Rev.  J.  R.  Comer  was  pastor.  Then 
the  remaining  $1,500  mortgage  and  all  other  debts  were  bravely  taken  up 
and  paid,  and  the  church  celebrated  its  victory  in  burning  the  mortgage  and 
a  general  rejoicing,  and  also  a  firm  determination  ne\er  to  go  deeply  in  debt 
again. 

During  the  present  pastorate  of  more  than  eight  years  the  church  has 
strictly  followed  this  rule,  but  this  has  not  prevented  some  large  purchases. 
In  1909  the  church  purchased  and  placed  a  new  ])ipe  organ  at  a  cost  of  $4,500, 
and  two  years  later  purchased   the  property   adjoining  the   church   on   the 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  253 

west  for  the  accommodation  of  the  g^rowing  Sunday  school.  This  was  done 
at  a  cost  of  $5,500  for  property  and  furniture,  and  the  money  was  raised  at 
a  Sunday  morning  service.  It  is  in  the  minds  of  many  of  the  members  of 
the  cliurch  tliat  in  the  near  future  there  must  be  a  new  cliurch  building,  and 
to  that  end  over  $6,000  has  been  accumulated  and  is  being-  held  for  the  time 
when  the  membersiiip  of  the  church  shall  be  ready  to  erect  a  structure  that 
shall  be  worthy  of  the  city  and  an  honor  to  God. 

The  work  of  tlie  church  has  grown  and  developed  and  every  depart- 
ment has  accepted  a  larger  share  in  work,  local  and  world-wide.  Last  year 
the  church  contributed  over  $1,200  for  missionary  and  benevolent  work,  be- 
sides some  gifts  which  did  not  pass  through  the  church  treasury. 

The  church  stands  for  a  strong  and  helpful  and  constructive  religious 
work,  and  a  faithful  adherence  to  the  teachings  of  the  Bible,  and  a  loyalty 
to  the  Lord.ship  of  Christ.  The  present  pastor  is  Rev.  A.  J.  Haggett,  who 
has  served  his  congregation  long  and  well. 

S.\LEM    CHURCH. 

The  Evangelical  Association  located  a  mission  m  .Vtcliison  in  iSSj,  with 
Rev.  C.  Brandt  as  the  first  missionary.  A  number  of  German  families  were 
gathered  and  signified  their  willingness  to  effect  a  church  organization.  Ac- 
cordingly, a  hall  was  rented  at  614  Commercial  street  and  services  held.  In 
1884  the  organization  numbered  forty-seven  nicml)ers,  and  the  Kansas  con- 
ference of  the  Evangelical  Association  at  its  annual  session  in  1884  decided 
to  build  a  church  at  this  time.  Rev.  Daniel  R.  Zellner  was  appointed  pas- 
tor, and  Rev.  John  Wuerth,  presiding  elder  of  the  Holton  district.  During 
the  pastorate  of  Rev.  D.  R.  Zellner  in  1S84  the  clun-cli  was  built  at  522  .\tch- 
ison  street,  and  dedicated  by  Rev.  John  Wuerth,  presiding  elder,  as  the  Salem 
church  of  the  Evangelical  Association,  and  ser\'ice  has  continued  uninter- 
ruptedly e\er  since.  Following  are  the  ministers  who  served  consecutively 
as  pastors :  Rev.  C.  Brandt,  D.  R.  Zellner,  C.  Brant,  second  pastorate ;  C.  F. 
Erffmeyer,  Samuel  Mueller,  Jacob  Schmidle,  John  Wuerth,  C.  F.  Iwig,  Peter 
Scheumann,  D.  R.  Zellner,  third  pastorate ;  Charles  Linge,  E.  E.  Erf fmever, 
D.  R.  Zellner,  fourth  pastorate,  L.  M.  Nanninga,  J.  M.  Fricker,  Samuel 
Breithaupt,  present  pastor  (1916). 

The  following  served  as  presiding  elders  during  the  past  thirty-four 
years:  John  Wuerth,  Henry  Mattill,  J.  F.  Schreiber,  Alliert  Brunner,  C.  F. 
Erffmeyer,  Wl.  F.  Wothensen  and  C.  F.  Iwig.     The  Evangelical  Association 


254  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

was  organized  as  a  denomination  in  1800,  with  Jacob  Allbright  as  its  founder. 

Originally,  the  language  used  was  German,  but  in  the  past  half  cen- 
tury the  German  language  was  rapidly  superseded  by  the  English  language. 
At  this  time  there  are  very  few  congregations  in  the  denomination  that  wor- 
ship in  the  German  language  exclusively.  The  sendees  in  the  Evangelical 
church  in  this  city  for  the  past  few  years  are  conducted  in  English. 

This  society  maintains  a  well  organized  Sunday  school,  with  weekly 
sessions  every  Sunday  at  10  o'clock  a.  m.  G.  W.  Bradley  is  superintendent; 
a  Young  People's  Alliance,  E.  B.  Breithaupt,  president,  and  a  Woman's 
Missionary  Society,  Mrs.  Samuel  Breithaupt,  president.  This  organization 
maintains  free  pews  and  extends  an  invitation  to  strangers  when  in  the  city 
to  worship  with  them. 

GERMAN    EVANGELICAL    ZION    CHURCH. 

In  the  summer  of  1893  a  number  of  men,  among  them  Rev.  Nestel,  of 
St.  Joseph,  Mo.,  who  had  received  a  special  invitation,  met  at  the  home  of 
August  Manglesdorf,  Sr.,  and  organized  a  German  Evangelical  congregation. 
It  was  decided  to  have  services  in  Odd  Fellows  hall.  Rev.  Nestel  came  over 
from  St.  Joe  from  time  to  time  and  conducted  the  services.  In  Januar}',  1894, 
Rev.  C.  Stork,  of  Concordia,  Mo.,  took  charge  of  the  congregation  as  their 
first  own  pastor.  In  1894  two  lots  of  land,  at  the  northwest  corner  of  Ninth 
and  Santa  Fe  streets,  were  bought,  upon  which  the  church  was  built.  In 
1895  the  congregation  became  a  member  of  the  German  Evangelical  Synod 
of  North  America.  In  the  same  year  the  parsonage  was  erected,  and  in  1908 
a  school  building  was  added  to  the  church.  Besides  Rev.  Stork,  the  following 
ministers  served  the  congregation:  H.  Limper.  1897  to  1901 ;  C.  Bechtold, 
1901  to  1905;  P.  Stoerker,  from  1905  to  1909,  and  Emil  Vogt,  the  present 
pastor.  Besides  the  annual  donations  for  their  own  church,  the  members 
have  spent  $2,000  for  home  and  foreign  missions.  The  church  has  a  Sun- 
day school,  a  teachers'  training  course,  a  choir,  a  Young  People's  Society, 
and  a  Ladies'  Aid  Society. 

FIRST  CHURCH   OF  CHRIST,   SCIENTIST. 

Mrs.  Henrietta  E.  Graybill,  of  Ad^ilwaukee,  might  properly  be  called  the 
founder  of  the  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  in  Atchison.  She  was  the 
original  first  reader  when  she  came  to  Atchison  from  Kansas  City  in  1894. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY 


=  D0 


In  March,  1895,  she  began  a  class  in  instruction  at  tlie  Byram  Hotel.  This 
was  the  beginning  of  the  local  church.  On  September  7,  1895,  the  followers 
met  in  temporary  quarters  in  the  Ingalls'  building,  at  Seventh  and  Com- 
mercial streets,  seven  being  present.  The  church  was  organized  April  9, 
1895,  ^^''th  seven  charter  members.  The  first  testimonial  meeting  was  held 
January  3,  1896,  and  January  15,  1896,  the  first  Sunday  school  was  organ- 
ized, with  seven  children  m  attendance.  Before  the  end  of  1896  the  church 
was  moved  to  more  commodious  quarters,  at  the  southeast  corner  of  Fourth 
and  Commercial  streets.    These  quarters  were  soon  outgrown,  and  in  March, 


First  Church  of  Christ     Scientist  ,  Atchison,  Kan. 


1897,  the  German  Methodist  church  at  Ninth  and  Santa  Fe  streets  was  pur- 
chased and  the  first  services  held  there  were  on  July  4,  1897,  This  church 
was  dedicated  in  April,  1900,  by  Mrs.  G.  W.  Pennell,  who  had  become  first 
reader,  and  from  the  start  had  been  a  constant  and  enthusiastic  worker. 
Ten  years  later,  March  28,  1910,  lots  at  the  northwest  corner  of  Fourth  and 
Santa  Fe  streets  were  purchased,  as  a  site  for  the  permanent  church.  Land 
was  secured  and  the  foundation  started  September  11,   1911 ;  corner  stone 


256  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

was  laid  July  7,  1912,  and  first  services  held  in  the  Sunday  school  room  May 
25,  1913.  First  services  were  held  in  the  auditorium  September  7,  1913,  and 
the  church  dedicated  October  19,  1913.  Among  the  permanent  members  of 
the  church  are  Mr.  and  Mrs.  G.  W.  Pennell.  !\lr.  and  Mrs.  James  W.  Orr, 
L.  H.  Munson,  Miss  N.  S.  Donald  and  Miss  Emma  Maage.  the  first  reader, 
and  D.  W.  Rowe. 

The  present  churcii  edifice  was  erected  largely  through  the  liberality  of 
Mr.  Pennell.  at  a  cost  of  $50,000,  and  is  pronounced  an  architectural  gem. 

ST.  p.\trick's,  jit.  ple.\sant. 

St.  Patrick's  congregation,  near  Mt.  Pleasant,  was  founded  in  the  early 
fall  of  1857.  by  the  Rev.  Father  Augustine  W'irth,  O.  S.  B.  He  came  from 
Doniphan,  Kan.,  over  the  prairies  and  through  dense  timber  on  foot,  not  hav- 
ing the  means  to  l:)uy  a  liorse  or  secure  any  kind  of  a  conveyance,  in  the  sum- 
mer of  1857.  The  Benedictine  Fathers  had  been  sent  west  by  an  American 
founder,  Rt.  Rev.  Boniface  W'immer,  O.  S.  B.,  to  establish  a  priory  in  the 
eastern  part  of  Kansas.  They  settled  in  the  hills  of  Doniphan,  and  from 
this  county  they  founded  and  attended  missions  in  Atchison,  Brown,  Nemaha 
and  Jefferson  counties.  Among  the  first  parishes  established  by  these  priests 
was  one  near  Mt.  Pleasant.  Mt.  Pleasant  at  that  time  was  quite  a  commercial 
center,  owing  largely  to  the  overland  freighting  outfits  that  passed  through 
there  on  their  way  to  Denver  and  the  Pacific  coast.  Patrick  Durkin,  who  is 
a  resident  of  \\"alnut  township  in  1916,  and  the  late  John  Delaney  were 
teamsters  on  this  route,  and  had  many  interesting  experiences  and  struggles 
with  Indians  and  Jayhawkers.  Following  the  first  visit  of  Father  Augustine, 
after  he  had  told  the  few  Catholic  settlers  how  he  had  traveled  on  foot  from 
Donijilian.  a  small  congregation  collected  enough  money  to  pay  for  a  horse, 
saddle  and  bridle,  and  presented  it  to  him. 

Father  Augustine  attended  to  the  spiritual  demands  of  thr  early  Cath- 
olic settlers  in  the  Mt.  Pleasant  district  about  once  a  month  during  the  period 
of  his  services  there.  There  was  no  church  edifice  during  that  period,  and 
divine  services  were  held  in  the  humble  log  cabins  of  the  Catholic  settlers, 
usually  at  the  homes  of  John  Knowlcs,  Owen  Grady.  Ned  Cotter,  Bernard 
Lee  and  James  McArdle.  Mary  Honorah  Clare  was  the  first  child  Ixip- 
tized  at  St.  Patrick's  parish,  September  28,  1857.  The  first  marriage  was 
that  of  James  Barry  to  Catherine  Hennesy,  May  9,  1857,  at  the  home  of  Ed- 
ward Cotter.     The  ceremony  was  conducted  by  Rev.  .Augustine  W'irth.     In 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY 


-0/ 


tlie  fall  of  1857  the  first  church  was  built,  which  was  a  small  affair,  con- 
structed out  of  native  timber.  It  was  poorly  constructed  and  was  of  short 
duration,  as  it  was  blown  down  b_\'  a  strong  wind  one  cold  winter  day,  and 
wrecked  beyond  repair.  Following  the  destruction  of  the  first  church,  the 
members  concluded  to  build  a  more  substantial  edifice  of  stone,  and  in  the 
spring  of  1866  the  walls  were  built.  The  stone  work  was  done  bv  the  late 
Nicholas  Greiner,  a  German  stone  mason,  who  came  to  Sumner  in  the  late 
fifties,  and  subsequently  died,  one  of  the  wealthiest  farmers  of  Walnut  town- 
ship.    The  church  was  dedicated  December  8,  1866. 

In  addition  to  the  church  proper,  the  Catholic  settlers  of  Walnut  town- 
ship, near  Mt.  Pleasant.  ha\e  also  erected  a  commodious  parish  house  for 
their  priest,  and  a  hall  for  public  meetings. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  priests  in  charge  of  St.  Patrick's  Church 
since  it  was  established : 

Irregular  pastors. — Rev.  Augustine  Wirth,  O.  S.  B.,  Septeinber,  1857,  to 
November,  1859:  died,  December  20,  1901.  Rev.  Edmund  Langenfelder, 
O.  S.  B.,  November,  1857,  to  December,  i860:  died,  April  18,  1885.  Rev. 
Philip  Vogt,  O.  S.  B.,  February,  i860,  to  January,  1861 ;  date  of  death  not 
known.  Rev.  Emanuel  Hartig,  O.  S.  B.,  December,  i860,  to  June,  1861  : 
died,  September  i,  1910.  Rev.  Thomas  Bartel,  O.  S.  B.,  April,  1862,  to 
August,  1867;  died,  November  30,  1885. 

Regular  pastors. — Rev.  Timothy  Luljer,  O.  S.  B.,  January,  1864,  to 
March,  1871.  Rev.  Placidus  McKeever,  O.  S.  B.,  March,  1871,  to  August, 
1873:  died,  September  22.  1896.  Rev.  Maurice  Lynch,  O.  S.  B.,  August, 
1873,  to  -August,  1875:  died.  December  13,  1887.  Rev.  Eugene  Bode,  O.  S. 
B.,  August,  1875,  to  A])ril.  1880.  Rev.  Raymond  Danial,  O.  S.  B.,  .April. 
1880,  to  September,  1880:  died,  September  25,  1910.  Rev.  Peter  Kas.sens, 
O.  S  B.,  September,  1880,  to  April,  1S81.  Rev.  .Adolph  We.s.seling,  O.  S.  B.. 
April,  1881,  to  April,  1883;  died,  September  24,  1891.  Rev.  Urban  Tracv, 
O.  S.  B.,  .April,  1883,  to  .April,  1885:  died,  May  13,  1915.  Rev.  Timothy 
Luber,  O.  S.  P...  Ajiril,  1883.  to  AprW,  1890;  died,  March  29,  1901.  Rev. 
Augustine  Baker,  O.  S.  B.,  .\pril,  1890,  to  December,  1893;  died.  June  23, 
1909.  Rev.  Thomas  Burk.  O.  S.  B.,  December,  1893,  to  December,  1897. 
Rev.  Columban  Meaney,  O.  S.  B.,  December,  1897,  to  December,  1910:  died. 
January  8,  1911.  Rev.  Ignatius  Stein,  O.  S.  B.,  January,  191 1.  to  September, 
1912.  Rev.  Lawrence  Theis,  O.  S.  B.,  September,  1912,  to  September,  1913 
Rev.  Robert  Salmon,  O.  S.  B.,  September,  1913,  to  September,  1914.  Rev 
Lawrence  Theis,  O.  S.  P..,  Septeml)er,   i(ji4:  still  in  charge  (  1916). 

17 


2!;8  IlISiOKV  Ol-   ATCHISON   COUNTY 


TRINITY    CHURCH,    EPISCOPAL. 


This  church  was  organized  November  3.  1857,  as  St.  Mary  Magdalene's 
Church,  by  Rev.  Lewis  R.  Staudenmayer,  John  H.  Stringfellow,  Joseph  P. 
Carr,  G.  \\'.  Bowman,  William  O.  Gould,  John  M.  Maury,  James  W.  String- 
fellow  and  Daniel  Adams.  The  Rev.  L.  R.  Staudenmayer,  a  German,  of 
middle  age,  was  the  first  pastor,  and  the  first  property  owned  by  the  parish 
was  at  the  northeast  corner  of  Kansas  avenue  and  Ninth  street,  where  a 
small  rectory  was  built  in  1859.  The  first  vestry  was  as  follow- s :  Richard 
C.  Mackall,  A.  Hanson  W'eightman,  James  L.  McClure,  Philipp  Link,  John 
M.  Maury  and  Joseph  P.  Carr,  and  in  October,  1859,  a  committee  from  the 
vestry  was  authorized  to  procure  estinjates  for  building  a  church  on  its  prop- 
erty upon  Kansas  a\enue  at  a  cost  of  $1,500.  The  foundation  for  this  edi- 
fice was  laid  and  some  money  expended,  but  the  resignation  of  Mr.  Stauden- 
mayer in  January,  i860,  and  his  removal  from  the  city,  brought  to  a  stand- 
still the  construction  of  the  edifice.  The  court  house  and  Price's  Hall  were 
used  as  places  of  worship  for  ten  years.  The  Rev.  Faber  Byllsby  succeeded 
Mr.  Staudenmayer,  and  in  1863  the  Rev.  John  E.  Ryan  succeeded  Mr.  Bylls- 
by. After  Mr.  Ryan's  resignation,  in  September,  1864,  Bishop  Thomas  H. 
Vail  was  made  rector  of  the  church,  and  notwithstanding  the  manifold  duties 
which  pressed  upon  him  as  bishop  of  the  diocese,  he  gave  much  of  his  time 
to  his  work  here,  with  the  assistance  of  his  son-in-law,  Rev.  John  Bakewell. 
who  proved  to  be  a  ver\-  successful  rector.  It  was  during  his  rectorship  that 
agitation  for  a  new  church  building  was  started,  and  due  to  the  efforts  of 
Mr.  Bakewell,  Col.  William  Osborne,  Richard  A.  Park,  Judge  Otis  and  E.  S. 
Wills,  the  present  church  edifice  at  the  corner  of  Utah  avenue  and  Fifth 
street  was  erected,  at  a  cost  of  $20,000.  It  is  built  of  stone,  in  the  early  Eng- 
lish style  of  Gothic  architecture,  slate  roof  and  interior  finished  in  black 
walnut  and  pine,  and  stands  today  one  of  the  ornaments  of  Atchison.  In 
1871  Mr.  Bakewell  resigned  and  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  P.  Nelson  Meade  in 
January,  1872,  and  continued  in  charge  until  April,  1874,  when  he  was  suc- 
ceeded by  the  Rev.  Thomas  G.  Garver,  who  resigned  in  September,  1875. 
Rev.  Frank  O.  Osborne  liecame  rector  in  February,  1876,  and  was  succeeded 
by  Rev.  .\l)iel  Leonard.  Rev.  M.  Leonard  found  a  congregation  of  150  com- 
municants, who  in  May,  1882,  erected  a  two-story  brick  rectory  on  T  street 
for  him.  It  was  during  the  Rev.  Mr.  Leonard's  rectorship  that  St.  Andrew's 
Mission,  on  west  Commercial  street,  was  built.  Mr.  Leonard  was  succeeded 
by  the  Rev.  Francis  K.  Brooke,  who  in  turn  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  John 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  259 

Henry  Hopkins,  who  built  a  parish  house  adjoining  the  church,  wliich  was 
opened  for  use  in  1905.  Upon  the  resignation  of  Mr.  Hopkins,  Rev.  John 
E.  Sulger  became  rector,  but  he  remained  only  a  short  time,  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  the  Rev.  John  Henry  Molineux.  Rev.  William  R.  Cross  suc- 
ceeded Mr.  Molineux,  and  then  came  the  Rev.  Francis  S.  White,  who  re- 
mained in  the  parish  until  1911,  and  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  Otis  E.  Gray. 
The  present  vestry  of  the  church  is  composed  as  follows :  E.  A.  Mize, 
senior  warden:  Dr.  W.  G.  Beitzel,  junior  warden  and  clerk,  and  W.  W. 
'  Hetherington,  T.  L.  Lawrence,  Clyde  Hastings,  J.  W.  Barlow,  W.  J.  Brown- 
son,  Henry  Diegel  and  Sheffield  Ingalls. 

ST.    M.\RK's   ENGLISH    LUTHERAN. 

The  history  of  English  Lutheranism  in  Atchison  is  interesting.  The 
work  of  establishing  St.  Mark's  was  fraught  with  hardship  and  discourage- 
ment. Several  of  the  early  efforts  failed.  But  the  battle  was  renewed  and 
success  at  last  achieved.  Early  in  1867  J.  H.  Talbott,  through  the  Lutheran 
Observer,  called  attention  to  Atchison  as  a  point  for  a  Lutheran  mission.  By 
correspondence  he  secured  tlie  interest  of  Rev.  Morris  Officer,  then  secretary 
of  the  general  synod's  home  mission  board.  At  the  convention  of  the  gen- 
eral synod  at  Harrisburg,  Pa.,  in  1868,  the  Rev.  Officer  persuaded  the  Rev. 
M.  G.  Boyer,  then  pastor  at  Marklesburg,  Pa.,  to  become  a  missionary  to 
Atchison.  Rev.  Bover  and  his  young  wife  arrived  here  June  30,  that  year. 
Price's  Hall,  South  Fourth  street,  between  Main  and  Commercial,  was  rented 
and  fitted  up  as  a  meeting  place.  Services  were  begun  and  a  Sunday  school 
organized.  On  September  20,  1868,  the  congregation  was  organized  with 
twenty-five  members.  The  first  church  council  consisted  of  C.  Weber  and 
H.  Gehrett,  elders ;  J.  H.  Talbott,  J.  Beamer,  H.  Snyder  and  F.  Brcndt, 
deacons. 

In  the  spring  of  1869  the  board  of  church  extension  granted  the  con- 
gregation a  loan  of  $500,  which  amount  was  invested  in  the  purchase  of  an 
excellent  lot  on  Kansas  avenue.'  There  were  bright  hopes  of  having  a  chapel 
soon,  but  these  hopes  were  scattered  when  an  aged  minister  advised  delay 
on  account  of  the  financial  stringency  of  the  times,  and  the  numerical  weak- 
ness of  the  church.  Among  the  members  at  this  time  was  the  Rev.  A.  W. 
Wagnalls,  afterward  one  of  the  founders  of  the  publishing  house  of  Funk  & 
Wagnalls,  New  York  City.  While  here  he  was  in  the  real  estate  business. 
At  his  suggestion  the  congregation  purchased  a  fifteen  acre  tract  adjoining 


26o  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

tlie  city  of  Atchison  on  tlie  nortliwest,  which  section  was  platted  and  offered 
for  sale  with  the  hope  of  makings  enough  profit  to  erect  a  church  building. 
"In  this  the  Lutherans  were  disappointed,"  says  the  historian,  "for  they  sold 
only  enough  lots  to  pay  for  the  land." 

.After  that  venture  the  congregation  used  the  Congregational  church 
building.  About  that  time  many  English  Lutherans  left  the  city.  Rev. 
Boyer  resigned  at  the  end  of  the  year  1869,  and  for  ten  years  the  church  was 
without  a  pastor.  The  Rev.  Wagnalls  supplied  the  pulpit  now  and  then  until 
his  removal  in  1876,  but  finally  the  congregation  dislranded.  The  lots  belong- 
ing to  the  church  were  sold  for  taxes,  but  were  redeemed  at  the  eleventh 
lidur  through  Mr.  Talbott's  efforts,  and  deeded  to  the  board  of  clunxh 
extension. 

Li  1880  the  Rev.  \V.  L  Cutter,  a  returned  missionary  to  India,  with  the 
assistance  of  Rev.  David  Earhart  and  his  daughter,  Mrs.  H.  E.  Monroe, 
gathered  the  English  Lutherans  together  again.  Mrs.  Monroe  was  then  con- 
ducting a  private  school  known  as  the  "Atchison  Institute,"  and  she  offered 
her  school  room  as  a  place  of  worship.  On  the  eighth  of  August  the  congre- 
gation was  re-organized  and  the  following  officers  elected:  Elders,  J.  H. 
Berlin,  W.  H.  Kuhns  and  X.  D.  Kistler;  deacons,  J-  L.  Heisey,  E.  D.  Kistler, 
and  John  Fusselman;  trustees.  J.  H.  Talbott,  W.  H.  Smith  and  S.  J.  Clark. 
Rev.  Cutter  served  as  pastor  two  years.  During  part  of  this  time  aid  was 
received  from  the  Home  Mission  Board.  In  1882  this  aid  was  withdrawn 
and  Rev.  Cutter  resigned. 

Xot  vmtil  1884  did  the  second  organization  flourish.  In  November  of 
that  year  the  Rev.  George  S.  Diven  was  commissioned  to  come  to  .Atchison 
and  revive  the  mission.  New  interest  was  taken  and  the  rejux'enated  con- 
gregation held  its  first  service  in  the  home  of  Henry  Snell  at  921  South  Sev- 
enth street.  The  Odd  Fellows'  hall  was  then  secured  as  a  place  of  worship 
and  a  Sunday  school  was  organized.  Under  the  leadership  of  Pastor  Diven 
this  school  is  said  to  have  quicklv  become  the  largest  in  the  city.  Tliat  year 
the  pastor  reported  sixty  members. 

Atchison's  boom  season  occurred  during  Rev,  Diven's  pastorate,  and 
everything  was  rushed  along  at  a  tremendous  pace.  The  movement  for  a 
Lutheran  college  for  Atchison  started  at  this  time.  The  location  of  Midland 
College  here  was  largely  due  to  the  efforts  of  Rev.  Diven  and  his  congrega- 
tion, supported  by  the  public  spirited  citizens  of  the  city.  In  Februarj',  1885, 
the  church  was  incorporated  as  St.  Mark's  English  Lutheran  Church.  Rev. 
Diven  resigned  in  1887  and  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  \V.  F.  Rentz,  in  .\pril. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  261 

1888.  Rev.  Rentz  set  to  work  at  once  to  secure  a  lot  and  erect  a  church 
building.  The  present  location,  corner  of  Sixth  and  Park  streets,  was  pur- 
chased for  $5,000.  The  southern  vnd  of  the  lot  with  the  dwelling  on  it  (  now 
the  Keith  home),  was  sold  to  the  pastor  for  $1,750.  The  chapel  (now  the 
Sunday  school  room)  was  erected  in  1888,  the  cornerstone  Ijeing  laid  August 
19,  and  the  church  dedicated  December  16.  The  building  and  equipment  cost 
$4,010.     Pastor  Rentz  served  nine  years,  resigning  in  May,  1897. 

The  Rev.  L.  S.  Keyser,  now  professor  of  dogmatics  in  Hamma  Divinity 
Scliool,  Wittenberg  College,  became  pastor  November  7,  1897,  a"d  served 
most  acceptably  until  April  7,  1903.  During  his  pastorate  the  church  became 
self-supporting,  after  receiving  aid  for  fifteen  years  from  the  Home  Alission 
Board.  The  Rev.  R.  W.  Hufford,  D.  D.,  served  as  pastor  from  January  9, 
1904.  to  November  27,  1904.  After  a  vacancy  of  nine  months  the  Rev.  A.  E. 
Renn  became  pastor  August  18,  1905. 

The  outstanding  achievement  of  Re\-.  Renn's  pastorate  was  the  erection 
of  the  present  church  building.  The  movement  began  October  21.  1907. 
Plans  were  adopted  March  17.  1908,  and  the  building  committee  ordered  to 
proceed.  The  cornerstone  was  laid  during  the  summer  following.  The 
building  was  erected  under  the  supervision  of  A.  B.  Zimmerman,  contractor, 
and  cost,  including  organ  and  furnishings,  about  $14,000,  a  marvel  of  churcli 
financing.  The  opening  service  was  held  May  23,  1909,  and  marked  an 
epocli  in  Kansas  Lutheranism.  During  this  pastorate  the  congregation 
."dopted  tile  historic  Lutheran  vestments  for  pastor  and  choir,  and  advanced 
in  chinxhly  worship.     Rev.  Renn  resigned  September  i,   191 1. 

The  Rev.  How-ard  C.  Garvic  was  installed  pastor  the  first  Sunda_\-  in 
March.  1912.  No  pastor  of  St.  Mark's  sui-passed  him  in  zeal  and  energy  for 
the  upbuilding  of  the  Lord's  kingdom.  Day  and  night  he  labored  in  per- 
sonal appeal  and  in  teaching  classes  of  adults  and  children.  Li  a  little  more 
than  two  years  175  names  were  added  to  the  church  roll,  constituting  the 
largest  growtli  of  any  pastorate.  The  death  of  the  pastor  in  the  prime  of 
manhood  in  March,  1915.  produced  a  profound  impression  upon  St.  Mark's 
and  the  city  of  Atchison.  The  Rev.  Robert  L.  Patterson,  D.  D..  liecame 
pastor  October  17,  191 5. 

ST.  Benedict's  .\bbev. 

St.  Benedict's  Abbey,  church  and  college,  are  conducted  by  the  Bene- 
dictine Fathers.    The  first  Benedictine  father  that  came  to  Kansas  was  Henry', 
Lemke,  O.  S.  B..  who  arrived  in  Doniphan  in  1855,  where  he  laid  the  tounda- 


262  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

tion  of  a  monastery.  He  was  shortly  followed  to  Kansas  by  a  number  of 
brother  workers,  who  were  sent  here  by  Father  Boniface  W'immer,  O.  S.  B.. 
who  founded  the  monaster}'  of  St.  Vincent's,  in  Westmoreland  county,  Penn- 
sylvania. They  immediately  opened  a  Latin  school  with  a  few  pupils,  but 
Veni-  Rev.  Augustine  Wirtii,  O.  S.  B.,  soon  discovered  that  Atchison  would 
surpass  Doniphan,  and  on  this  account  the  Catholic  brothers  transferred  their 
home  to  Atchison  in  about  1859.  The  Rev.  Augustine  Wirth.  O.  S.  B.,  came 
to  .Atchison  from  Doniphan  once  a  month  to  hold  religious  services,  which 
were  conducted  in  the  home  of  Charles  Burnes,  located  on  the  southwest  cor- 
ner of  Second  and  L  streets.  Tlie  following  year  Father  Augustine  built  a 
frame  parish  church  in  which  services  were  held  for  the  first  time 
on  Christmas  day.  In  this  rude  structure  the  faithful  worshipped  until  about 
1865,  when  the  parish,  having  increased  to  such  number,  it  became  necessary 
to  build  a  larger  church.  Under  the  aggressi\e  leadersliip  of  Father  Augus- 
tine, the  parishioners  concluded  to  invest  in  this  structure  $25,000.  Francis 
George  Himpler,  now  living  in  New  York,  and  for  many  years  a  partner  of 
the  late  J-  P.  Brown,  was  employed  as  architect.  The  work  was  pushed  for- 
ward and  instead  of  the  proposed  church,  a  magnificent  Basilica  was  con- 
ceived, and  the  construction  of  it  was  carried  forward  with  great  earnestness. 
The  foundation  was  completed  in  1866.  and  the  cornerstone  was  laid  in 
Octol^er.  The  Rev.  John  Hennessy.  O.  S.  B.,  who  later  was  archbishop  of 
Dubuque,  and  one  of  the  most  eloquent  orators  of  the  church,  delivered  the 
dedication  sermon.  To  obtain  brick  for  the  church  walls.  Father  Augustine 
bought  expensive  machinery,  and,  under  the  supervision  of  the  late  Peter 
Bless,  started  a  brickyard  in  East  Atchison,  but  the  undertaking  proved  a 
failure,  as  the  bricks  were  not  servicable  for  the  church.  Instead  of  using 
them  in  the  construction  of  the  churcli  they  were  used  to  build  several  cot- 
ta.ges  and  store  buildings  in  tlie  immediate  neigliborhnnd  and,  later  on,  when 
suitable  bricks  were  obtained,  the  work  on  the  church  was  continued,  and  by 
the  summer  of  1868  the  walls  were  finished  to  the  window  sills. 

Father  Au.giistine  resigned  June  18.  1868.  and  went  to  ^Minnesota,  and 
subsequently  died  while  pa.stor  at  Melrose  in  that  State,  Deceml^er  19,  1901, 
at  the  age  of  seventy-tliree  years.  He  was  succeeded  by  the  Very  Rev. 
Louis  ^fary  Fink,  O.  S.  B..  July.  1868,  and  it  was  during  his  pastorate  that 
the  church  was  solemnly  dedicated  Trinity  Sunday.  1869,  but  it  was  not 
completed  at  that  time.  and.  in  fact  was  not  completed  for  many  years  there- 
after. The  church  is  built  in  Roman  style  and  is  152  feet  long  and  fifty- 
six  feet  wide.     Father  Louis  was  succeeded  liy  tlic  \>ry  Rev.  Giles  Christoph, 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY 


263 


St.   Benedict's;   Abbey,   Atchison,  Kan 


O.  S.  B.,  who  was  appointed  jji-inr  in  July,  1871.  In  January,  1S75,  Very 
Rev.  Ouswalfl  Moosennieller,  O.  S.  1'..,  became  i)ri(ir.  Under  his  direction 
the  church  flourished  and  he  is  particularly  remembered  for  his  exertions  in 
founding-  and  building-  u])  a  goixl  library  for  the  cliin-ch  and  sclmnl.  The 
members  oi  the  church  had  grown  sufficiently  large,  so  that  the  |)riory  was 
promoted  to  an  abljey  April  7,  1S77,  and  on  Septenil)cr  29  of  that  year  Rev. 
Innocent  Wolf,  O.  S.  B.,  was  elected  abbot,  and  still  retains  bis  place  (  i()i6). 
loved  by  all.  Rev.  Innocent  Wolf's  election  as  abbot  was  celebrated  with 
anpropriate  ceremonies,  and  the  Very  Rev.  Boniface  X'erbeyen,  O.  .S.  B.,  was 
appointed  pastor,  and  at  that  time  the  status  of  the  bouse  was  as  follows: 
Rt.  Rev.  Innocent  Wolf.  O.  S.  B..  abbot:  \'ery  Uvv.  lioniface  X'erheyen, 
O.  S.  B.,  prior;  Very  Rev.  I'irmin  Kaumly,  O.  .S.  1',.,  prior  of  St.  Benedict's; 
Rev.  Augustine  \\'irth.  O.  S.  B.,  Kmanuel  Horlig,  O.  S.  !'...  Rev.  Timothy 
Litber,  O.  S.  T...  Rev.  Peter  Kassens,  O.  S.  B..  Rev.  Eugene  Bode,  ().  S.  B., 
Rev.  Adolpb  Wessebng.  (),  .S.  I',,,  Re\'.  In-rdinand  Wolf.  O^  S.  I',..  Re\-.  W'in- 


fried   .Schnndt,   ().   .S.    I',..    Re\ .    lobn    .Slcodcr.  ().    .S. 


and 


.Mrillhew 


264 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 


Kt.  Rrv.  Iniuwiit  Wolf.  I).  S.  li., 
President  St.  Beiicdict's  College,  Atchison,  Kan. 

P.radley,  O.  S.  11.  Besides  these  there  were  four  ];riests  from  St.  N'incent's, 
Pa.,  who  acted  as  assistants,  whose  names  were  Rev.  .\ni1)rose  Huclmer.  O.  S. 
B.,  Rev.  Casimir  Elsesser,  O.  S.  B..  l-iev.  Tlieodore  .Scliniilt.  O.  S.  B..  and  Rev. 
Anslem  Soehiiler,  O.  S.  B.  Tliere  were  seven  clerics,  ten  lay  brothers,  five 
candidates  and  ten  scholastics.  Rev.  Charles  Sloekle.  O.  S.  B.,  succeeded 
Father  Adolph  as  pastor  of  St.  Benedict's  Chuvcli  in  1890,  and  remained  pas- 
tor until  1898,  when  he  was  succceilcd  1  \    i\e\ .  Lonjjinus  Xew.  O.  S.  B..  who 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  265 

was  one  of  the  most  beloved  and  acti\e  pastors  of  the  church.  He  was  a  priest 
burning  with  zeal  and  he  delighted  in  preaching.  He  was  a  powerful  speaker, 
and  his  sermons  were  always  well  prepared  and  written  out.  He  had  a  strong 
voice ;  used  plain  and  simple  language,  and  spoke  with  such  zeal  and  sincerity 
that  he  left  a  lasting  impression  on  all  of  his  hearers.  His  health  failed  him, 
however,  and  he  was  compelled  to  seek  a  southern  climate,  and  died  in  a  hos- 
pital at  Birmingham,  Ala..  March  2,  1899,  aged  fifty-three  years,  and  in  the 
twenty-eighth  year  of  his  priesthood.  He  was  succeeded' by  Rev.  Girard 
Hemz,  O.  S.  B.,  who  was  appointed  to  take  his  place  Januar\-  i.  i8()q,  and 
Facher  Girard  remains  the  pastor  of  the  church  in  1916. 

FIRST    GERM.\N    EVANGELICAL    LUTHERAN    CHURCH. 

This  church  was_organized  in  1866  by  Rev_^C-F:-fci€be,  home  mission- 
ary of  the  Evangelical  Lutheran  synod  of  Missouri,  Kansas,  Ohio,  and  other 
states.  The  first  regular  minister  was  Rev.  Mr.  Menge,  who  was  installed  in 
1S67.  Rev.  G.  Landgraf  succeeded  Mr.  Menge  in  December  and  was  in- 
stalled the  first  day  of  that  month.  The  church  Ijuilding  at  the  corner  of 
Tenth  and  Commercial  streets  was  dedicated  at  the  same  time.  In  1869  a 
parsonage,  adjoining  the  church,  was  erected,  and  the  following  year  C.  Jan- 
zow,  of  Weston,  Mo.,  succeeded  Mr.  Landgraf,  who  in  turn  was  followed 
by  Rev.  C.  Hartman,  who  died  in  the  fall  of  1872.  and  after  which  the  call 
was  extended  to  Rev.  W:  Zschoche,  of  Miami  county,  Kansas.  Under  the 
pastorate  of  Rev.  Mr.  Zschoche  the  congregation  increased  to  a  membership 
of  130,  and  a  day  school  was  conducted  in  connection  with  the  church  by 
Mr.  Zschoche  until  1881. 

Rev.  C.  Vedder  succeeded  Rev.  Zschoche,  who  in  turn  was  succeeded  by 
Rev.  Theodore  Bundenthal,  whose  untimely  death  in  the  latter  part  of  1915 
deprived  the  church  and  its  congregation  of  one  of  the  best  ministers  it  ever 
had.  Mr.  Bundenthal  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  Frederic  Xiedncr,  who  is  in 
charge  of  the  church  in  1916.  The  present  church  building  at  the  corner  of 
Eighth  and  Laramie  streets  was  Ijuilt  in  1889.  There  are  500  communi- 
cants and  the  cluirch  is  affiliated  with  the  Missouri  synod. 

In  addition  to  the  churches  already  enumerated,  there  are  several  neo-ro 
churches,  of  which  the  Ebenezer  Baptist  Church,  organized  in  1867,  and  the 
African  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  organized  in  the  summer  of  1868,  are 
the  most  pronn'ncnt.  Tlierc  are  also  several  other  denominations  represented 
in  Atchison,  including  the  Latter  Day  Saints,  and  the  Holy  Rollers. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


EDUCATIONAL  INSTITUTIONS. 


FIRST  SCHOOLS,   PRIVATE  INSTITUTIONS ESTABLISHMENT  OF   PUBLIC   SCHOOLS 

EARLY   SCHOOLS   AND    PIONEER   TEACHERS DISTRICT   SCHOOLS STATIS- 
TICS  MANUAL    TRAINING ATCHISON     COUNTY    HIGH    SCHOOL COUNTY 

SUPERINTENDENTS  OF  PUBLIC  INSTRUCTION ATCHISON   CITY  SCHOOLS 

PRIVATE        SCHOOLS— MT.        ST.        SCHOLASTICA's        ACADEMY PAROCHIAL 

SCHOOLS MIDLAND    COLLEGE    AND    WESTERN    THEOLOGICAL   SEMINARY 

ST.   benedict's   COLLEGE. 

Durinof  the  turmoil  and  confusion  that  accompanied  the  movement  of 
population  into  Atchison  when  the  town  and  county  were  orjjanized,  the 
question  of  schools  appeared  to  be  a  secondary  one.  It  was  not  until  the 
bitter  days  of  1854,  1855  and  1856  had  passed  that  the  attention  of  the  people 
was  directed  to  this  important  question.  The  first  schools  in  Atchison  were 
private  institutions,  and  a  number  of  them  flourished  until  after  the  beginning 
of  the  Civil  war.  Among-  those  which  were  first  in  the  educational  field  here 
was  the  Baptist  Seminary,  at  the  northeast  corner  of  Elexenth  and  Santa  Fe 
streets.  It  was  a  school  for  young  women  and  was  conducted  by  Mr.  Stork. 
Later  Mrs.  Lizzie  Abbott,  who  afterwards  became  the  wife  of  Judge  Cassius 
G.  Foster,  conducted  a  young  ladies'  school  at  the  northeast  comer  of  Sixth 
and  Laramie  streets,  and  in  the  eighties  Miss  Mary  Teasdale  conducted  a 
private  school  at  the  same  place.  Miss  Lizzie^ay,  the  daughter  of  Hugh 
Bay,  a  prosperous  farmer  living  southwest  of  Atchison,  was  also  active  in 
early  day  educational  affairs,  and  so  was  Mrs.  Amanda  Blair,  at  that  time 
Miss  Amanda  Meeker,  who  is  a  resident  of  Atchison  in  1916.  Mrs.  Blair  was 
the  first  teacher  in  Atchison  county.  While  there  was  no  activity  in  educa- 
tional affairs  during  the  period  just  mentioned,  the  first  Territorial  legisla- 
ture did,  in  fact,  pass  a  law  in  the  summer  of  1855  providing  for  the  estalilish- 

266 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  26/ 

ment  of  common  schools,  but  the  history  of  the  Atchison  county  school  system 
did  not  begin  until  1858.  The  city  of  Atchison,  District  Number  i,  was 
organized  August  5,  1858.  On  September  13th  of  that  year  a  meeting  was' 
held  in  the  law  office  of  Franklin  B.  Adams,  and  the  following  school  offi- 
cers were  elected:  James  A.  Coulter,  director;  Dr.  William  Grimes,  treasurer, 
and  Franklin  G.  Adams,  clerk.     O.  F.  Short  was  the  other  member.     Phillip 

D.  Plattenburg,  who  had  previously  served  as  county  superintendent  of  Ful-^ 
ton  county,  Illinois,  was  elected  principal  of  the  schools  and  Mrs.  Blair  his 
assistant.  School  was  opened  the  first  week  in  November,  in  two  rooms 
over  Bury's  Grocery  Store,  on  the  corner  of  Fourth  and  Commercial  streets, 
where  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  building  now  stands.  The  next  year  the  corps  of 
teachers  had  increased  to  four,  and  Miss  Lizzie  Bay  and  Miss  Melissa  Kipp,  - 
who  subsequently  became  the  wife  of  Chief  Justice  Martin,  became  the  other 
two  teachers.  The  school  was  mov€d  to  the  old  Masonic  building  further 
west  on  Commercial  street,  where  it  was  conducted  for  two  years.  Mr. 
Plattenburg  was  also  appointed  county  superintendent,  and  the  first  teacher's 
certificate  issued  by  him  in  Atchison  county  was  to  D.  W.  Rippy,  who  died  in 
Severance,  Kan.,  in  1914,  the  richest  man  in  Doniphan  county.  Mr.  Rippy 
taught  the  first  school  in  the  Second  district,  organized  near  the  Waggener 
farm,  southwest  of  Atchison.  Mrs.  Blair  had  her  teaching  certificate  when 
she  arrived  in  Atchison,  as  one  was  issued  to  her  by  Dr.  Plattenburg  in  Ful- 
ton county,  Illinois,  before  she  came  to  Atchison.  Her  school  opened  in 
Atchison  the  first  Monday  in  November,  1858,  and  she  had  charge  of  the 
primary  and  intermediate  departments.  Dr.  Plattenburg  received  a  salary 
of  $100.00  a  'month  and  Mrs.  Blair  a  salary  of  $45.00,  whicli  was  increased 
to  $50.00  by  Dr.  Plattenburg  giving  her  $5.00  of  his  own  salary.  Mrs.  Blair 
had  sixty-five  pupils.  Mrs.  Blair  says  that  the  first  spelling  match  in  Atchi- 
son county  took  place  in  W.  D.  Rippy's  school.  She  participated  in  the 
spelling  match,  and  was  spelled  down  on  the  word  "Poisonous." 

Mr.  Plattenburg  served  in  the  capacity  of  principal  and  superintendent 
of  schools  until  May,  1861,  when  the  schools  were  closed  for  lack  of  funds. 
Because  of  the  Civil  war  very  little  progress  in  education  was  made,  and  the 
records  of  the  county  superintendent's  office  for  that  period  are  not  avail- 
able. The  earliest  record  in  the  office  of  the  county  superinendent  concern- 
ing the  schools  of  Atchison  county  is  found  in  an  old  record  book  of  July  7, 
1863,  as  follows : 

"Through  the  kindness  of  the  present  board  of  County  Commissioners, 

E.  Leighton,  B.  Wallack  and  C.  G.  Foster,  this  book  was  furnished  for  the 


268 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 


Old  High  School  Building,  Atchison,  Kan. 


records  of  the  public  schools  of  Atchison  count}-.  It  is  lioped  that  every 
superintendent,  into  whose  possession  this  book  may  fall,  will  perform  every 
duty  devolving  upon  him  officially,  and  make  every  effort  to  advance  the 
cause  of  education. 

"Orlando  Sawyer, 
"Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction, 
"Atchison  County." 

In  spite  of  tlie  fact  that  the  recoi-ds  of  County  Superintendent  Sawyer, 
who  held  his  office  from  1863  to  1867,  are  somewhat  incomplete,  they  contain 
much  interesting'  information. 

The  average  lengtli  of  the  school  term  for  the  first  year  was  tin-ee  and 
one-half  months,  and  in  some  districts,  owing  to  the  distance  and  the  rigors  of 
the  winter  climate,  school  was  held  only  during  the  summer  months.  Among 
the  early  teachers  in  this  county  were  Miss  Lizzie  Keith,  who  taught  in  Dis- 
trict No.  29  in  1863;  Miss  Mary  A.  Shields,  who  taught  in  District  No.  16  in 
the  same  year ;  Miss  Helen  E.  Bishop,  of  District  No.  26,  and  Miss  Stewart,  of 
District  No.  31.  Miss  Bishop  was  a  pioneer  in  advocating  the  teaching  of 
vocational  subjects  in  the  public  schools,  including  domestic  science,  manual 
training,  agriculture  and  sewing,  and  for  her  zeal  in  this  respect  she  was  de- 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  269 

rided  and  laughed  at.  Women  teaclners  in  those  days,  as  now,  outnumbered 
the  men.  The  following  are  the  names  of  those  who  received  teaclier's  cer- 
tificates in  1863:  July  8,  Michael  Roach;  July  27,  Mrs.  Esther  Thayer;  July 
30.  \\'.  D.  Barnett:  August  15,  Mary  A.  Shields:  August  13,  Solomon  K. 
McCrary ;  August  27,  Richard  Dunn :  September  14,  Martha  Stewart ;  Sep- 
tember 25,  Allen  Abbott:  September  27,  Adelia  Guest:  October  11,  Carlos  E. 
Pease;  October  14,  John  C.  Butman :  Xovember  23,  I.  J.  Adams;  December 
I,  R.  S.  Cook;  December  4,  L.  A.  Messenger:  December  4,  Harriet  Hollis- 
ter,  and  December  4,  W.  R.  DeWitt. 

There  were  thirty-one  districts  in  the  county  in  that  year,  and  the 
amount  of  State  funds  appurtioned  to  Atchison  county  was  $295.30.  Tlie 
school  population  was  1941,  with  an  enrollment  of  1,072,  and  an  average 
daily  attendance  of  500.  Twenty-nine  teachers  were  employed,  twenty-two 
women  and  seven  men,  with  an  average  monthly  salary  for  the  men  of  $25.20 
and  $16.75  tor  the  women.  Tlie  total  \-aIuatinn  of  school  houses  was  $1,050, 
and  the  amount  of  money  received  from  the  county  was  $827.05.  The  fol- 
lowing is  a  list  of  the  Atchison  county  school  officers  in  the  year  1863  : 

District  No.  i  :  P.  H.  Woodard,  director ;  M.  S.  Gaylord,  clerk ;  F.  Bier, 
treasurer:  District  No.  3:  Peter  Boyer,  L.  A.  Messenger  and  A.  \\'heeler: 
District  No.  5  :  Natiian  McClintic,  Hosea  Noj-ris  and  James  Cravins ;  District 
No.  6,  W.  H.  Bowen,  J.  W.  Cain  and  Jonathan  Hartman;  District  No.  8: 
S.  Cummings,  Milo  Carleton  and  Lewis  Brockman ;  District  No.  9 :  George 
Scarborough,  Joseph  Scarborough  and  Jacob  Poehler;  District  No.  10:  Jacob 
Beck,  Frederick  Neerman  and  James  A.  Smith :  District  No.  1 1  :  John  Graves, 
Henry  Shell  and  Henry  \\'idner;  District  No.  15  :  John  \V.  Best,  George  Lam-  ' 
berson  and  Boaz  W.  Williamson:  District  No.  17:  Hiram  Quiett,  Chas.  Wil-) 
liamson  and  Wm.  Cummings:  District  No.  18:  W.  J.  Young.  I*".  L.  Fortun^ 
and  A.  J.  Reed;  Di.strict  No.  19:  Henry  Cline,  E.  Leighton  and  W.  J.  May- 
field  ;  District  No.  20 :  W.  J.  Oliphant,  D.  H.  Sprong  and  Dandridge  Holla- 
day :  District  No.  21:  Dwight  \\'illiams.  Jacob  Reese  and  John  J.  Halligan : 
District  No.  22:  F.  Roach,  C.  B.  Keith  and  Joseph  Speer;  District  No.  23: 
W.  A.  Adams,  W.  H.  Seever  and  W^  M.  Hamm :  District  No.  24 :  James  R. 
May,  E.  S.  Evington  and  Jefferson  Gragg;  District  No.  26:  R.  Breedlone, 
C.  May  and  James  Fletcher :  District  No.  27 :  James  F.  Butcher,  C.  G.  Means 
and  W.  L.  Davis:  District  No.  28:  Andrew  C.  Pittman,  David  Earhart  and 
George  H.  McPherson ;  District  No.  29 :  Anderson  Pate,  James  M.  W'ylie 
and  H.  T.  Gill;  District  No.  30:  P.  B.  Chadwick,  J.  W.  Robcrson  and  R.  A. 
Van  Winkle:  District  No.  31:  Samuel  Vanatta,  William  Hamon  and  Hamil- 


270  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

ton  Bailey;  District  No.  33:  Benj.  Rivers,  Silas  A.  Hooey  and  J.  Plotner; 
District  No.  34 :  D.  Kottle,  John  S.  Van  Winkle  and  A.  King ;  District  No.  35 
A.  A.  F.  Randolph,  D.  M.  Stillman  and  Joshua  Wheeler;  Union  District  No 
I  :  J.  A.  Anderson,  M.  C.  Willis  and  George  Storch;  Union  District  No.  2 
James  Cooley,  L.  H.  Masterson  and  Wm.  H.  Cook;  Union  District  No.  3 
W.  J.  Brown,  Thos.  A.  Snodd\-  and  J.  Lasswell,  and  Union  District  No.  4 
Richmon  Dalton,  Albert  Henson  and  Frederick  Eleman. 

The  ne.xt  record  that  can  be  found  of  tlie  progress  of  schools  in  this 
county  is  of  1868,  when  Norman  Dunsliee  was  county  superintendent.  In 
that  year  there  were  forty-six  organized  school  districts,  and  a  school  popula- 
tion of  3,878,  with  a  total  enrollment  of  2,247,  and  an  average  daily  attend- 
ance of  1 28 1.  The  term  for  white  children  was  increased  to  five  and  one-half 
months  and  for  colored  children  to  ten  months.  There  was  a  total  of  sixty- 
four  teachers,  of  whom  thirty-seven  were  women  and  twenty-seven  men.  The 
visages  of  the  men  were  $42.92  a  month,  and  for  the  women,  $28.76  a  month, 
and  there  was  a  total  of  $15,117.87  paid  out  for  wages.  The  amount  received 
from  the  State  was  $2,627.09,  and  an  additional  source  of  revenue  was  from 
the  pounding  of  stray  livestock,  which  brought  into  the  school  fund  of  the 
county  that  year  $589.58.  The  amount  raised  by  district  school  tax  was  $24.- 
373.21,  and  there  were  forty-three  school  houses  in  the  county,  of  which  twelve 
were  built  of  logs,  twenty-six  of  frame  construction,  and  five  of  stone,  with 
a  total  valuation  of  $16,750.00.  During  the  interim  between  1863  and  1868, 
the  Third  Kansas  Teachers'  Association  met  in  Atchison.  The  meeting  was 
lield  July,  1865,  and  there  were  fifty-nine  teachers  present  in  Price's  Hall. 
John  A.  Martin,  John  J.  Ingalls  and  Geo.  \\'.  Glick  attended  the  meeting  and 
made  addresses. 

In  comparison  with  the  figures  of  those  days,  the  figures  of  1915  are 
interesting,  and  tliey  are  here  given  as  follows: 

School  population,  June  30,   191 5   3o30 

Total  enrollment,   1914-1915    2,477 

Average  daily  attendance,  1914-1915 1.915 

Teachers  employed,  1915-1916,  including  county  high 

school,  males  23,  females  81  104 

Teachers  employed  1915-1916,  including  county  high 

school,  holding  State  certificates 19 

Normal  training  33,  first  grade  22,  second  grade  27, ...  . 
Teachers  without  previous- experience 21 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  2']\ 

Teachers  serving  first  rear  in  present  positions 56 

Teachers  more  than  two  years  in  present  position.  ...      16 

Average  experience  of  teachers  : 

One-teacher  schools    5  years 

Graded  schools    6  years 

Average  length  of  term  in  weeks :         1914-15  1915-16 

One-teacher  schools    30.4  30.65 

Graded  schools   35.3  35.33 

Average  salary  of  male  teachers:         1914-15  1915-16 

One-teacher   schools    63.75  67.25 

Graded   schools  - 84/7  85-81 

Average  salar)' of  female  teachers :       1914-15  1915-16 

One-teacher  schools   58.16  57-45 

Graded  schools  5964  60.00 

Average  attendance  per  teacher  IQ14-15 

One-teacher  schools    21 

Graded  schools   26 

Average  cost  per  pupil  per  month  in 

attendance:  19 14-15 

One-teacher   schools    $  3.69 

Graded   schools    4-38 

Amount  expended  for  school  purposes:  1914-15 

One-teacher   schools    $39,756.47 

Graded  schools    19,212.88 

County  high  school    17,719.71 


Total     $76,689.06 

Common  school  graduates,  1915: 

Boys  57,  girls  71,  total  128. 
High  school  graduates,  1915: 

Boys  17,  girls  19,  total  2>(^. 

Total  number  of  libraries  in  rural  schools 63 

Number  of  volumes  in  rural  libraries   4>3i4 

Number  of  schools  having  room  or  basement  furnaces     66 
Number  of  county  certificates  issued  during  year: 

First   grade    9 

Second   grade    24 

Third  grade   7  Total  40 


272  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

Number  of  first  grade  renewed   5 

Number  of  State  certificates  registered   7 

Number  teadiers  normal   training  certificates   regis- 
tered      13 

Number  of  first  grades  indorsed   3 

Number  of  second  grades  indorsed i 

Tlie  city  of  Atchison  is  not  included  in  any  of  tlie  above  statistics. 

It  is  interesting  to  note  that  the  vision  of  Miss  Helen  E.  Bishop  of  1863 
has  been  realized,  for  in  every  school  in  Atchison  county,  not  only  agricul- 
ture is  taught,  but  in  al)out  one-third  of  tlie  schools,  plain  sewing  and  various 
kinds  of  fancy  needlework  are  tauglit  also,  and  while  no  rural  scliool  as  yet  is 
equipped  to  teach  cooking,  a  number  of  the  teachers  are  directing  some  work 
along  this  line  and  it  is  done  in  accordance  with  the  teacher's  directions  in  the 
homes,  witli  the  assistance  of  the  mothers.  More  attention  tlian  ever  is  also 
being  give.n  to  drawing  and  music.  Earnest  efforts  are  being  made  by  super- 
intendents and  teachers  to  secure  the  cooperation  of  parents  by  means  of 
community  gatherings.  In  many  districts  teachers'  associations,  literary 
societies  and  debating  clubs  have  been  organized,  in  which  parents  as  well  as 
children  are  taking  a  great  interest.  Many  of  the  districts  have  availed  them-  ■ 
selves  of  the  opportunity  to  use  tlie  stereopticon  lectures  sent  out  by  the  Uni- 
versity of  Kansas.  Lecture  courses  are  being  made  in  some  of  the  schools, 
and  provisions  have  been  made  for  serving  hot  lunches  for  children.  Medical 
inspection  is  also  provided  for,  through  the  efforts  of  teachers.  One  of  the 
most  interesting  and  valuable  features  introduced  into  the  rural  school  work 
of  the  county  in  recent  years  is  the  community  school  fair.  The  plan  is  to 
have  three  to  five  schools  unite  and  meet  at  a  school  house,  wliere  the  children 
enter  exhibits  of  corn,  cereals,  seeds  of  various  kinds,  vegetables  and  fruits, 
and  in  addition  to  these  are  also  exhibited  canned  fruits,  peaches,  jelly  and 
loaves  of  bread,  and  other  samples  of  the  art  of  cooking,  together  with  arti- 
cles of  fancy  needlework  and  plain  sewing.  Many  prizes  are  awarded  for  the 
best  exhibit,  and  the  result  is  that  much  interest  is  stimulated  among  tiie 
children  in  these  accomplishments.  The  county  farm  agent  is  also  lending 
great  assistance  in  organizing  school  gardens,  and  boys'  and  girls'  clubs  of 
various  kinds  for  the  purpose  of  agricultural  development.  Much  attention 
is  also  paid  to  the  supers-ision  of  the  children  at  play,  on  the  theory  tliat  all 
work  and  no  play  makes  Jack  a  dull  boy.  and  the  equipment  for  the  plav- 
ground  of  various  kinds  has  been  supjilied.  Six  rural  schools  of  the  county 
have  organized  basketball  teams. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  273 

Besides  the  rural  and  graded  schools,  Atchison  county  has  four  high 
schools.  Muscotah  maintains  an  accredited  four-year  high  school,  offering 
a  college  preparatory  and  general  course,  and  the  school  building  which  was 
destroyed  by  fire  January  13,  1916,  will  be  replaced  by  a  larger  and  better 
school,  reference  to  which  has  already  been  made  in  this  history. 

Under  tlie  direction  of  J.  S.  Blosser,  an  excellent  two-year  liigh  school 
is  maintained  in  Huron. 

THE  ATCHISON   COUNTY   HIGH    SCHOOL. 

In  1888  Atchison  county,  in  accordance  with  an  act  of  the  Kansas  legis- 
lature of  1866,  established  the  second  county  high  school  in  the  State,  and 
it  was  due  to  the  efforts  of  Senator  B.  F.  \\'allack,  and  also  the  efforts  of  the 
puljlic  spirited  citizens  of  Effingham,  that  this  school  was  located  there.  The 
first  board  of  trustees  of  tliis  school  were  as  follows :  A.  J.  Harwi,  A.  S.  Best. 
J.  E.  Logan,  F.  E.  Cloyes,  L.  R.  Spangler  and  W.  E.  Knight.  John  Klopfen- 
stein.  who  was  at  that  time  crmnty  superintendent,  became  the  first  president 
of  the  board. 

The  present  site,  which  comprises  a  spacious  campus  of  eight  acres,  was 
purchased  by  the  city  of  Effingham  and  donated  to  the  county.  A  handsome 
pressed  brick  and  stone  building  was  erected  in  compliance  with  plans  and 
specifications  designed  by  Alfred  Meier,  of  Atchison.  The  building,  cost- 
ing more  than  $22,000.00,  was  completed  in  June.  1891.  School  opened 
September  14,  1891,  with  F.  J.  Squires,  principal,  assisted  by  J.  O.  W'ard, 
Miss  Julia  Heath,  and  Miss  X.  Grace  Murphy.  Tliree  courses  of  study  were 
provided  for :  Normal,  general  and  college  preparatory. 

On  the  night  of  November  6.  1893,  the  building  was  destroyed  by  fire. 
School  was  opened  the  next  morning  and  was  continued  tlie  remainder  of  the 
year  down  town  in  lodge  rooms,  churches,  and  the  public  school  building. 
The  present  building,  erected  on  the  same  site,  was  ready  for  occupancy  b\' 
the  fall  of  1894. 

Following  are  the  names  of  tlie  principals  who  have  served  the  school : 
J.  F.  Squires,  1891  to  1893;  S.  J.  Hunter,  1893  and  1896;  J.  W.  Wilson. 
1896  to  1907;  W.  H.  Keller,  1907  to  1908;  E.  H.  McMath,  1908  to  191 1  ; 
J.  R.  Thierstein,  191 1  to  1915,  and  A.  J.  AfcAllister  and  G.  W.  Salisbury, 
1915  to  1916. 

The  county  high  school  exists  mainly  tn  afford  free  high  school  educa- 
tion to  every  bov  and  girl  in  tlie  county.     Since  its  students  cnme  principally 
18  '  ' 


2/4 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON"  COUNTY 


1 


.\ti-lii>..ii   (ni.iiitv   Hi"li    SriiLK.I.    I'.tliii"h;un.   K;;iisas 


from  llie  rural  districts,  it  must  educate  them  to  become  better  liomemakers 
and  better  farmers,  and  to  appreciate  more  fully  the  advantages  of  mral 
life.  It  must  also  help  prepare  better  teacliers  fur  tlie  rural  schools  and  train 
them  for  business  as  well  as  for  college. 

It  has  grown  in  efficiency  and  influence  until  it  is  recognized  as  one  of 
the  best  high  schools  in  tlie  State  and  is  on  the  accredited  list  of  the  North 
Central  Association  of  Colleges  and  Secondary  Schools.  This  means  that 
our  school  is  recognized  by  the  colleges  of  Kansas.  Oklahoma.  Missiiuri,  Ne- 
braska. Iowa,  Minnesota,  Wisconsin.  Michigan.  Oliio,  Indiana.  Illinois.  West 
Virginia.  South  Dakota.  Wyoming  and  Colorado,  whicli  admit  our  graduates 
without  examination. 

The  faculty  has  increased  in  number  from  four  in  i(S92  to  twelve  in  191 5. 
The  number  of  graduates  in  1892  was  two,  in  191 5.  thirty.  Since  its  organ- 
ization the  departments  of  commerce,  music,  manual  training,  domestic 
art,  domestic  science,  and  agriculture  have  been  added,  a  farmers'  short  course 
established,  and  a  demonstration  farm  in  connection  with  tiie  work  in  agricul- 
ture put  into  operation. 

The  school  is  well  equipped  in  laboratories,  and  has  a  library  of  3.000 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  275 

volumes,  and  all  the  leading-  magazines  and  papers.  A  lively  interest  is 
taken  in  athletics,  both  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  and  Young  Wom- 
en's Christian  Association  have  a  large  membership.  Every  year  the  stu- 
dents have  the  benefit  of  a  splendid  lecture  course. 

From  its  halls  have  been  graduated  387  young  men  and  young  women. 
who  are  now  filling  positions  of  honor  as  doctors,  lawyers,  ministers,  teach- 
ers, superintendents,  farmers,  bankers  and  missionaries,  and  are  found  in 
nearly  every  State  in  the  Union  and  in  some  foreign  countries. 

Atchison  county  further  increased  its  educational  advantages  in  June. 
191 5,  by  establishing  at  Potter,  a  rural  high  school,  in  accordance  with  a  law- 
passed  by  the  legislature  in  191 5.  This  district  is  known  as  Rural  High 
School,  District  No.  i,  and  comprises  263/  square  miles,  including 
portions  of  nine  school  districts,  five  of  which  lie  wholl)-  in  Atchison  county, 
and  the  four  others  jointly  in  Atchison,  Jefferson  and  Leavenworth  counties. 

August  9,  191 5,  the  first  school  meeting  in  this  district  was  held,  and 
J.  E.  Remsburg  was  elected  director,  T.  F.  Hall,  treasurer  and  D.  H.  Strong, 
Jr.,  clerk.  It  was  not  necessary  for  this  district  to  vote  bonds  for  a  building, 
because  Union  District  No.  i,  which  includes  Potter,  and  is  a  part  of  the  new 
high  school  district,  already  had  a  beautiful  modern  four-room  structure,  which 
was  leased  to  the  ne\\-l}-  organized  high  school  district.  A.  T.  Foster  was 
elected  first  president,  and  Miss  Sarah  Armstrong,  assistant.  The  school 
opened  September  6,  191 5,  with  an  enrollment  of  eighteen  pupils.  The  course 
of  study  is  that  prescribed  b}-  the  State,  lioard  of  education,  and  covers  four 
years. 

The  year  191 5- 16  has  been  a  year  of  progress  for  the  schools  of  Atchison 
county.  The  State  department  of  education,  by  virtue  of  authority  given 
them  by  the  State  legislature  in  191 5,  established  a  definite  standard  of  effi- 
ciency for  the  rural  schools  of  the  State,  and  formulated  plans  for  standardiz- 
ing rural  schools.  As  a  result,  two  rural  school  supervisors  were  added  to 
the  State  department.  J.  A.  Shoemaker,  county  superintendent  of  this  county, 
was  apopinted  as  one  of  those  supervisors,  and  was  succeeded  in  office  by 
Miss  D.  Anna  Speer,  who  is  making  one  of  the  most  earnest  and  efficient 
county  superintendents  this  county  has  ever  had.  It  is  universally  conceded 
that  the  board  of  county  commissioners  made  no  mistake  when  they  selected 
Miss  Speer  as  a  successor  to  Mr.  Shoemaker.  Miss  Speer  is  making  an  earn- 
est effort  to  bring  our  schools  up  to  the  standard  set  l)y  the  State  department 
of  education,  ni  which  she  is  receiving  the  cordial  cooperation  on  the  part 
of  the  sciiool  officers,  parents  and  children  of  the  county.     The  work  that 


276  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

is  being  accomplished  here  has  been  highly  commended  by  Miss  Julia  Stone, 
one  of  the  new  State  supervisors,  and  three  schools,  approved  by  the  super- 
visor, have  the  honor  of  the  first  three  "Standard  Schools"  in  northeastern 
Kansas.  These  are:  New  Maiden  District  No.  45,  H.  S.  Mahan  and  Eugene 
Crawford,  teachers;  Lancaster  District  No.  10,  O.  E.  Seeber  and  Miss  lone 
Gibson,  teachers,  and  White  Clay  District  No.  6,  J.  M.  Pennington,  teacher. 
In  191 5  the  County  Normal  Institute  was  combined  with  Midland  College 
Institute,  at  Midland  College.  A  si.x  weeks'  session  was  held,  June  15  to 
July  28.  Besides  thorough  reviews  of  all  subjects  required  for  county  teach- 
ers' certificates,  numerous  courses  for  college  credit  were  offered.  The 
corps  of  instructors  consisted  of  county  superintendent.  Miss  D.  Anna  Speer : 
professors,  W.  E.  Tilberg,  E.  M.  Stahl,  S.  L.  Soper,  D.  W.  Crouse,  C.  F. 
Malmberg  and  Bnnio  Meinecke. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  county  superintendents  of  public  instruction  of 
Atchison  county  from  the  beginning  of  our  history  to  the  present  time: 

Philip  D.  Plattenburg,  served  September,  1858,  to  May,  1861. 

Orlando  Sawyer,  served  July,  1830,  to  January,  1867. 

Norman  Dunsher,  served  January,  1867,  to  January.  1869. 

Thomas  F.  Cook,  ser\'ed  January.  1869,  to  January,  1873. 

J.  E.  Remsburg,  served  January,  1873,  to  January,  1877. 

Mr.  Martin,  ser\-ed  January,  1877,  to  January,  1879. 

W.  H.  Tucker,  served  January,  1879,  to  January,  1883. 

A.  G.  Drew,  served  January,  1883,  to  January,  1885. 

J.  F.  Class,  served  January,  1885,  to  January,  1887. 

George  A.  W'ard.  ser\-ed  Januar}-,  1887.  to  Januar\-,  1889. 

John  Klopfenstein,  served  January,  1889,  to  January,  1893. 

Samuel  Ernst,  served  January,  1893,  to  Januarj-,  1895. 

C.  E.  Reynolds,  served  January,  1895,  to  January,  1899. 

John  Klopfenstein,  served  January,  1899,  to  January,  1901. 

E.  E.  Campbell,  sensed  January,  1901,  to  May,  1901. 

The  Kansas  legislature  of  1901  changed  the  date  of  beginning  of  super- 
intendent's term  from  the  second  Monday  in  January  to  the  second  Monday 
in  May,  thus  creating  a  vacancy  in  the  office  for  four  months.  Mr.  Campbell 
was  appointed  by  the  county  commissioners  to  serve  during  that  period. 

John  Klopfenstein,  sei-ved  May,  1901,  to  May,  1903. 
O.  O.  Hastings,  served  May,  1903,  to  May,  1907. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  277 

J.  W.  Campbell,  served  May,  1907,  to  March  18,  1909,  when  he  died. 

J.  A.  Shoemaker,  served  March  23,  1909,  to  July  i,  1915. 

D.  Anna  Speer,  served  July  i,  191 5,  and  still  remains  superintendent. 

ATCHISON    CITY'  SCHOOLS. 

It  was  lamentable,  but,  nevertheless  true,  tliat  there  were  nianv  residents 
of  the  city  of  Atchison  of  the  early  period  in  its  history  who  doubted  the  jus- 
tice of  supporting  free  schools.  In  i860  the  school  board  refused  to  levy  a  f 
tax  for  school  purposes  in  the  city  of  Atchison.  Following  this,  however,  a 
more  progressive  spirit  prevailed,  and  free  schools  were  regularly  supported 
by  annual  tax  levies.  For  ten  years  the  schools  occupied  rented  quarters,  ex-^ 
cepting  two  frame  buildings  in  South  Atchison.  The  basement  of  the  Con- 
gregational church,  the  lower  floor  of  the  old  Masonic  building  that  stood 
near  the  corner  of  Eighth  and  Commercial  streets,  the  upper  floor  of  the 
Auld  building  on  Commercial  street,  near  Sixth,  Price's  Hall  and  probably 
other  buildings  were  used  during  tiiose  years. 

There  was  little  or  no  general  supervision  of  tiie  work  of  the  schools  up 
to  1866,  little  or  no  system,  and  little  distinction  between  public  and  private 
schools. 

During-  this  unorganized  period  the  business  affairs  of  the  schools  were 
administered  by  a  district  board  of  three  meml^ers. 

Under  a  law  approved  ]\Iarch   i,   1867,  the  Atchison  cit}-  schools  were 
organized  June  3,  1867,  at  which  time  the  first  board  of  education  of  Atchi-  '. 
son  was  elected,  as  follows :  First  ward,  W'm.  Scoville,  Wm.  C.  Smith ;  Second  , 
ward,   M.   L.  Gaylord,   L.   R.   Elliott ;  Third  ward,  John  A.   Martin,  Julius 
Holthaus;  Fourth  ward.  Geo.  W.  Gillespie,  Jacob  Poehler.     In  the  organiza-; 
tion  of  the  first  board,  Wm.  Scoville  was  elected  jM-esident.  John  A.  Martin, 
vice-president,  and  M.  L.  Gaylord,  clerk. 

The  board  consisted  of  eight  members  until  Atchison  became  a  city  of 
the  first  class  in  1881,  at  which^tmieThe  ward  representation  was  increased  to 
three  members  each,  giving  a  board  of  twelve  members.  At  the  organization 
of  the  first  enlarged  board,  J.  C.  Fox  was  elected  president;  J.  B.  Kurtli.  vice- 
president.  The  time  of  organization  was  the  first  regular  meeting  in  August, 
a  change  from  tlie  former  time,  the  first  regular  meeting  in  May,  which  was 
the  law  till  1881.  During  this  year  the  time  of  organization  was  extended 
three  months,  giving  fifteen  months'  service  under  the  organization  of  May, 
1880.     Another  change  made  at  this  time  was  the  election  of  a  clerk  not  a 


2/8  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

member  of  the  board.  At  the  organization,  August  i,  1881,  M.  Noll  was 
elected  clerk.  He  was  succeeded  in  October,  by  C.  N.  Seip,  who  was  fol- 
lowed in  May,  1882,  by  James  H.  Garside. 

By  the  addition  of  the  Fifth  ward,  1884,  the  boarti  organized  in  August, 
that  year  had  fifteen  members.  Tlie  board  organized  in  August,  1885,  had  ten 
members.  This  representation  continued  till  the  law  of  191 1  provided  for  the 
reduction  to  six  members,  and  for  a  term  of  four  years  instead  of  two  years. 
The  reduction  was  completed  in  1913,  and  since  August  of  that  year  the  board 
has  had  six  members,  elected  without  regard  to  city  wards. 

The  presidents  of  the  board  from  1871  have  been  as  follows:  For  the 
year  ending  in  May,  1872,  H.  S.  Baker;  J.  T.  Coplan,  to  May,  1873;  J-  K. 
Fisher,  to  May,  1874;  A.  J.  North,  three  years,  to  May,  1877:  John  Seaton, 
two  years,  to  May,  1879;  A.  F.  Martin,  two  and  one-fourth  years,  to  August, 
1881  :  J.  C.  Fox.  to  August,  1882:  John  B.  Kurth,  to  August,  1883;  J.  C. 
Fox,  to  August,  1884;  Seneca  Heath,  two  years,  to  August,  1886;  E.  A.  Mize, 
five  years,  to  Augiist,  1891 ;  R.  C.  Meade,  to  August.  1892 ;  J.  T.  Herse\-,  two 
years,  to  August,  1894;  J.  F.  Woodhouse,  to  August,  1895  ;  J.  T.  Allensworth, 
to  August,  1896;  \V.  L.  Bailey,  to  August,  1897;  Chas.  S.  Osborn,  ten  years, 
to  August,  1907;  H.  H.  Hackney,  eight  years,  to  August,  191 5:  Alva  Clapp, 
now  serving  his  first  year. 

WHiile  tiie  records  of  the  early  days  are  not  available,  there  are  indications 
that  the  chaos  of  the  early  schools  was  reduced  to  order  in  the  middle  sixties, 
the  graded  S3'stem  unifying  the  free  schools  being  established  at  tliat  time  by 
D.  T.  Bradford,  who  served  as  su]>erintendent  and  principal  of  the  high  school 
for  four  years.  In  those  early  days  the  superintendent  tauglit  during  the 
greater  part  of  his  time. 

Mr.  Bradford  was  followed  by  a  Mr.  Owens,  who  served  one  year  and 
was  followed  by  R.  H.  Jackson.  Available  records  show  that  Mr.  Jackson 
was  superintendent  in  August,  1871,  and  served  till  June,  1876.  How  long 
he  served  prior  to  the  election  of  May,  187 1,  is  not  indicated  by  records  at  hand. 

The  superintendents  following  Mr.  Jackson  are  as  follows :  I.  C.  Scott, 
to  1878;  C.  S.  Sheffield,  to  1880;  R.  C.  Meade,  to  December,  1886;  F.  M. 
Draper,  to  1889;  Buel  T.  Davis,  to  1891  :  John  H.  Glorfelter,  to  1901 ;  Nathan 
T.  Veatch,  serving  at  present  (January,  1916). 

The  principals  of  the  liigh  school  serving  prior  to  the  union  of  the 
duties  of  superintendent  and  ])rincipal  of  tlie  high  school  were,  P.  D.  Platten- 
burg,  Orlando  Sawyer  and  David  Negley. 

The  course  of  study  in  the  high  school  tjien  was  Latin,   followed  later 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 


279 


"The  Ingalls  School,"  Atchison,  Kan. 


by  the  Latin-Scientific.  Little  change  was  made  for  years,  except  the  intro- 
duction of  German  in  the  fall  of  1871.  For  more  than  thirty  years  there 
was  little  change  in  the  subject  matter  of  the  work.  The  most  important 
change  during  those  thirty  years  or  more  was  the  complete  organization  of 
the  high  school  by  Superintendent  R.  C.  Meade,  in  1880,  at  which  time  a  dis- 
tinct principal  was  placed  in  charge  of  the  re-organized  high  school.  The 
first  principal  under  the  new  plan  was  F.  \\'.  Bartlett.  Definite  classes  were 
started  and  the  first  class  graduated  June  7,  1881,  in  Corinthian  Hall,  as  fol- 
lows: Jane  Boone,  Artluu"  Challiss,  Blanche  Challiss,  Daisy,  L. -Denton,  Delia 
Estes,  Mary  E.  Fox,  Frances  L.  Garside.  Lilly  G.  Hathaway,  Maggie  R. 
Hedges,  May  Hosier,  Victor  Linley,  Nellie  G.  Reid,  Mary  E.  Scott,  Annie 
Underwnod,  14.     Total  graduates  to  date  (January,  1916),  568. 

l'\  W.  Bartlett  was  ])rincipal  of  the  high  school  until  1883.  The  follow- 
ing is  the  list  of  principals  since  1883:  J.  B.  Gash,  lo  1885;  Geo.  D.  Ostrom, 
to  1887;  J.  T.  Dobell,  to  1895;  C.  A.  Shively.  to  1900:  W.  C.  Janu'eson,  to 
1902;  A.  H.  Speer,  to  1909:  W.  H.  Livers,  to  1910:  j.  'I".  Rosson,  lo  191 1  : 
H,  P.  Shepherd,  now  serving  his  fifth  year. 


28o  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

The  superintendent  and  pn'ncii)al  aided  by  one  assistant  taught  the  high 
school  subjects  till  1882.  With  the  opening  of  school  in  September,  of  that 
year,  the  high  school  course  of  study  was  changed  from  two  years  to  a  full 
three-years  course.  Miss  Sarali  E.  Steele  and  Miss  Anna  M.  Niklaus  were 
assistants  during  tliose  early  years. 

The  addition  to  tlie  teacliing  force,  the  lengthened  course  and  tlie  tendency 
toward  greater  latitude  in  the  choice  of  subjects  soon  doubled  the  high  school 
enrollment.  The  start  toward  vocational  studies  began  in  September.  1881, 
when,  at  the  suggestion  of  J.  H.  Garside.  bookkeeping  was  made  an  optional 
study.    , 

The  growth  of  the  high  schoorwas  gradual.  During  the  late  eighties,  an- 
other year  was  added  to  the  course  and  an  additional  assistant  was  employed. 
Manual  training  was  added  in  December,  1903:  sewing,  1907;  commercial 
subjects  were  added  from  time  to  time  till  the  introduction  of  a  full  business 
course,  including  shorthand  and  typewriting,  in  1910;  normal  training,  1909; 
cooking,  1910;  physical  training,  1910;  elementary  agriculture,  1913;  school 
nurse,  January,  1914;  special  music  director,  1915.  The  addition  of  courses 
and  optional  subjects  has  so  increased  tlie  high  school  work  as  to  require  eight- 
een teachers,  in  addition  to  the  principal,  and  the  enrollment  has  grown  to  393. 
The  school  is  on  the  accredited  list  of  the  University  of  Kansas  and  of  the 
North  Central  Association  of  Colleges.  A  school  paper,  the  Optimist,  is  now 
in  its  sixth  year.  A  Glee  Clttb  and  orchestra  have  been  organized.  A  Young 
Men's  Christian  Association  and  a  Young  Women's  Christian  Association  are 
doing  good  work.  Tlie  atliletic  association  is  giving  an  nutlet  for  the  surplus 
energy  in  football,  basketball,  etc. 

Grades  and  teachers  were  added  in  tlie  different  Ijuildings  until  there 
are  now  (January,  1916)  five  buildings  having  full  eight  grades  of  work, 
one  building  with  three  grades,  and  the  Branchton  school  ha\ing  two  grades. 
The  Branchton  building  belongs  to  district  65.  Manual  training  for  the 
boys  and  sewiog  for  the  girls  are  given  in  sixth,  seventh  and  eighth  grades  and 
liigh  school.  All  tlie  grades  have  the  Ijenefit  of  inspection  by  the  school 
nurse,  and  instruction  in  music  bv  tlie  special  director. 

In  1S82  the  teaching  force  was  lliirty  beside  tiie  superintendent.  This 
grew  to  forty-one  by  1901,  and  to  sixly-ti\e  in  19T5. 

During  March,  1881,  it  was  resolved  that  a  "kindergarten"  be  opened 
during  the  next  term.  No  record  is  found  indicating  the  opening  of  such 
school.  Tlie  kindergarten  was  not  made  a  part  of  the  system  till  1910. 
Such  work  was  offered  earlier  in  rooms  granted  by  the  lioard.  This  was.  how- 
ever, the  result  of  private  cnterinise. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  281 

At  the  opening  of  the  new  high  school  building  in  1910,  the  first  public 
kindergarten  was  established.  In  tlie  spring  of  1914,  another  kindergarten 
was  opened  in  the  new  Washington  school. 

The  corner  stone  of  tlie  Central  building  was  laid  in  August,  1868.  This 
building  was  destroyed  by  fire  in  October.  1869.  The  construction  of  a  new 
building  on  the  old  foundation  began  as  soon  as  plans  were  completed.  This 
was  the  three-story  brick  building,  costing  $35,000,  torn  down  in  1908,  to 
make  room  for  the  magnificent  high  school  building  completed  in  1910,  and 
occupied  for  all  school  purposes  in  September  of  that  year.  On  October  5, 
1892,  the  name  was  changed  to  "The  Ingalls  School." 

The  building  begim  in  1869  and,  when  completed,  said  to  be  "one  of 
the  finest  in  the  State,"  was  opened  in  1870  and  served  without  cliange  till 
1903,  when  a  three-story  addition,  costing  $5,264.00  was  built  to  provide  for 
the  office,  manual  training,  one  high  school  room  and  sanitary  fixtures.  It 
was  finally  outgrown  after  serving  thirty-eight  years.  While  the  present 
building  was  being  constructed,  the  high  school  was  housed  in  the  old  three- 
story  Douglas  building,  Fifth  and  R  streets,  and  in  two  rooms  of  the  did 
Washington  Ixiilding,  Sixth  and  O  streets. 

During  the  two  years'  waiting  for  the  new  Ingalls  building  the  colored 
pupils  from  Douglas  school  were  housed  in  a  vacant  store  at  Sixth  and  Spring 
streets  for  one  year,  and  in  Lincoln  school  for  part  of  the  second  year,  and  the 
grades  of  Ingalls  school  were  housed  as  follows :  Seventh  and  eighth,  banquet 
room  of  Odd  Fellows  Hall;  sixth,  Martin  school;  fifth,  Pioneer  Hall;  second, 
third  and  fourth,  basement  of  Congregational  church ;  first,  basement  of 
Presbyterian  church;  manual  training,  in  old  fire  department  for  the  first 
year,  and  in  a  vacant  store  room  till  the  latter  part  of  Decemljer  of  the  second 
year,  when  it  was  moved  to  the  new  Iniilding. 

Tlie  present  high  school  building,  the  Ingalls  school,  cost  about  $103,500. 
The  equipment  and  added  lots  at  the  southwest  corner  of  the  block,  improve- 
ment of  grounds,  etc.,  will  bring  the  present  value  of  the  property  at  least  to 
$130,000. 

Governor  George  W.  Glick  was  largel\-  instrumental  in  tlie  work  of 
securing  the  lots  for  the  Ingalls  school.  The  ten  lots  purchased  prior  to  the 
erection  of  the  first  building  cost,  approximately,  $3,500.  Lots  8  and  9  in  the 
same  block  secured  by  condemnation  in  191 1,  cost  $2,250. 

The  three-story  brick  building  at  the  corner  of  Fifth  and  R  streets,  built 
in  1873  at  a  cost  of  $15,000,  was  originally  called  Wa,shinglon  school.  A 
three-room,  one-story  frame  building,  erected  on  this  site  in  tlic  middle  sixties. 


282  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

was  the  first  building  owned  by  district  No.  i,  and  served  till  1873.  The 
lots  cost  $1,200  and  the  building  $2,425.  At  that  time  a  frame  building  at 
the  corner  of  Sixth  and  O  streets  was  used  by  the  colored  pupils  and  was 
called  Douglas  school.  This  was  built  in  the  middle  sixties.  It  was  at  first 
a  two-room,  one-story  building.  Later,  a  third  room  was  added.  The  lots 
cost  $820.  This  was  the  second  building  owned  by  district  No.  i.  Early 
maps  of  Atchison  show  tlie  locations  of  Washington  and  Douglas  here  given. 

The  names  "Central,"  "Washington,"  "Franklin."  "Lincoln"  and 
"Douglas"  were  authorized  Februan,-  2,  1880. 

In  1884  work  began  on  two  new  buildings,  one  a  ten-room  brick  building 
to  take  the  place  of  the  frame  building  called  "Douglas,"  and  the  other  an 
eight-room  brick  building  at  Sixth  and  Division  streets,  named  North  Atchi- 
son school.  The  one  at  Sixth  and  O  streets  cost  $18,682,  and  was  occupied 
for  school  purposes  January  3,  1885.  The  white  pupils  in  "Washington" 
school  were  taken  to  the  new  building,  and  the  colored  school  formerly  housed 
in  "Douglas"  was  taken  to  the  "Washington."  The  names  were  also  trans- 
ferred soon  after  the  new  order  of  things  was  established. 

The  ten-room  \\"ashington  building  was  used  till  the  close  of  school  for 
vacation,  December,  1913.  On  January  5,  IQ14,  the  school  began  work  in 
the  present  beautiful  building,  south  of  R  street,  between  Fifth  and  Sixth 
streets.  The  old  property  at  Sixth  and  O  streets  was  sold  for  $2,300,  but 
the  name  of  the  school  was  retained.  The  new  building  with  grounds  and 
equipment  cost  $63,000.     The  site  was  secured  by  condemnation   and  cost 

$5,350. 

The  original  "W  a;-hingtnn"  remained  the  "Douglas"  uinii  the  com- 
pletion of  the  new  Douglas  on  Sixth,  between  U  and  V  streets.  The  pupils 
of  "Douglas"  were  housed  in  "Lincoln"  till  late  in  the  fall  of  1909.  The 
site  of  this  building,  lots  18.  19,  20  and  21,  block  35,  South  Atchison,  was 
secured  in  March,  1909,  in  exchange  for  lots  10  and  11,  same  block,  the  old 
hospital  property,  which  had  previously  lieen  donated  to  the  board  of  educa- 
tion for  school  purposes,  the  money  in\-olved  being  the  payment  of  some  back 
taxes  by  the  board. 

The  North  Atchison  school,  Sixth  and  Division  streets,  was  occupied 
for  school  purposes  in  September,  1885.  The  lots  cost  $800  and  the  bnilding, 
equipment  and  retaining  walls,  $5,381.94.  On  October  5,  1892,  the  name  of 
this  school  was  changed  to  "The  John  A.  Martin  School."  This  building 
was  used  till  the  last  of  May,  191 5.  Immediately  after  the  close  of  school, 
May  28,   1915,  it  was  wrecked  to  make  way  for  the  new  building  now    in 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  283 

course  of  constructicm.  The  added  lefrnund.  secured  by  condemnation,  cost 
$6,200  and  the  building,  equipment  and  improvement  of  grounds  will  cost, 
approximately,  $56,500.  During  the  year  191 5-1 6  this  school  is  housed  in 
the  Ingalls  building. 

The  West  Atchison  school  building,  named  Franklin  school,  February  2, 
1880,  was,  originally,  a  three-room,  one-story  brick,  costing  $2,617.10.  This 
was  changed  to  six  rooms  by  the  addition  of  a  second  story  in  1883,  at  a  cost 
of  $2,498.  and  was  remodeled  and  changed  to  an  eight-room  building  in  1908, 
at  a  cost  of  $12,500.  and  reoccupied  early  in  1909.  The  lots  cost  $400.  Dur- 
ing the  change  in  Franklin,  the  pupils  were  housed  in  the  "Green-Tree  House" 
and  in  a  \acant  store  room  at  1521  Main  street. 

The  Lincoln  school  (colored).  Eighth  and  Atchison  streets,  was  origi- 
nally a  three-room,  one-story  brick  building  erected  in  1871  at  a  cost  of 
$2,425.  The  lots  cost  $750.  In  1883,  this  was  changed  to  a  six-room  build- 
ing at  a  cost  of  $2,498.  This  is  the  only  school  building  in  the  city  not 
modernized. 

The  records  reveal  some  interesting  things.  In  1878  it  was  decided 
that  "the  work  of  the  grades  should  be  completed  in  eight  years."  In  1884 
an  attempt  was  made  to  establish  a  branch  high  school  in  South  Atchison. 
While  this  failed,  it  was  voted  that  "a  sub-junior  grade  be  maintained  in  the 
Washington  school."     This  was  discontinued  within  a  few  years. 

In  March.  1883,  it  was  ordered  that  the  schools  close  because  of  lack  of 
funds.  The  city  council  came  to  the  rescue  and  appropriated  $4,000  for 
school  purposes.     The  schools  re-opened  March  29. 

The  school  year  was  shortened  several  times  in  those  early  days. 

The  school  spirit  is  in  splendid  condition.  The  increased  material 
equipment  is  adding  greatly  to  the  educational  opportunities.  "Continuation 
schools"  have  been  conducted  for  several  years,  with  good  attendance. 

The  improvements  have  been  made  without  bonds,  excepting  the  $100,- 
000  issue  fiir  the  high  school  in  1908.  The  total  bonded  indebtedness  (January, 
1916)  is  $122,000.  Of  this  amount,  $4,000  will  be  paid  July  i,  1916.  Of  the 
issue  of  1908,  $94,000  remain  unpaid,  and  will  fall  due  in  1923.  The  $24,- 
000  refunding-  bonds  issued  in  1913  will  be  due  in  1933.  The  board  of  edu- 
cation is  not  using  the  full  limit  of  its  taxing  power. 

It  is  only  fair  to  add  a  tribute  at  this  point  to  the  faithful,  enthusiastic 
and  efficient  work  rendered  by  Prof.  Nathan  T.  Veatch  to  the  public  school 
system  of  Atchison.     During  the  period  of  his  service  here,  Atchison  has  seen 


284  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

its  greatest  development  in  its  public  school  system,  and  this  has  not  only  been 
brought  about  by  the  fine  public  spirit  that  exists  here  but  by  the  splendid  co- 
operation which  Prof.  Veatch  has  given  it. 

PRIVATE  SCHOOLS. 

In  addition  to  the  private  schools  tliat  existed  here  in  an  early  day, 
there  were  a  number  of  private  schools  which  did  good  work  in  Atchison 
subsequently  to  the  Teasdale  school,  which  was  operated  here  in  the  eighties. 
Mrs.  Harriet  E.  Monroe  rendered  the  cause  of  education  in  Atchison  county 
an  invaluable  and  also  an  imperishable  service.  Mrs.  Monroe  founded  the 
Atchison  Institute.  In  1871  she  erected  a  building  at  the  northwest  corner 
of  Third  and  Kansas  avenue,  to  which  a  wing  was  added  in  1876,  and  three 
years  later  the  large  brick  building,  all  of  which  are  still  standing.  The  prop- 
erty represented  an  investment  of  $25,000,  and  the  success  of  Mrs.  Monroe's 
enterprise  was  phenomenal.  She  received  no  bonus  or  assistance  from  city, 
county,  State,  church  or  individual.  She  had  nine  students  when  she  started 
her  school,  and  subsequently  increased  her  enrollment  to  300.  She  had  a 
musical  department  and  an  art  department,  and  they  were  admitted  to  have 
no  superior  in  the  Missouri  valley  at  that  time.  She  also  conducted  a  kinder- 
garten, primary,  intermediate  and  academic  grades.  Also  a  collegiate  de- 
partment, consisting  of  preparatory,  scientific,  classical  and  literary  courses, 
together  with  the  normal  and  commercial  courses.  She  had  thirteen  teacliers. 
Her  vocational  department  covered  all  tlie  arts  of  domestic  economy  and 
domestic  science,  before  which  she  employed  most  eminent  women  in  their 
special  lines  to  deliver  lectures.  Mrs.  Monroe  was  then,  and  is  now,  a  truly 
remarkable  woman.  Her  school  was  a  forerunner  of  Midland  College, 
and  when  it  came  to  Atchison  in  1887,  Mrs.  Monroe  closed  her  school  shortly 
thereafter  and  has  since  been  a  resident  of  \\''ashingti)n,  D.  C.  She  is  a  highly 
educated  lady  of  refinement  and  culture,  and  has  spent  niucli  lime  u])(in  the 
lecture  platform. 

Following  the  Monroe  Institute,  some  years  later,  Prof.  Flint  conducted 
a  Latin  school  iiere,  which  was  largely  attended.  Mr.  Flint  was  succeeded 
by  Prof.  Foot,  and  as  an  outgrowth  of  these  two  schools,  Misses  Helen  and 
Abigail  Scofield  opened  a  preparatory  school,  and  successfully  conducted  it 
for  a  number  of  years,  when  they  were  succeeded  by  Miss  Maiy  Walton,  who 
ran  her  school  in  the  building  owned  by  Mrs.  J.  W.  Parker,  on  Laramie 
street,  between  Third  and  Fourth  streets,  until  a  few  years  ago. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  285 

In  1916  the  public  school  system  is  augmented  in  its  work  by  several 
parochial  and  denominational  schools,  conducted  by  the  Catholics  and  tlie 
German  Lutherans. 

MT.    ST.    SCHOLASTICA's    ACADEMY. 

One  of  the  first  sights  to  impress  the  visitor  to  Atchison  is  the  impos- 
ing collection  of  buildings  which  crowns  its  southern  hill,  now  commonly 
known  as  Mt.  St.  Scholastica. 

Mt.  St.  Scholastica  is  practically  as  old  as  Atchison  itself,  the  first  sisters 
having  come  here  in  1863.  Few  who  gaze  upon  the  massive  and  commodious 
array  of  buildings,  surrounded  as  they  now  are  by  well-kept  lawns,  spacious 
meadow  and  woodland,  stop  to  think  of  its  humble  beginning  and  the  many 
trials  which  beset  the  earlv  foundation.  But  the  first  sisters  were  in  time  to 
feel  the  effects  of  the  Civil  war  and  the  hardships  attendant  upon  the  same. 

At  the  request  of  Rev.  Augustine  Wirth,  O.  S.  B.,  then  prior  of  St. 
Benedict's  College,  and  the  first  pastor  of  the  church  in  Atchison,  Rev. 
Mother  E\-angelista  and  six  companions  were  sent  from  the  Benedictine 
con\-ent  in  St.  Cloud,  jNIinn.,  to  establish  a  school  in  Atchison.  Two  more 
sisters  were  sent  the  following  April.  As  these  latter  were  on  their  way,  they 
were  detained  at  Hannibal  for  two  days.  The  funeral  cortege  of  President 
Lincoln  having  reached  that  city  at  the  same  time  as  the  sisters,  one  of  their 
sad  privileges  was  that  of  attending  the  obsequies  of  the  martyred  President 
before  continuing  their  journey  Kansasward. 

The  little  convent,  situated  at  the  corner  of  Second  and  Division  streets, 
near  St.  Benedict's  church,  was  the  cradle  of  the  present  institution.  Second 
street  at  that  time  was  not  a  street  at  all.  but  rather  a  passageway  cut  through 
the  hazel  brush,  then  so  abundant  in  Atchison. 

The  academy  organized  its  classes  December  i,  1863.  It  was  incor- 
porated in  1873.  Its  roster  bears  the  names  of  many  of  Atchison's  best 
families  of  both  town  and  county. 

In  the  summer  of  1877  the  Price  villa  was  purchased.  A  new  building 
was  added  in  1889.  The  third  building  was  commenced  in  1900.  The  build- 
ings are  surrounded  by  thirty-eight  acres  of  woodland  and  meadow. 

Besides  the  academy  in  Atchison,  the  sisters  supply  teachers  for  a  large 
number  of  missions  or  parochial  schools  in  Kansas,  Nebraska,  Missouri,  and 
Iowa,  also  one  large  school  in  Walsenburg,  Colo.    The  institution  in  Atchison 


3! 


■Ji 

■Jl 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  287 

is  tlie  center  or  mother  house  of  all  these  branch  houses,  and  in  vacation  all 
the  sisters  from  the  missions  assemble  here  for  the  annual  retreat,  and  for 
the  summer  normal. 

The  \-enerab!e  Mother  Evangelista,  the  first  mother  and  foundress,  was 
succeeded  in  office  by  Sister  Theresa,  who  governed  the  community  as  Rev- 
erend mother  for  the  next  twelve  years.  Since  that  time  Mother  Aloysia 
has  ably  carried  on  the  work  of  her  predecessors. 

The  early  days  of  Mt.  St.  Scholastica,  like  the  early  days  of  Kansas, 
were  times  of  struggle  and  hardships.  Yet,  these  brave  pioneer  sisters  were 
of  the  true  Kansas  type,  and  tell  us  that  they  never  for  a  moment  regretted 
their  mission  to  the  Sunflower  State.  They  tell  us,  too,  that  the  sunflower 
itself  had  a  strange  power  to  cheer  and  encourage  their  early  da_\-s.  Its  sturdy 
stalk  and  bright  disk  seem  so  fit  a  type  of  faith,  labor  and  grateful  content, 
that  even  to  the  present  day  this  rustic  flower  always  finds  a  place  in  the 
convent  garden. 

The  later  history  of  Mt.  St.  Scholastica  is  too  well  known  to  need  repeti- 
tion. Its  actual  growth  began  with  the  purchase  of  Price  villa  in  1877,  since 
which  time  progress  has  been  steady  and  vigorous. 

A  most  comprehensive  plan  of  stud}-  is  pursued  at  Mt.  St.  Scholastica. 
It  includes  all  branches  needful  for  a  thorough,  lil^eral  and  refined  education, 
the  outcome  of  long  years  of  experience  and  thoughtful  consideration.  That 
this  fact  is  appreciated,  not  only  by  neighboring  cities  and  towns,  may  be  seen 
by  consulting  the  academy  roster,  which  records  a  long  list  of  names  from 
many  and  various  sections  of  the  country.  Besides  the  academic  or  classical 
course,  Mt.  St.  Scholastica  furnishes  a  complete  commercial  course,  together 
with  special  advantages  for  the  study  of  music  and  art. 

The  home  life  of  Mt.  St.  Scholastica  is  ideal.  The  association  of  fellow- 
students  amid  wholesome  environments  has  the  tendency  to  bring  out  and  de- 
velop every  noble  and  womanly  quality,  while  the  lieneficient  and  judicious 
guidance  of  the  sisters  wisely  leads  to  the  attainment  of  those  lofty  princi- 
ples so  needful  to  right  living. 

Sacred  Heart  parochial  school,  in  Atchison,  is  also  controlled  by  the 
Benedictine  sisters,  and  is  supported  by  tuitjon.  Its  curriailum  extencls 
through  the  grades,  and  the  school  is  under  the  direction  of  Sister  Monica, 
O.  S.  B.,  and  one  assistant.  Both  boys  and  girls  attend,  and  the  enrollment 
in  1 916  is  seventy-four. 

St.  Louis  College  is  another  parochial  .school,  offering  work  through  the 


2<5<5  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

grades,  and  admitting  both  boys  and  girls.  It  is  maintained  by  St.  Benedict's 
parish.  Number  of  teachers  employed  is  six,  and  the  Rev.  Gerard  Heinz,  O. 
S.  B.,  is  principal.     Enrollment  in  1916  is  293. 

St.  Patrick's  parochial  school  is  located  near  St.  Patrick's  churcii,  in 
Union  District  No.  2,  about  seven  miles  south  of  Atchison. "  Two  teachers 
are  employed  in  the  school,  and  Ven.  Sr.  Menvina,  O.  S.  B.,  is  directress. 
It  is  controlled  and  supported  by  St.  Patrick's  parish,  and  its  curriculum  ex- 
tends through  the  grades.  Boys  and  girls  attend  the  scliool,  and  the  enroll- 
ment in  19 1 6  was  sixty-seven. 

St.  Ann's  school  is  a  Catholic  parochial  school,  at  Effingham.  It  is 
controlled  and  supported  by  St.  Ann's  parish.  Both  boys  and  girls  enroll  in 
the  school,  which  completes  the  work  of  the  grades.  The  past  year,  forty- 
six  pupils  were  in  attendance.  Two  teachers  are  employed,  one  of  whom  is 
Sister  Sr.  M.  Marcellina,  O.  S.  B.,  the  directress. 

■  The  Trinity  Lutheran  parochial  school  is  controlled  and  supported  by  the 
Trinity  Lutheran  parish,  corner  of  Eighth  and  Laramie  streets.  The  cur- 
riculum extends  to  the  eighth  grade,  and  work  is  offered  to  both  boys  and 
girls.  The  enrollment  in  1916  is  fifty-three,  and  Rev.  Carl  W.  Greinki  is 
principal. 

MIDLAND    COLLEGE    AND    WESTERN    THEOLOGICAL    SEMIN.\Ry. 

The  board  of  education  of  the  general  synod  of  the  Evangelical  Luth- 
eran church,  after  considering  propositions  from  a  number  of  cities  in  the 
Middle  West,  decided  on  Atchison  as  the  most  suitable  location  for  a  Luth- 
eran institution.  It  is  easy  of  access  from  the  whole  territory  from  which 
students  are  most  likely  to  come,  and  the  offer  of  the  city  to  give  $50,000 
in  money  for  buildings,  twenty  acres  of  land  for  a  campus  and  professors' 
houses,  a  half  interest  in  the  sale  of  500  acres  of  land,  and  to  furnish  200  stu- 
dents the  first  year,  was  a  tempting  offer. 

Owing  to  some  difficulties  that  arose,  this  offer  was  not  entirely  ful- 
filled, but  the  twenty  acres  of  ground  was  donated,  and  about  $33,000  put 
into  buildings.  The  college  was  opened  on  tlie  fifteenth  of  September,  1887, 
with   loi   students  registered. 

In  1888  the  main  building,  known  as  Atchison  Hall,  was  begTJn,  and 
turned  over  to  the  board  of  trustees  in  tlie  spring  of  1889,  and  formally 
dedicated  on  the  30th  day  of  September  of  the  same  year.  The  institution 
was  given  over  to  the  care  of  a  self-perpetuating  board.  From  time  to  time 
the  constitution  has  been  changed,  so  that  the  trustees  would  be  elected  by  the 
synods  supporting  the  college. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 


289 


At  the  present  time  tlie  board  is  composed  of  twenty-nine  members;  foiu" 
are  elected  by  tlie  board  from  the  citizens  of  Atchison,  six  from  each  of  tlie 
Kansas.  English  Nebraska  and  German  Nebraska  synods ;  two  from  the 
Rocky  Mountain  and  Iowa  synods  each,  and  tliree  from  the  Alumni  Associa- 
tion, with  the  president  of  the  college  advisory  menilier.  ex-officio. 


Carnegie  Library. 
Midland  College. 
Atchison.  Kans. 


Ciiriicnic   l^il)iai'y.  Atcliisoii,  Kansas 


Rev.  Jacob  A.  Clutz,  D.  D.,  was  elected  first  president,  and  served 
efficiently  in  that  capacity  for  fourteen  and  one-half  _\ears.  In  1904  Rev.  M. 
F.  Troxell.  D.  D.,  pastor  of  the  English  Lutheran  church  of  St.  Joseph,  Mo. 
was  elected  president,  and  was  succeeded  bv  Dr.   Rufus  B.  Peery. 

In  1891  Oak  Hall,  a  dormitory  for  girls,  was  erected,  to  which,  about 
ten  years  later,  the  annex  was  added,  giving  accommodations  for  thirt\- 
young  women.  In  1893  the  gymnasium  was  erected,  the  money  being 
solicited  by  the  students  of  the  institution.  Through  the  solicitations  of  Dr. 
Clutz,  a  splendid  six-inch  telescope  was  donated,  and  an  observatory  built  in 
1899.  Through  the  efforts  of  Dr.  Troxell  a  proposition  was  secured  from 
Andrew  Carnegie  to  donate  $15,000  towards  the  building  of  a  library,  pro- 
vided the  same  amount  could  be  raised  for  its  upkeep.  From  the  synods  on 
the  territory,  alumni  and  friends  of  the  college,  this  amount  was  secured,  and 

19 


290  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

the  handsome  library  building  was  erected  during  the  winter  of  1910-igil, 
and  formally  dedicated  on  May  30.  191 1.  A  legacy  of  $5,000,  given  several 
years  before,  was  added  to  the  building  fund  in  order  to  have  a  public  hall, 
and  a  memorial  tablet  was  placed  in  the  hall  to  the  memory  of  the  generous 
donor,  Rev.  J.  G.  Griffith,  D.  D.  On  the  retirement  of  Dr.  Clutz,  his  home 
was  bought  by  the  college  board  for  the  use  of  the  president. 

The  W'estern  Theological  Seminary  was  organized  in  1895,  and  the  first 
president  and  professor,  Rev.  F.  D.  Altman,  D.  D..  was  inaugurated. 

The  German  department  of  the  seminary  was  added  a  few  years  later, 
with  Dr.  J.  L.  Neve  as  dean  of  the  department.  The  home  owned  by  ex- 
Senator  John  J.  Ingalls  was  secured  in  1908  for  seminarj-  purposes.  It  is  ad- 
mirably adapted  to  that  purpose.  At  the  annual  meeting  of  the  college  trus- 
tees in  1910  the  board  of  education  turned  over  the  management  of  the 
seminary  to  this  board. 

ST.  benedict's  college. 

St.  Benedict's  College  is  the  product  of  Benedictine  activity  in  Kansas,  in 
the  cause  of  Christian  civilization.  Father  Boniface  Wimmer,  O.  S.  B.,  the 
founder  of  the  Benedictines  in  the  United  States,  settled  in  Pennsylvania  in 
1846,  and  ten  years  later  he  sent  missionaries  in  all  directions,  and  where 
they  settled,  promptly  there,  too,  their  schools  soon  were  founded.  Father 
Henry  Lempe,  O.  S.  B.,  was  the  first  Benedictine  to  touch  upon  Kansas 
soil  in  1856,  and  he  inspired  Bishop  Miege,  S.  J.,  of  Leavenworth,  witli  the 
idea  of  inviting  Abbott  W'immer  to  make  a  foundation  in  Kansas,  and  tliere- 
after  Father  Augustine  Wirth,  O.  S.  B.,  was  sent  out  to  Doniphan,  in  1857, 
but  in  1838  he  moved  to  Atchison.  Father  Augustine's  management  of  the 
college  continued  until  1868.  when  he  was  succeeded  by  Louis  M.  Fink,  O.  S. 
B.,  who  remained  at  the  head  of  the  institution  until  1871.  It  was  under 
Father  Louis  that  the  first  printed  catalog  of  St.  Benedict's  College  appears. 
Father  Giles  Christoph,  O.  S.  B.,  succeeded  Father  Louis,  and  held  the  posi- 
tion three  years,  from  187 1  to  1874,  and  was  succeeded  by  Father  Oswald 
Moosmueller,  O.  S.  B.  The  college  is  situated  on  the  hills  north  of  Atchison 
and  commands  an  extensive  view  of  the  Missouri  river  and  surrounding 
country.  In  1908  the  college  planned  to  erect  a  new  group  of  buildings  to 
crown  the  brow  of  the  hill,  east  of  the  old  college,  new  St.  Benedict  is  to  be 
not  only  first  class,  but  it  is  to  be  a  monument  of  beautiful  architecture, 
which  will  be  in  Tudor  Gothic  and  uniform  throughout.  Tlie  administra- 
tion building,  already  erected,  comprises  the  first  of  the  group,  part  of  which 


Cd 


O 

o 


2g2  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY 

comprises  living  quarters  of  the  students.  It  is  a  fire-proof  building  of  re- 
inforced concrete  and  vitrified  brick,  spacious,  well  ventilated,  and  conve- 
niently arranged.  The  buildings  in  the  old  group  are  of  substantial  structure, 
well  fitted  to  serve  tlieir  purposes.  They  comprise  an  auditorium,  recitation 
room,  kitchen  and  dining  rooms,  scientific  laboratories,  museum  of  natural 
history,  music  and  typewriting  departments.  The  college  has  two  distinct 
libraries,  one  for  the  exclusive  use  of  the  students,  and  the  other,  the  college 
library  proper.  The  students'  library  contains  upwards  of  5.000  volumes,  in 
addition  to  a  number  of  papers  and  magazines.  The  college  library 
proper,  maintained  for  the  use  of  the  professors,  occupies  four  rooms  and  the 
monastery,  and  it  contains  more  than  27,400  Ijound  volumes  and  over  5,000 
pamphlets.  The  scientific  laboratories  are  adequate  for  present  use,  and  the 
museum  is  one  of  the  best  of  its  kind  in  this  part  of  the  country.  The  play- 
grounds of  the  college  are  large  and  well  suited  to  afford  all  manner  of 
healthful  exercise  for  tlie  students. 

The  courses  available  in  the  college  are  the  academic,  the  collegiate,  busi- 
ness and  stenographic,  which  are  presided  over  by  twenty-two  professors, 
and  in  which  are  300  students.  St.  Benedict's  is  one  of  the  finest  Catholic 
institutions  in  the  West. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


BENCH  AND  BAR. 


EARLY     MECCA    OF    LEGAL    TALENT ORGANIZATION     OF    JUDICIAL    DISTRICT 

EARLY      JUDGES PROMINENT      PIONEER      LAWYERS MEMBERS      OF      THE 

ATCHISON  COUNTY  BAR. 

Atchison  county  has  always  been  particularly  proud  of  the  high  order  of 
talent  that  has  graced  its  bench  and  bar.  From  the  very  earliest  days  of  its 
history,  the  legal  profession  has  lieen  well  represented  here.  Men  who  have 
reached  a  high  order  of  distinction  in  the  profession  have  had  their  begin- 
ning at  the  bar  of  this  county.  In  fact,  this  county  has  been  somewhat 
unif|ue  in  this  respect,  for  there  is  perhaps  no  other  county  in  Kansas  that 
has  furnished  a  greater  number  of  (listinguished  representatives  of  this  noble 
profession,  wlm  have  shed  their  luster  upon  the  fair  name  of  the  State.-  For 
a  long  period,  indeed,  Atchison  seemed  to  be  the  Mecca  towards  which  the  best 
legal  talent  from  all  quarters  of  the  country  gathered,  and  it  was  the  Atchison 
bar  that  furnished  three  chief  justices  of  the  supreme  court  of  Kansas,  one 
United  States  district  judge,  an  attorney-general,  a  governor,  a  L'nited 
States  senator,  and  a  general  counsel  for  a  large  railroad  system. 

No  attempt  will  be  made  in  this  chapter  to  give  a  complete  roster  of 
names  of  the  many  lawyers  who  have  successfully  practiced  their  profession 
here.  The  list  is  too  numerous,  but  reference  will  be  made  to  a  numlier  of 
conspicuous  leaders,  whose  names  stand  out  prominently  in  the  history  of 
the  State,  and  whose  careers  have  enriched  the  story  of  success  and  achieve- 
ment. 

Atchison  county  was  one  of  the  counties  of  the  second  judicial  district, 
which  composed,  in  addition  to  Atchison  county,  Doniphan,  Brown,  Nemaha, 
Marshall  and  Washington  counties.  The  first  judge  of  the  district  was  Hon. 
Alljert  L.  Lee,  who  lived  at  Fhvood.  Dimiphan  county,  and  served  from  Jan- 

293 


294  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUXTY 

uary  29  to  October  31,  1861.  He  died  in  New  York  City  December  31,  1907. 
The  second  judge  of  this  district  was  Hon.  Albert  H.  Horton.  Judge  Hor- 
ton  was  born  in  Orange  county.  New  York,  Marcli  12.  1837.  and  was  edu- 
cated at  Farmers'  Hall  Acadeniw  in  that  cnunt}-.  and  al  Ann  Arbnr  L'ni\er- 
sity.  He  was  admitted  to  practice  in  the  supreme  court  of  New  "^'ork.  at 
Brooklyn,  in  1859,  and  continued  the  practice  of  his  profession  at  Goshen 
until  i860,  when  he  removed  to  Kansas,  locating  at  Atchison.  His  first  pub- 
lic office  here  was  city  attr)niey.  to  whicli  place  lie  was  elected  in  the  spring 
of  1861.  upon  the  Republican  ticket,  and  the  same  year  was  appointed  by 
Governor  Robinson  judge  of  the  second  judicial  district,  and  held  this  office, 
by  election,  until  1866.  when  he  resigned.  He  was  a  Republican  presidential 
elector  in  1868,  and  in  1869  was  appointed  a  district  attorney  of  Kansas  by 
President  Grant,  which  office  he  held  until  1873.  when  he  was  elected  a 
member  of  the  house  of  representati\es  from  this  county.  Three  years  later 
he  was  elected  to  the  State  senate,  and  was  also  a  delegate  to  the  National 
Republican  conventirm  in  June  of  that  year,  and  in  the  same  year  was  ap- 
pointed chief  justice  of  the  supreme  court  of  Kansas  by  (lovernor  Thomas 
A.  Osborn,  to  succeed  Hon.  S.  .-\.  Kingman,  who  was  before  that  time  a 
prominent  practitioner  in  Atchison.  In  1877  Judge  Horton  was  nominated 
on  the  Republican  ticket  to  the  office  of  chief  justice  of  the  State,  and  he 
served  in  that  capacitv  for  seventeen  years,  at  the  end  of  which  time  he  re- 
turned to  Atchison  and  formed  a  partnership  with  Hon.  B.  P.  Waggener. 
Judge  Horton  was  an  able  jurist  and  lawyer,  a  strong  argumentative  and 
fluent  speaker.  "He  displayed  marked  ability  as  a  parliamentarian  while  in 
the  legislature,  and  was.  altogether,  a  man  of  strong  mental  capacity,  good 
judgment,  coupled  with  executive  ability,  and  much  practical  experience. 
Ater  a  number  of  years'  practice  here,  following  his  resignation  as  chief  jus- 
tice of  the  State,  he  subsefpiently  was  reelected  to  the  same  position.  He 
died  on  the  second  day  of  Septemljer.  1902. 

Judge  Horton  was  succeeded  as  judge  of  the  district  court  of  this  dis- 
trict by  Hon.  St.  Clair  Graham  Mav  11,  1866.  Judge  Graham  served  as 
judge  until  January  11.  1869,  and  was  on  the  bench  at  the  time  that  the  cele- 
brated Regis  Liosel  land  contest  was  tried  in  Nemaha  county,  in  which  John 
J.  ln.galls.  another  Atchison  lawyer,  represented  some  claimants  to  38,111 
acres  of  land  in  the  counties  of  Nemaha,  Marshall.  Jackson  and  Pottawato- 
mie. It  was  one  of  the  celebrated  cases  of  that  day.  The  litigation  grew  out 
of  a  French  land  grant,  which  subsequently  was  confirmed  by  an  act  of  Con- 
gress in  1858. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 


295 


Judge  Graham  was  succeeded  by  Hon.  Nathan  Price,  of  Troy,  Doniphan 
county,  January  11,  1869.  Judge  Price  served  until  March  i,  1872.  He 
practiced  law  in  the  district  for  a  number  of  years  thereafter,  and  died  in 
Troy  March  8,  1883.  B.  P.  Waggener,  who  began  his  wonderful  career  as 
a  lawyer  during  the  administration  of  Judge  Price,  and  who  has  been  in  the 
active  practice  in  Atchison  since  that  time,  is  authority  for  the  statement  that 
Judge  Price  was  one  of  the  most  brilliant  judges  that  ever  adorned  llie 
bench.  He  is  described  Iiy  Mr.  Waggener  as  being  a  man  of  a  ])owerful  per- 
sonality, and  thorouglily  grounded  in  the  principles  of  the  law. 


S.   C.    KINGMAN 


P.   T.   ABELL 


During  this  period  in  the  history  of  the  county,  Atchison  had  one  of  the 
strongest  bars  in  the  State  of  Kansas.  Among  tiie  able  lawyers  then  in  the 
active  practice  were :  P.  T.  Abell,  about  whom  much  has  appeared  in  this  his- 
tory; Gen.  Benjamin  F.  Stringfellow,  Alfred  G.  Otis,  John  J.  Tngalls,  George 
W.  Glick,  Samuel  C.  Kingman,  J.  T.  Hereford,  Gen.  W.  W.  Guthrie,  Albert 
H.  Horton,  Cassius  G.  Foster,  S.  H.  Glenn,  F.  D.  ]\Iills  and  David  Martin, 
and  one  of  that  number,  Air.  Waggener,  is  also  authority  for  the  statement 
that  Benjamin  F.  Stringfellow  was  the  most  brilliant.  General  Stringfellow 
was  a  brother  of  Dr.  John  H.  Stringfellow,  one  of  the  founders  of  Atchison, 
and,  like  his  lirotlier,  was  a  strong  pro-slavery  leader.  He  was  famous  be- 
fore he  came  to  Atchison,  because  of  his  widely  known  views  with  regard 
to  the  opening  of  Kansas  as  a  slave  State,  and  for  the  depth  and  force  of 


296  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

his  arguments  upon  the  points  then  at  issue.  General  Stringfellow  was  born 
in  Fredericksburg.  Va.,  September  3,  1816,  and  before  coming  to  Kansas  he 
was  a  resident  of  Missouri.  He  first  located  in  Louisville,  Ky..  and  tiien 
went  to  St.  Louis,  and  from  St.  Louis  to  Huntsville,  Mo.,  finally  locating  at 
Keytesville.  where  he  settled  down  in  liis  profession,  and  was  recognized  as 
being  a  young  lawyer  of  fine  ability.  He  declined  the  position  of  circuit 
attorne)',  but  upon  the  earnest  solicitation  of  the  governor,  he  finally  yielded 
and  entered  upon  the  duties  of  that  office,  and  subsequently  was  elected  without 
opposition,  and  held  that  office  for  a  term  of  four  years  at  a  salary  of  $250 
a  year.  He  subsequently  was  elected  to  the  legislature,  with  the  largest 
majority  ever  received  in  a  count)',  and  immediately  became  a  very  active, 
popular  and  influential  member  of  that  body.  Shortly  thereafter  the  position 
of  attorney-general  of  the  State  of  Missouri  became  vacant,  and  General 
Stringfellow  was  appointed  to  that  place.  He  held  the  office  of  attorney- 
general  for  four  years.  It  was  then  that  he  formed  a  partnership  wit!:  Hon. 
P.  T.  Abell,  which  continued  until  the  fall  of  185 1.  and  they  removed  to 
Weston,  Platte  county,  Missouri,  in  the  fall  of  1853. 

At  the  opening  of  Kansas  to  settlement  in  1854,  General  Stringfellow 
found  the  abolitionists  preparing  to  get  control  of  the  country,  and.  in  opposi- 
tion to  the  formation  of  the  Massachusetts  Immigrants'  Aid  Society,  he  took 
part  in  the  organization  of  a  pro-slavery  organization  at  W'eston.  Mo., 
known  as  the  Platte  County  Self-Defensive  Association,  of  which  he  was 
secretary,  and  one  of  its  most  active  members.  General  Stringfellow,  fore- 
i;eeing  the  conflict,  insisted  that  the  only  means  of  preventing  or  deferring  it, 
was  to  make  Kansas  a  slave  State,  and  thus  retain  sufficient  power  in  the 
T7nited  States  Senate  to  defeat  aggression  l)y  tlie  abolitionists  on  the  rights 
of  the  South.  General  Stringfellow,  with  all  the  power  and  enthusiasm  of 
his  southern  temperament,  labored  ceaselessly  for  the  success  of  his  cause. 
He  was  the  active  man  of  what  was  generally  called  "Atchison.  Stringfellow 
&  Company." 

When  the  pro-slavery  forces  finally  succeeded,  and  the  destiny  of  Kansas 
was  fixed.  General  Stringfellow  went  to  Memphis.  Tenn..  in  1858.  but  not 
liking  the  climate,  and  compelled  by  his  financial  interests  to  look  after  prop- 
erty in  .\tchison,  he  brought  his  family  here  and  b,ecame  a  resident  of  Atchi- 
son county  in  the  fall  of  1859,  and  remained  here  during  all  the  bitter  con- 
flict that  followed,  beloved  and  respected  by  friends  and  opponents  alike.  He 
submitted  gracefully  to  the  final  decision,  and.  while  never  seeking  office, 
and  influenced  in  his  political  action  by  what  he  deemed  the  best  interests 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 


297 


of  the  people  of  the  State,  he  cordially  cooperated  with  the  Republican  party 
in  Kansas,  but  he  was  preeminently  a  lawyer,  although  he  had  a  large  out- 
side business  interests  during  his  residence  here.  He  was  active  in  the  organ- 
ization and  construction  of  the  Atchison  &  St.  Joseph  railroad,  which  was 
the  first  railroad  connecting  Kansas  with  the  East,  and  was  its  first  attorney. 
Shorly  before  his  death  he  made  a  trip  around  the  world.  He  died  in 
Chicago  in  the  early  nineti*. 


GEN.  H.  F.  STRINGFELLOW 


COL.  J.  A,  .\1AUXI.\ 


A  few  years  after  General  Stringfellow  immigrated  from  Missouri  into 
Kansas,  there  came  another  famous  lawyer,  who  was  also  formerly  an  attor- 
ney-general of  ^Missouri,  Gen.  Bela  M.  Hughes.  General  Hughes  was  also 
one  of  the  brilliant  la\vyers  of  an  early  day,  whu  remained  in  Atchison  but 
a  few  years  as  general  counsel  for  the  Overland  Stage  Line.  Before  coming 
to  Atchison,  General  Hughes  was  a  resident  of  St.  Joseph,  where  he  was  the 
president  and  general  counsel  for  the  Central  Overland  California  &  PiUe's 
Peak  Express  Company,  \^'hcn  this  line  was  sold,  under  a  mortgage  fore- 
closure, to  Ben  Holladay,  in  1862,  General  Hughes  came  to  .\tchison.  He 
served  as  general  counsel  for  Mr.  Holladay  until  the  line  was  purchased 
by  Wells,  Fargo  &  Company.    He  was  retained  by  this  company  as  its  gen- 


298  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

eral  counsel,  which  continued  to  operate  the  overland  stage  hne,  until  a  rail- 
road was  built  across  the  plains,  meanwhile  moving  to  Denver,  where  he  was 
elected  the  first  president  and  general  counsel  of  the  Denver  &  Pacific  rail- 
way, the  first  railroad  to  enter  Denver,  in  July,  1870,  and  he  later  became 
general  counsel  for  the  Denver  &  South  Park  railroad,  and  a  member  of  the 
last  territorial  legislature  of  Colorado.  General  Hughes  was  born  in  Ken- 
tucky, educated  at  Augusta  College,  and  removed  with  his  parents  at  an  early 
date  to  Liberty,  Mo.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Missouri  legislature,  prose- 
cuting attorney,  and  receiver  of  the  United  States  land  office  at  Plattsburg, 
from  which  place  he  went  to  St.  Joseph.  In  his  early  youth  he  was  a  soldier 
in  the  Black  Hawk  war,  serving  with  the  Missouri  volunteers.  He  took  up 
his  residence  in  Denver  in  the  late  sixties,  when  the  city  had  less  than  5.000 
inliabitants.     He  died  in  Denver  in  1904,  at  the  age  of  eighty-six  years. 

Judge  Samuel  C.  Kingman  was  born  in  Worthington.  I\Iass..  June  6, 
1818.  He  attended  a  common  school  and  academies  of  his  home  town,  and 
became  proficient  in  higher  mathematics  and  Latin,  but  his  regular  attendance 
at  school  ended  when  he  was  seventeen  years  old.  He  was  always  a  sickly 
man,  and  at  times  during  his  life  was  compelled  to  lay  aside  all  study  and 
attention  to  active  affairs.  At  the  age  of  twenty  he  drifted  to  Kentucky, 
where  he  remained  eighteen  years,  teaching  school,  reading  law  and  practic- 
ing as  an  attorney.  He  held  offices  as  county  clerk  and  county  attorney  in 
Kentucky,  and  was  a  member  of  the  legislature  of  that  State  in  1850.  In 
1856  he  came  to  Iowa,  and  in  the  following  year  moved  to  Brown  county, 
Kansas,  where  he  lived  on  a  farm  for  a  year,  and  then  opened  a  law  office 
in  Hiawatha.  Jud.ge  Kingman  was  a  member  of  the  Wyandotte  Constitu- 
tional convention,  which  framed  the  constitution  of  the  State,  and  the  same 
year  was  elected  a  judge  of  the  supreme  court,  taking  his  seat  upon  the  ad- 
mission of  the  State  into  the  Union  in  1861,  holding  his  office  for  four  years. 
In  1866  he  was  elected  chief  justice,  and  reelected  in  1872,  but  because  of  ill 
health  he  resigned  in  1877.  and  retired  from  active  professional  life.  Judge 
Kingman  was  for  a  time  a  resident  of  Atchison  and  a  law  partner  of  John 
J.  Ingalls.     He  died  in  Topeka  September  9,  1904. 

Cassius  G.  Foster,  another  one  of  the  brilliant  galaxy  of  lawyers,  who 
practiced  in  Atchison  during  the  term  of  Judge  Price  on  the  bench,  was  born 
at  Webster,  Monroe  county.  New  York,  June  22,  1837.  He  was  lirought  up 
on  a  farm  until  he  was  fourteen  years  of  age,  and  having  only  the  advantages 
of  a  common  district  school,  he  attended  high  school  at  Palmyra.  N.  Y.,  after 
which  he  went  to  Michigan,  where  he  lived  on  a  farm  near  Adrian,  where  he 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  299 

worked  for  his  uncle.  Meanwhile,  he  attended  school  at  the  academy  in  Adrian. 
He  studied  law  with  Fernando  C.  Beaman,  of  Adrian,  and  afterwards  re- 
moved to  Rochester,  N.  Y.  In  June,  1859,  he  came  to  Kansas,  having  pre- 
viously been  greatly  interested  in  the  Free  State  struggle,  and  upon  arriving 
in  Atchison,  he  formed  a  partnership  with  Judge  S.  H.  Glenn,  and  immedi- 
ately won  for  himself  a  high  position  at  the  bar  of  the  State  and  Federal 
courts.  He  was  elected  State  senator  from  Atchison  county  in  1862,  and  was 
mayor  of  Atchison  in  1867.  He  practiced  law  here  until  1874,  when  he  was 
appointed  United  States  district  judge  of  Kansas. 

Hon.  P.  L.  Hubbard,  of  Atchison,  succeeded  Judge  Price  on  the  bench 
March  2,  1872,  and  served  until  January  8,  1877,  and  following  Judge  Hub- 
bard, Hon.  Alfred  G.  Otis  was  elected  judge  of  the  second  judicial  district 
January  8,  1877,  and  served  until  January,  188 1.  Judge  Otis  was  born  in 
Cortland  county,  New  York,  December  13,  1828,  and  came  to  Kansas  in 
October,  1855,  and  immediately  became  engaged  in  land  litigation,  which  at 
that  time  was  very  active  here.  During  the  early  career  of  Judge  Otis  in 
Atchison  county,  and  for  many  years  thereafter,  land  litigation  was  the  chief 
source  of  revenue  for  lawyers.  There  were  no  great  corporations  then  as 
now;  no  railroads  for  clients,  and  aside  from  land  litigation  and  a  general 
practice  of  the  law,  including  criminal  cases,  there  was  but  little  business  for 
lawyers.  At  that  time  the  criminal  practice  was  not  looked  upon  with  the 
same  disapprobation  on  the  part  of  the  profession  as  it  is  in  these  days.  A 
good  criminal  lawyer  then  was  an  ornament  to  the  profession,  and  a  good 
criminal  advocate  was  in  constant  demand  and  his  services  brought  him  large 
remuneration.  Judge  Otis  was  a  Democrat,  but  a  Union  man,  and  in  addi- 
tion to  his  activities  in  his  profession,  he  was  also  prominent  in  the  business 
affairs  of  the  town,  and  for  a  long  time  took  an  active  part  in  the  manage- 
ment of  the  Atchison  Savings  Bank,  of  which  he  was  for  many  years  presi- 
dent.    Judge  Otis  died  in  Atchison  May  7,  1912. 

Judge  Otis  was  succeeded  by  Hon.  David  Martin  in  January,  188 1. 
Judge  Martin  served  until  April,  1887,  and  was  one  of  the  eminent  members 
of  the  Atchison  county  bar.  In  personal  appearance  he  was  unique  among 
his  fellows,  and  in  physical  appearance  was  the  counterpart  of  Dickens' 
famous  Mr.  Pickwick.  He  was  a  partner  of  B.  P.  Waggener  for  a  number  of 
years,  and  was  subsequently  elected  to  the  position  of  chief  justice  of  the 
supreme  court  of  Kansas,  where  he  served  with  great  distinction.  He  was 
a  thorough  lawyer  and  a  scholar.     He  died  at  Atchison  March  2,  1901. 

It  was  between  the  terms  of  Judge  Price  and  Judge  David  Martin  that 


300  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

the  bar  of  Atchison  county  reached  its  greatest  eminence,  and.  wliile  there 
have  been  good  lawyers  here  since  that  time,  there  never  has  been  a  period 
in  the  histor}'^  of  the  county  when  there  were  so  many  brilhant  practitioners  at 
the  bar.  During  several  years  following  Judge  Martin,  the  second  judicial 
district,  which  constituted  Atchison  county  alone,  was  torn  by  internal  dis- 
sension, and  upon  the  resignation  of  Judge  Martin.  Hon.  H.  M.  Jackson  was 
elected  to  the  bench,  April  i,  1887,  and  served  until  January,  1888.  There 
never  was  a  more  conscientious  or  painstaking  lawyer  a  resident  of  Atchi- 
son than  Judge  Jackson.  He  was  not  only  a  fine  lawyer,  but  he  was  a  good 
citizen,  useful  to  clients  and  the  pul>lic  alike.  At  his  death,  May  7,  191 2,  he 
left  a  large  practice,  which  has  since  been  conducted  by  his  son,  Z.  E.  Jackson. 
Following  a  bitter  contest,  Hon.  W.  D.  Gilbert  succeeded  Judge  Jackson  in 
January,  1888,  and  served  until  1889,  and  then  came  Hon.  Robert  N.  Eaton, 
whose  term  began  in  January,  1889.  and  ended  in  January,  1893.  J"<^1&^ 
Eaton  was  succeeded  by  Hon.  W.  D.  Webb,  who  in  turn  was  succeeded  by 
Hon,  W.  T.  Bland,  who  served  from  January,  1897,  to  January,  1902.  and 
resigned  to  go  into  the  wholesale  drug  business.  Hon.  Benjamin  F.  Hudson, 
one  of  the  oldest  practitioners  at  the  bar.  succeeded  Judge  Bland  and  served 
until  October  11,  1909,  and  was  succeeded  by  Hon.  \\'illiam  A.  Jackson,  the 
present  judge,  a  sketch  of  whose  career  appears  in  another  part  of  this  history. 

During  the  turbulent  years  that  followed  the  organization  of  the  second 
judicial  district,  down  to  1916,  there  was  no  greater  lawyer  at  the  Atchison 
county  bar  than  B.  P.  Waggener,  about  whom  there  appears  an  historical 
sketch  in  another  part  of  this  history.  Mr.  Waggener.  in  addition  to  being 
a  native  genius,  inherited  or  acquired  a  faculty  for  unremitting  toil.  These 
qualifications  make  him  stand  out  in  1916  as  a  brilliant  leader  of  his  pro- 
fession in  Atchison  county.  He  has  been  associated  as  a  partner  with  many 
men  who  have  been  preeminent  in  their  profession  at  different  periods  in  his 
career,  Horton.  Martin  and  Doster,  all  of  whom  served  as  chief  justices  of 
the  State,  were  his  jjartners,  and  in  addition  to  these,  Aaron  S.  Everest  was 
at  one  time  a  jiartner  under  tlie  firm  name  of  Everest  &  Waggener.  In 
January.  1876,  this  firm  was  appointed  general  attorneys  for  northern  Kan- 
sas of  the  Missouri  Pacific  and  the  Central  Branch  railroads,  and  from  that 
date  to  1916  Mr.  Waggener  has  been  in  the  constant  service  of  this  road, 
first  as  general  attorney  and  later  as  general  counsel  for  the  states  of  Kan- 
sas, Nebraska  and  Colorado. 

Col.  Aaron  S.  Everest  was  an  interesting  member  of  this  bar.  He  was  a 
native  of  Plattsburg,  N.  Y.,  and  located  in  Kansas  in  1871.     His  first  partner 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  301 

was  A.  G.  Otis,  and  when  he  and  Mr.  Waggcner  were  associated,  they  were 
not  only  attorneys  for  the  Missouri  Pacific  Railway  Company,  but  for  the 
Pacific  Express  Company,  the  Western  Union  Telegraph  Company,  three 
Atchison  banks,  the  Atchison  Bridge  Company,  and  the  firm  was  also  con- 
nected with  the  Union  Pacific  Railroad  Company.  Mr.  Everest  retired  from 
active  practice  a  number  of  years  before  his  death,  having  acquired  a  com- 
fortable fortune  in  the  practice  of  law  and  in  business  operations.  He  died  in 
St.  Louis  a  number  of  years  ago. 

The  present  membership  of  the  Atchison  county  bar  is  composed  of  law- 
yers of  fine  abilities,  and  the  active  members  are  as  follows :  James  \\\  Orr, 
for  many  years  a  partner  of  Mr.  Waggener,  and  now  special  counsel  for  the 
Government  in  important  litigation  against  the  Central  Pacific  railroad;  \V. 
P.  Waggener,  general  attorney  for  the  Missouri  Pacific  Railway  Company  in 
Kansas;  J.  M.  Challiss,  former  county  attorney,  and  a  member  of  the  firm 
of  Waggener,  Challiss  &  Crane,  of  which  A.  E.  Crane  is  the  other  member ; 
W.  A.  Jackson,  district  judge;  Charles  J.  Conlon,  county  attorney,  C.  D. 
Walker  and  T.  A.  Moxcey,  both  of  whom  were  former  county  attorneys ;  W. 
E.  Brown,  city  attorney;  Z.  E.  Jackson,  of  the  firm  of  Jackson  &  Jackson; 
Judge  J.  L.  Berry,  P.  Ha^es.  Hugo  Orlopp,  E.  W.  Clausen,  Ralph  u'  Pfouts,' 
Charles  T.  Gundy,  judge  of  the  city  court,  George  L.  Brown.  William  O.' 
Cain,  and  Andrew  Deduall. 


CHAPTER  XIX 


MEDICAL  PROFESSION. 


FIRST  PHYSICIANS EARLY  PRACTICE PIONEER  REMEDIES MODERN  MEDICINE 

AND      SURGERY PROMINENT      PHYSICIANS      AND      SURGEONS ATCHISON 

COUNTY  MEDICAL  SOCIETY. 

Any  history  of  this  county  would  be  incomplete  did  it  not  dwell  at  some 
length  upon  the  activities  of  the  splendid  sei^vice  rendered  the  community  by 
the  physicians  and  surgeons  who  were  among  the  earliest  arrivals  upon  the 
frontier,  and  have  presided  at  the  births  and  administered  to  the  sick  and  dying 
for  the  past  sixty  years. 

It  was  peculiarly  fitting  and  appropriate  when  Atchison,  was  born,  that  a 
prominent  physician  of  those  days  was  on  hand  to  assist  in  the  delivery.  In 
truth,  Dr.  J.  H.  Stringfellow  was  not  only  the  physician  in  charge,  but  he  also 
was  one  of  the  parents  also,  and  from  that  time  to  the  present  the  medical 
profession  has  been  active  in  the  affairs  of  the  county.  There  have  teen  many 
splendid  representatives  of  the  profession  here  since  the  days  of  Dr.  String- 
fellow,  and  the  vicissitudes  and  trials  and  hardships  they  went  through 
make  up  a  romantic  chapter  in  our  history.  The  oldest  physician  in  the  city 
of  Atchison  in  1916  in  point  of  service  is  Dr.  E.  T.  Shelly,  and  it  might  be 
said,  without  disparagement  to  others,  he  is  not  only  the  oldest,  but  he  is  per- 
haps held  in  as  high  esteem  and  respect  as  any  other  physician  who  ever 
practiced  here.  Dr.  Shelly  combines  the  qualities  that  make  for  good  citizen- 
ship. He  treats  his  profession  as  a  good  Christian  treats  his  religion.  He  is 
a  man  of  ideals,  of  vision,  of  integrity,  and  his  life  rings  true.  Yet,  withal, 
Dr.  Shelly  is  not  a  professional  hermit.  While  his  profession  comes  first,  he 
does  not  allow  it  to  exclude  him  from  an  active  interest  and  participation  in 
the  affairs  of  life.  He  is  a  student  of  political  and  economic  questions,  an 
essayist,  and  a  vigorous  advocate  of  a  liberal  democracy.    His  views  on  these 

302 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  3O3 

questions  are  wholesome  and  instructive,  but  it  is  to  the  profession  of  medi- 
cine tliat  Dr.  Slielly  addressed  himself  in  a  recent  interview  the  author  of  this 
history  had  with  him,  and  his  views  were  expressed  as  follows : 

"What  changes  liave  occurred  in  the  practice  of  medicine  since  the  days 
of  the  first  physicians  here !  He  did  his  work  on  horseback  with  his  medicines 
in  saddle-bags  thrown  over  the  horse,  and  often  had  to  go  many  miles  to 
visit  a  patient  over  a  sparsel}-  settled  prairie  with  roads  that  were  little  more 
than  trails.  The  streams  he  had  to  cross  were  bridgeless.  and  the  larger  ones 
could  be  crossed  only  at  fords,  which,  after  heavy  rains  or  during  freezing 
weather,  were  very  dangerous. 

"Today,  in  this  section  of  the  State,  these  primitive  conditions  can  hardly 
be  imagined.  Nearly  every  country  doctor  now  has  an  automobile,  and 
crosses  gullies  and  streams  on  concrete  bridges  and  travels  over  'dragged' 
roads.  Instead  of  passing  through  a  sparsely  settled  country,  he  finds  a  fine 
large  farm  house  on  nearly  every  'quarter'  or  'eighty'  supplemented  bv  a  sub- 
stantial barn  and  spacious  granaries.  He  passes  a  school  house  every  few 
miles  and  occasionally  a  rural  church,  and  lives  in  a  comfortable,  modern 
home  in  a  flourishing,  well  kept  country  town. 

"In  the  science  and  art  of  medicine  the  change  has  been  no  less  marked 
than  in  its  general  practice. 

"Until  forty  years  ago,  doctors  possessed  a  few  great  remedies  which 
they  often  used  very  skillfully,  but  the  knowledge  of  the  nature  of  disease 
was  very  slight.  Treatment  was  largely  symptomatic;  that  is,  remedies  were 
expected  chiefly  to  combat  certain  symptoms,  rather  tlian  to  treat  underlying 
causes. 

"A  notion  very  prevalent  until  then,  and  which  has  not  yet  disappeared 
entirely,  was  that  there  is  a  remedy  for  every  disease,  and  that  whenever  a 
patient  is  not  cured  of  his  illness  it  is  due,  not  to  the  limitations  of  the  heaUng 
art,  but  to  the  fact  that  treatment  was  not  begun  early  enough,  or  his  doctor 
didn't  know  enough,  or  didn't  care  enough  to  give  him  the  right  medicine. 
About  that  time  it  began  to  dawn  on  the  most  thoughtful  and  capable  med- 
ical men  that  the  course  of  disease  can  usually  not  be  quickly  checked;  that 
most  diseases  run  a  definite  course ;  that  most  patients  recover  spontaneously, 
or  the  disease  persists  to  the  end  and  is  not  much  influenced  by  any  of  the 
remedies  used.  About  that  time  medical  men  began  to  appreciate  also  an- 
other fact:  that  underlying  most  diseases,  there  is  a  natural  tendency  toward 
recovery,  which  means  that  most  diseases  will  cure  themselves  if  given  time 
enough. 


304  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

"While  medical  men  insist  that  the  practice  of  medicine  is  both  a  science 
and  an  art,  they  are  also  perfectly  willing  to  admit  that  it  is  neither  an  exact 
science  nor  a  perfect  art.  In  other  words,  modern  medicine  admits  that  it 
has  not  yet  scaled  the  heights  or  fathomed  the  depths  of  scientific  knowledge 
in  regard  to  the  nature  of  disease  or  of  its  cure.  It  is  still  willing  to  learn. 
Indeed,  it  realizes  the  fact  that  there  is  still  infinitely  more  to  learn  than  has 
yet  been  found  out.  And  there  is  no  avenue  of  human  knowledge  which  it 
is  not  willing  to  explore  in  order  to  find  out  things  that  will  get  the  sick 
well  and  keep  the  well  from  getting  sick. 

"A  stunning  blow  to  the  old  notions  of  the  nature  of  disease  and  to  the 
old  methods  of  treatment,  was  administered  about  thirty  years  ago  by  the  dis- 
covery that  most  diseases  are  due  to  infinitely  small,  living  organisms,  called 
germs  or  liacteria,  wliicli  pre\-  upon,  or  poison  the  tissues  of  the  body,  and 
therein-  disturl),  more  or  less  seriously,  some,  or  all,  of  the  norma!  functions 
of  the  body.  The  scientific  laboratory  thereupon  became  the  shrine  of  mod- 
ern medicine ;  a  new  epoch  in  medicine  had  arrived. 

"This  new  epoch  meant  not  only  that  medical  and  surgical  disorders 
were  henceforth  to  be  treated  in  a  much  more  scientific  and  rational  way  than 
they  had  been  in  the  past,  but  that  one  of  the  greatest  scientific  conquests  of 
the  ages  was  underway — the  intelligent  prevention  of  disease.  Preventive 
medicine  had  been  born.  Soon  thereafter  a  new  and  unprecedented  popular 
interest  in  medical  matters  liecame  prevalent.  Newspapers,  magazines  and  the 
public  forum  took  a  hand  in  popularizing  this  new  knowledge  of  the  nature 
of  disease  and  the  methods  of  preventing  disease,  which  was  founded  on  the 
new  knowledge.  Disease  began  to  be  looked  on  no  longer  as  only  a  mys- 
terious dispensation  of  Providence,  but  as  a  thing  which,  as  scientific  medi- 
cine advanced,  was  more  and  more  to  come  under  the  knowledge  and  con- 
trol of  science. 

"In  no  domain  of  modern  medicine  have  greater  advances  been  made 
than  in  surgery,  due  chiefly  to  the  discovery  of  the  role  which  germs  play 
in  the  causation  of  surgical  troubles.  Because  of  the  discovery  of  the  neces- 
sity of  asepsis  (the  absence  of  germs)  in  surgical  operations  and  its  practical 
application,  operations,  which,  if  done  thirty  years  ago,  would  have  been 
almost  invariably  fatal,  can  now  be  done  nearly  with  impunity.  Then,  surgi- 
cal operations  in  large  surgical  clinics  were  done  by  men  in  Prince  Albert 
coats.  Today,  the  surgeon  and  his  assistants  are  arrayed  in  sterilized  white 
gowns  and  rubber  gloves  with  caps  for  their  heads  and  special  coverings  for 
mouth  and  nose,  which  are  worn  in  order  to  prevent  any  unfiltered,  con- 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTV  305 

taminated  vapor  from  these  orifices  coming  in  contact  with  the  freshly 'made 
wound.  Where  proper  precautions  are  taken,  and  no  pus  or  other  fihh  has 
come  in  contact  with  the  wound,  some  of  the  most  extensive  operations  are 
followed  by  immediate  repair,  without  the  formation  of  pus  in  the  wound.  To 
enumerate  even  a  small  part  of  the  triumphs  of  modern  surg-ery  would 
occupy  too  much  space  and  is  uncalled  for  here,  and  these  triumphs  would 
have  been  impossible  before  the  advent  of  surgical  cleanliness. 

"But  modern  medicine  does  not  stop  at  treating  or  curing  people.  It 
does  something  even  bigger  and  better — it  tries  to  keep  them  well.  Indeed, 
the  medical  profession  is  the  only  immolating  profession  there  is — the  only 
profession  that  is  all  the  time  tr\ing,  by  its  efforts  in  the  direction  of  pre- 
ventive medicine,  to  destroy  its  onI\-  source  of  income — the  treatment  of 
disease — by  doing  all  within  its  power  to  make  disease  less  and  less  prev- 
alent. It  is  continually  urging  Ijetter  personal  and  public  hygiene  and  san- 
itation. Because  medical  men  understand  the  stunting  effects  of  ill  health 
on  the  growing  mind  and  body  of  the  child,  they  are  urging  careful  med- 
ical inspection  of  schools  and  school  children,  and  they  call  for  better  health 
conditions  in  the  family,  the  factory,  and  the  mine,  and  they  denounce  with- 
out measure  unhealthy  child  labor.  Modern  medicine  tries  to  banish  from 
the  home  and  school,  as  nearly  as  may  be,  that  brutal  precept — "He  that 
spareth  the  rod,  hateth  his  son" — because  it  knows  that  the  irritable,  petulent, 
stubborn  child  may  be  a  sick  child,  or  has  fools  for  parents,  while  the  incor- 
rigible boy  or  girl  needs  the  attention  of  an  exi)ert  in  nerv(jus  and  mental 
diseases  rather  than  the  lirutality  of  an  impatient,  ignorant  parent  or 
policeman. 

"Modern  medicine  enters  the  jungle  and  by  proper  sanitary  rules  and 
regulations  makes  a  deadly,  miasmatic  swamp  a  model  of  cleanliness  and 
healthfulness,  as  was  done  in  the  Panama  canal  zone,  and  without  which  the 
building  of  the  canal  would  have  been  impossible. 

"Modern  medicine  seeks  to  help  and  to  save  mankind,  not  only  from 
physical  ills,  but  from  moral  ills  as  well.  By  the  careful  study  of  the  in- 
fluence of  inheritance  and  environment  on  the  development  and  the  conduct 
of  the  child,  it  tries  to  make  his  physical  inheritance  as  favorable  as  possil)le. 
and  his  economic  and  social  environment  as  helpful  as  may  be,  realizing  that 
much  of  our  moral  delinquency  is  due  to  unjust  civic  and  economic 
conditions." 

It  would  require  a  \-olume  to  tell  the  story  of  the  lives  of  all  the  early- 
day  physicians  of  this  county.  Investigation  discloses  the  fact  that  they  were 
numerous,  and  that  in  addition  to  Dr.  Stringfellow.  who  gave  more  of  his  time 

20 


306  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

to  political  matters  than  to  his  profession,  there  was  a  Dr.  D.  McVay  here 
prior  to  i860.  He  was  a  southern  gentleman,  but  apparently  had  more  dis- 
cretion than  valor,  for  he  fled  from  Atchison  at  the  beginning  of  the  Civil 
war.  Dr.  William  Grimes,  concerning  whose  life  brief  mention  has  been 
heretofore  made  in  this  histoiy,  was  a  physician  at  Atchison  in  1858.  Dr.  W.  W. 
Cochrane  was  another  physician  of  the  old  school,  a  courtly,  amiable  gentle- 
man, and  a  good  physician.  He  was  for  a  number  of  years  treasurer  of  the 
Kansas  Medical  Society,  and  was  a  pioneer  among  pliysicians  in  administer- 
ing chloroform  in  childbirth  cases.  Dr.  Arnold  was  here  in  1859,  and  later, 
on  a  trip  to  Denver,  he  was  scalped  by  the  Indians.  Dr.  Joseph  Malin,  of 
Weston,  Mo.,  who  married  one  of  the  McAdows,  was  a  physician  in  Atch- 
ison in  1861,  and  Dr.  J.  V.  Brining  practiced  in  Atchison  in  1862.  and  re- 
mained a  practitioner  here  until  1914. 

Dr.  William  Gough,  who  iiad  been  a  Confederate  army  surgeon,  located 
in  Atchison  shortly  after  the  war.  He  practiced  in  St.  Joseph  before  coming 
to  Atchison,  and  also  at  DeKalb,  where  he  married  Mrs.  Annie  Dunning. 
From  DeKalb  he  moved  to  Rushville,  and  then  came  to  Atchison,  where  he 
formed  a  partnership  with  the  late  Dr.  J.  M.  Linley.  Together  they  enjoyed 
an  extensive  medical  and  surgical  practice,  until  1887,  when  Dr.  Gough  moved 
to  Los  Angeles,  Cal.,  for  the  benefit  of  his  health.  He  died  there  in  1908. 
Dr.  Gough  is  described  by  his  friends  as  being  a  man  of  large  physique,  the 
soul  of  honor,  and  displayed  the  utmost  care  and  gentleness  in  the  care  of  his 
patients. 

Dr.  W.  L.  Challiss  came  to  Atchison  in  1857,  and  while  standing 
high  in  his  profession,  gave  most  of  his  time  to  business  affairs,  and  prac- 
ticed only  spasmodically.  There  was  also  a  Dr.  Buddington  in  Atchison  in 
1864,  who  ran  a  drug  store  at  Fourth  and  Commercial  streets. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  members  of  the  medical  profession  in  an 
early  day  was  Dr.  Charles  F.  Kob,  a  German  physician,  who  lived  here  about 
1858.  Dr.  Kob  had  been  a  surgeon  in  the  army  and  a  member  of  the  Mas- 
sachusetts and  Connecticut  Medical  Society.  He  founded  the  town  of  Bunker 
Hill,  on  Independence  creek,  ten  miles  north  of  Atchison,  to  which  reference 
has  already  been  made  in  this  history.  He  lived  and  practiced  in  Boston  be- 
fore coming  to  Atchison.  Dr.  Amaziah  Moore  was  another  very  early  day 
physician,  who  located  on  a  farm  three  or  four  miles  west  of  Lancaster,  in 
1857.  He  came  from  Ohio.  In  1861  he  helped  organize  a  company  for  the 
Civil  war,  which  became  Company  D  of  the  Second  Kansas  cavalry,  of  which 
he  was  captain. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 


307 


DR.  W.  W.  COCHRANE 


WILLIAM  L.  CHALLIS 


Dr.  John  C.  Batsell  lived  about  two  and  one-half  miles  northwest  of 
Monrovia.  He  was  a  native  of  Kentucky,  and  was  born  in  Marion  county 
March  16,  181S.  He  was  reared  and  educated  in  his  native  county,  where  he 
<ook  up  the  study  of  medicine,  and  became  proficient  in  the  science.  He  com- 
menced the  practice  of  his  profession  in  Valeene,  Orange  county,  Indiana, 
where  he  continued  successfully  for  over  seven  years.  In  the  autumn  of  1855 
he  came  to  Atcliison  county,  along  with  John  Graves  and  others,  and  after 
looking  around,  went  to  DeKalb,  Mo.,  where  he  remained  until  the  sprin.g 
of  1866,  when  he  returned  to  Atchison  county,  and  preempted  a  quarter  sec- 
lion,  upon  which  he  Jived,  northwest  of  Monrovia.  He  engaged  in  the  prac- 
tice of  medicine  in  connection  with  farming,  being  frequently  called  into 
Doniphan  and  Brown  counties.  Malarial  diseases  prevailed  to  a  great  ex- 
tent in  those  early  days,  and  the  people  were  in  straitened  circumstances. 
He  furnished  medicine  and  attended  to  their  wants,  losing  largely  in  a 
financial  way,  as  the  greater  portion  of  the  first  dwellers  moved  away.  In 
1863  Dr.  Batsell  organized  one-half  of  Company  D,  Thirteenth  Kansas,  of 
which  he  was  tendered  the  captaincy,  but  declined  and  accepted  the  position  of 
first  lieutenant.  On  account  of  serious  illness  he  only  served  three  months 
in  the  army.  He  was  major  of  the  Thirteenth  Kansas  during  the  Price  raid, 
and  at  the  close  of  the  war  was  elected  to  the  legislature  by  the  Republican 
party.     He  was  originally  an  old-line  Whig,  but  upon  the  organization  of  the 


308  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY 

Republican  party  he  joined  it,  as  he  was  in  favor  of  the  aboHtion  of  slavery'. 
During  his  latter  years  he  discontinued  his  practice  and  devoted  his  time  to 
his  farm.     He  died  about  ten  years  ago. 

Dr.  David  Wait  came  from  Missouri  to  Kansas  in  1859  and  settled  on 
a  farm  near  Eden  postoffice,  now  known  as  the  Vollmer  farm.  He  was  a 
striking-looking  man  and  was  looked  upon  as  very  proficient  in  his  pro- 
fession. He  was  an  ardent  Union  man.  In  fact.  Dr.  Moore,  Dr.  Batsell  and 
Dr.  Wait  were  all  of  great  help  to  the  Union  cause  in  the  days  before  the  war. 

Among  other  leading  physicians  of  the  county,  outside  of  Atchison,  of 
the  early  days,  were  Dr.  J-  F.  Martin,  Dr.  S.  G.  Page,  Dr.  C.  C.  Stivers,  and 
Dr.  Desmond,  concerning  whom  the  following  informatitm  is  available: 

Dr.  J.  F.  Martin  was  one  of  the  first  practitioners  in  Atchison  county. 
He  was  a  native  of  Bourbon  county,  Kentucky,  and  was  born  September  29, 
1828.  He  graduated  at  the  Transylvania  Medical  University,  in  1854.  and 
afterwards  took  a  course  of  lectures  in  St.  Louis  Medical  Uni\ersity.  Sub- 
sequentlv  he  removed  to  DeKalb,  Mo.,  wliere  he  practiced  until  1836.  coming 
to  Kansas  about  the  same  time  that  Dr.  Batsell  came.  He  had  a  large  prac- 
tice in  Doniphan  and  Brown  counties.  He  practiced  ten  years,  and  returned 
to  Decatur.  111.,  in  1866,  where  he  remained  seven  years,  ami  returned  to 
Kansas,  locating  in  Effingham.     He  died  in  Effingham  in  1877. 

Dr.  S.  G.  Page,  a  native  of  Juniata  county,  Pennsylvania,  was  born 
Julv  16,  1845.  He  attended  Bellevue  Hospital  Medical  College  in  Xew  York 
in  1867:  came  to  Kansas  in  1868,  and  located  in  Center  townsln'p,  five  miles 
south  of  Effingham,  where  he  located  on  a  farm  which  he  operated  a  few 
years,  and  then  located  in  Effingham. 

Dr.  C.  C.  Stivers,  a  native  of  Brown  county,  Ohio,  was  born  January 
6,  1842.  He  enlisted  in  Company  A,  Sixtieth  Ohio  Volunteer  infantry:  par- 
ticipated in  the  battles  of  Bull  Run,  Cross  Keys  and  Port  Royal.  Returning 
from  the  war,  he  took  a  course  of  lectures  at  IMiami  University  in  Oxford 
Ohio:  located  in  Eden  in  1877  and  practiced  until  188 1.  when  he  became  a 
resident  of  Effingham.  In  1880  he  attemlcd  Keokuk  Medical  College,  grad- 
uating from  that  institution.  He  had  the  reputation  of  being  a  brilliant  con- 
versationalist and  a  \'ery  interesting  gentleman. 

The  first  doctor  to  locate  at  Lancaster  was  Dr.  Desmond,  who  went  there 
in  the  latter  seventies.  While  there  he  married  a  Miss  Streeper,  of  Good 
Intent,  and  alx)ut  1885  moved  to  Stewartsville,  Mo.  Dr.  Desmond  was  suc- 
ceeded at  Lancaster  by  Dr.  A.  L.  Charles,  who  came  there  from  Bunker  Hill, 
Russell  county,  Kansas,  where  he  had  gone  four  years  previousl)^  after  grad- 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  3O9 

uating-  from  the  Kansas  City  ^ledical  College.  Soon  after  locating  at  Lan- 
caster. Dr.  Charles  married  IMiss  Alice  Keeney,  who  lived  near  Lancaster. 
Dr.  and  Mrs.  Charles  raised  a  family  of  seven  children,  the  eldest  of  whom 
is  the  Atchison  surgeon.  Dr.  Hugh  L.  Charles.  Mrs.  Charles  died  of  pneu- 
monia in  the  Atchison  hospital  in  January,  191 5.  Dr.  Charles  has  been  a  very 
successful  physician.  He  enjoys  the  profoundest  respect  of  his  colleagues 
throughout  the  county,  who  regard  him  as  an  ideal  physician.  It  is  need- 
less to  add  that  he  also  enjoys  the  the  utmost  confidence  and  esteem  of  a 
clientele  whose  numbers  are  limited  only  by  his  ability  to  serve. 

The  first  physician  at  Mt.  Pleasant  was  Dr.  Eagle,  who  located  there 
during  territorial  days  and  practiced  for  a  number  of  years.  Dr.  Jacob  Larry 
also  located  at  Mt.  Pleasant  about  1856.  He  was  a  South  Carolinian,  and 
a  graduate  of  Charleston  Medical  College.  During  the  war  he  was  a  surgeon 
in  the  army.  He  located  in  latan.  Mo.,  and  was  building  u])  a  large  practice 
when  he  committed  suicide  by  taking  strychnine  and  then  Ijlowing  his  brains 
out  with  a  pistol.  Before  moving  to  latan  Dr.  Larry  induced  Dr.  John  Par- 
sons, of  King's  Bridge,  N.  Y.,  who  also  had  been  an  army  surgeon,  to  come 
to  Mt.  Pleasant.  Dr.  Parsons  practiced  there  several  years,  and  his  prac- 
tice became  so  large  that  he  finally  induced  Dr.  George  W.  Redmon  to  locate 
at  Mt.  Pleasant  and  assist  him.  Dr.  Redmon  located  there  in  the  fall  of  1872, 
and  remained  a  number  of  years,  later  locating  at  Oak  Mills.  There  was  also 
a  Dr.  \\'.  ^^'.  Crook  at  Mt.  Pleasant,  in  the  seventies.  Dr.  Crook  also  prac- 
ticed in  Doniphan,  and  later  moved  to  Wyoming.  Dr.  P.  R.  Moore  was 
another  physician  who  located  in  Mt.  Pleasant  townsh.ip  during  the  seventies, 
as  was  also  Dr.  Johnson.  Dr.  Charles  H.  Linley,  now  a  resident  physician 
of  Atchison,  practiced  in  Mt.  Pleasant  for  a  number  of  years,  and  following 
Dr.  Linley  came  Dr.  Miller  and  Dr.  Rice.  Dr.  Roberts  had  a  small  drug  store 
and  practiced  medicine  at  Oak  Mills  in  the  early  days.  He  was  addicted  to 
the  liquor  habit,  and  was  found  dead  in  his  office  one  morning.  He  had  been 
preceded  in  practice  at  Oak  Mills  by  Dr.  Earle,  who  lived  about  half  wav  be- 
tween Oak  Mills  and  Kickapoo,  and  who  settled  there  during  the  fifties. 

Dr.  J.  M.  Linley  came  to  Atchison  March  14,  1865.  He  was  born  in 
Concord,  Ky.,  October  28,  1837.  He  attended  college  at  Princeton,  Ky.,  and 
was  graduated  from  Miami  Medical  College  at  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  in  March. 
1858,  and  subseciuently  attended  lectures  in  Bellevue  College,  New  York.  He 
was  post  surgeon  at  New  Madrid,  Mo.,  in  1864.  Dr.  Linley  was  one  of  the 
most  successful  practitioners  of  Atchison  and  was  held  in  high  esteem.  In 
1891  he  went  abroad  and  attended  clinics  in  hospitals  of  Berlin  and  Lnndnn. 
He  died  in  Phoenix,  .Ariz.,  November  28,   iqoo. 


3IO  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

The  following  are  the  members  of  the  Atchison  County  Medical 
Society  as  reported  in  1915:  Dr.  C.  H.  Johnson,  Dr.  H.  L.  Charles, 
Dr.  M.  T.  Dingess,  Dr.  E.  J.  Bribach,  Dr.  Robert  Dickey,  Dr.  E.  P.  Pitts, 
Dr.  C.  A.  Lilly,  Dr.  Charles  Robinson,  Dr.  C.  H.  Linley,  Dr.  T.  E.  Homer, 
Dr.  F.  A.  Pearl,  Dr.  P.  R.  Moore,  Emmingham,  Dr.  S.  M.  Myers,  Potter, 
Dr.  G.  E.  White,  Effingham,  Dr.  G.  W.  Allaman,  Dr.  \V:  F.  Smith.  Dr. 
Virgil  Morrison,  Dr.  E.  T.  Shelly. 


CHAPTER  XX. 


INDUSTRIAL  AND  COMMERCIAL. 


MUCH      WEALTH      AND     ENTERPRISE     ABOUND MANUFACTURING MILLING 

EXTENSIVE     WHOLESALE     HARDWARE     AND     GROCERY     ESTABLISHMENTS 

PLANING    MILLS VARIOUS    JOBBING  -AND    RETAIL   INTERESTS. 

Industrial  enterprises  of  Atchison  county,  so  far  as  manufacturing  and 
jobbing  interests  are  concerned,  are  confined  exclusively  to  the  city  of  Atchi- 
son. There  are  no  mills  or  factories  or  large  manufacturing  institutions  in 
any  of  the  smaller  towns  of  the  county.  Outside  of  Atchison  the  labor  and 
industry  of  the  citizens  are  directed  in  agricultural  pursuits ;  the  tilling  of  the 
soil,  the  breeding  of  live  stock  and  the  development  of  all  the  other  arts  of 
husbandry,  but  in  the  city  of  Atchison  there  are  a  number  of  establishments 
which  give  emplo}ment  to  labor,  and  which  in  a  number  of  instances  ship 
their  finished  products  to  all  parts  of  the  United  States  and  into  the  ports  of 
foreign  countries. 

Atchison,  however,  strictly  speaking,  is  not  a  factory  town,  nor  a  great 
manufacturing  center.  Tliere  have  been  times  in  its  history  when  it  was  more 
important,  commercially,  than  now,  but  that  was  in  the  days  before  the  great 
onrush  to  Kansas  City.  Yet  the  town  today  is  a  substantial,  solid  community, 
where  much  wealth  and  enterprise  abound,  and  where  there  has  been  a 
steady,  healthy  commercial  growth. 

The  largest  manufacturing  plant  is  the  John  Seaton  Foundry  Company, 
and  the  Locomotive  Finished  Material  Company,  an  associated  enterprise,  es- 
tablished by  the  late  John  Seaton,  who  moved  to  Atcliison  from  Alton,  III.,  in 
1 87 1,  having  been  induced  to  come  to  Atchison  by  a  handsome  donation  from 
the  citizens  of  the  town.  Mr.  Seaton  originally  manufactured  much  architec- 
tural work;  iron  and  brass  casting,  boilers,  jail  and  sheet  iron  work.  For  a 
while  it  was  conducted  under  the  firm  name  of  Seaton  &  Lea,  i)iu  shortly  be- 

311 


312 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 


fore  the  death  of  Captain  Seaton,  a  few  years  ago,  the  Locomotive  Finished 
Material  Company  was  organized  to  put  the  finishing  touches  on  castings  and 
at  the  death  of  Mr.  Seaton,  H.  E.  Muchnic  hecame  president  and  general 
manager  of  the  company,  with  John  C.  Seaton,  Clive  Hastings,  \V.  S.  Fer- 
guson and  G.  L.  Seaton  as  associate  directors.  Tlic  average  numljer  of  em- 
ployees is  about  226,  when  the  total  horse  power  is  500.  They  ha\T  a  payroll 
of  over  $14,000  a  month,  and  are  dciing  a  large  business  with  railroads  and 
other  hig  industrial  i)lants  throughout  llie  countr_\-. 

The  Manglesdorf  Brothers  Company  is  one  of  the  oldest  establishments 
in  the  city.  It  began  in  1875  as  a  side  line  in  connection  with  the  retail  gro- 
cery business,  by  August  and  William  Manglesdorf,  and  is  now  conducted  by 
the  sons  of  tlie  founders.  It  is  one  of  the  largest  seed  houses  in  the  West. 
The  business  was  incorporated  in  1887,  and  the  officers  in  1916  are  as  fol- 
lows: August  Manglesdorf,  president:  A.  F.  Manglesdorf,  vice-president;  Ed. 
F.  Manglesdorf,  vice-president;  F.  H.  Manglesdorf,  treasurer,  and  F.  \\'. 
Manglesdorf,  secretary. 


The  business  has  grown  to  sucli  an  extent  that  it  was  thought  advisable 
to  close  out  the  retail  end  of  it  and  it  is  now  conducted  as  an  exclusively  whole- 
sale seed  house.  The  new  warehouse,  whicli  the  firm  now  occupies,  was 
erected  last  year  and  gives  it  one  of  the  largest  and  most  complete  plants  in 
the  West.     The  new  building  is  modern  in  e\ery  way,  strictly  fire-proof  and 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHIS.ON  COUNTY  3I3 

provides  an  enormous  space  for  storing  and  handling  the  stocks,  whicli  are 
accumulated  for  the  spring  trade.  The  seed  line,  perhaps  more  than  any  other, 
is  a  seasonable  one,  and  by  far  the  greater  proportion  of  the  year's  business 
must  be  crowded  into  a  few  spring  months.  It  is  necessary,  therefore,  to 
move  goods  quickly  and  in  large  quantities,  when  the  season  is  on.  For  this 
purpose,  the  warehouses  are  equipped  with  suitable  machinery  and  devices, 
which  are  kept  up  to  the  highest  possible  efficiency  for  handling  and  cleaning 
the  seed.  The  stocks  are  obtained  in  all  parts  of  the  world.  When  crops 
fail  in  one  part  of  the  country,  it  is  the  business  of  the  seed  dealers  to  supply 
the  deficiency  from  some  other  sections,  where  conditions  have  been  more  fav- 
orable. Thus,  the  source  of  suppl\'  and  the  outlet  for  it  are  constantly  shift- 
ing and  it  requires  keeping  in  touch  with  the  progress  of  the  crops  and  market 
conditions  in  many  different  producing  districts. 

The  firm  does  a  considerable  export  business  also,  particularly  in  blue 
grass  and  timothy,  which  are  produced  here,  cheaper  and  in  better  quality 
than  they  are  in  Europe.  During  each  year  the  firm's  travelers  cover  the 
States  of  Kansas,  Oklahoma,  Missouri,  parts  of  Nebra.ska,  Colorado  and 
Texas.  Its  line  of  garden  seeds  may  be  obtained  from  the  local  merchants 
in  nearly  every  town  in  this  territory. 

The  Bailor  Plow  Company,  of  Atchison,  organized  in  1910  with  an 
authorized  capital  of  $50,000.  J.  AI.  Schott,  president ;  Charles  Linley,  vice- 
president  ;  \V.  P.  Byram,  secretary ;  E.  V.  Jones,  treasurer  and  manager. 
Manufacturers  of  a  two-row  cultivator.  S.  E.  Bailor,  then  of  Beatrice.  Neb., 
some  twenty  years  since  built  and  Ijeg^an  experimenting  with  a  two-row  cul- 
tivator. About  1905,  the  late  David  Rankin,  of  Tarkio,  Mo.,  placed  fifty 
Bailor  cultivators  in  use  on  his  25,000-acre  farm  near  Tarkio,  giving  them  a 
thorough  test  for  efficienc}'.  The  result  was  such  that  he  induced  Bailor  to 
build  a  plant  for  their  manufacture  at  Tarkio.  In  1910  the  Atchison  Commer- 
cial Club,  which  had  previouslv  investigated  the  possibilities  of  Bailor's  factory 
as  a  valuable  addition  to  this  city's  industrial  institutions,  induced  him  to  locate 
his  business  in  Atchison.  The  Bailor  Plow  Company  was  promoted  and  in- 
corporated by  the  following-  successful  Inisiness  men :  Balie  P.  W'aggcncr, 
Henry  Klostermeier,  T.  R.  Clendinen,  at  that  time  president  ol"  the  Commer- 
cial Club:  O.  A.  Simmons,  vice-president  of  the  I'irst  National  I'.ank;  E.  V. 
Jones,  J.  M.  Schott,  \V.  P.  Byram,  Charles  Linley.  at  that  time  trca.surer  of 
Atchison  county,  and  S.  E.  Bailor,  inventor  of  the  culti\ator.  During  the 
year  1910,  the  first  year  of  operation  in  Atchison,  one  hundred  culti\ators 
were  sold.     The  year  191 5  shows  ;in  output  of  jiroduct  \-alued  at  aljout  $250,- 


314  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

GOO.  The  company's  plant  has  a  floor  space  of  25,000  square  feet ;  forty  men 
are  on  its  payroll  and  it  disburses  in  wages  over  $50,000  per  annum. 

The  National  Poultry  and  Egg  Company.  This  institution  is  one  of  the 
largest  of  its  kind  in  the  West,  and  is  located  on  the  corner  of  Fourteenth  and 
Main  streets.  Under  the  able  management  of  G.  E.  Hanna,  it  has  steadily 
increased  its  capacity  and  enlarged  its  business  operations  until  at  the  present 
time  it  employs  an  average  of  fifty-four  men  and  women  a  montii  and  pays 
out  in  wages  almost  $30,000  each  year.  The  plant  and  machiner}-  represent 
an  investment  of  about  $70,000  and  its  sales  are  over  a  half  million  dollars  a 
year.  It  is  engaged  in  buying  and  selling  poultn-,  eggs  and  butter,  and  ships 
fancy  dressed  poultry  to  eastern  markets. 

Deer  Creek  Creamery  Company.  This  company  has  a  capital  stock  of 
$10,000;  employs  eight  men  and  four  girls,  with  an  annual  payroll  of  $8,000. 
In  addition  to  the  employees  in  the  local  office,  it  also  employs  twenty  men  in 
the  country  to  operate  its  numerous  cream  stations.  The  company  manufac- 
tures over  a  half  million  pounds  of  butter  a  year,  and  it  puts  up  and  sells  in 
Atchison  from  80,000  to  100,000  gallons  of  milk  every  year,  in  addition  to 
6,000  or  8,000  gallons  of  ice  cream.  Over  $125,000  annually  is  paid  out  to 
Kansas  farmers  for  cream;  about  $25,000  of  this  amount  going  to  farmers  in 
the  immediate  vicinity  of  Atchison.  It  is  one  of  tlie  growing  institutions  of 
the  city,  and  the  e.xcellence  of  the  products  it  turns  out  is  the  cause  for  its 
constant  increase  of  business. 

Atchison  is  also  the  home  of  two  large  manufacturers  of  saddler}-.  The 
Atchison  Saddlery  Company  is  the  successor  to  Louis  Kiper  &  Sons  and  occu- 
pies a  large  building,  on  Kansas  avenue  between  Fourth  and  Fifth  streets.  Its 
officers  are  George  Diegel,  president;  George  T.  Lindsey,  \ice-president,  and 
Henry  Diegel,  secretary-treasurer.  It  has  a  capital  stock  of  $150,000;  em- 
ploys seventy-nine  people.  It  ships  its  products  into  many  States  of  the  West 
and  has  been  doing  an  exceedingly  large  business  in  the  past  few  years. 

Kessler-Barkow  Saddlery  Company  was  incorporated  several  years  ago, 
with  G.  T.  Bolman,  president ;  F.  A.  Barkow,  vice-president,  and  H.  B.  Kes- 
sler,  secretary  and  treasurer.  This  company  has  a  capital  and  surplus  of 
$85,000,  and  employs  sixty-five  people,  and  has  an  average  annual  payroll  of 
about  $40,000.00.  It  manufactures  harness  and  saddles  for  the  jobbing  trade 
exclusively  and  has  large  accounts  with  the  Blish,  Mize  &  Silliman  Hardware 
Company,  Montgomery,  Ward  &  Company  and  Sears,  Roebuck  &  Company. 

The  Atchison  Leather  Products  Company  is  another  growing  institu- 
tion of  Atchison,  the  officers  of  which  are  the  same  as  that  of  the  Kessler- 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  315 

Barkow  Saddlen'  Company.  This  company  are  producers  of  cut  leather  parts 
of  all  kinds,  and  are  large  buyers  of  scrap  leather.  It  has  a  capital  stock  of 
$7,000.00  and  employs  fifteen  people.  Its  sales  for  191 5  amounted  to  over 
$65,000.00,  and  it  also  handles  various  leather  specialties  and  automobile 
accessories. 

Atchison  is  also  the  home  of  three  large  mills.  The  Blair  Milling  Com- 
pany, the  Cain  Milling  Company  and  the  Lukens  Milling  Company,  and 
these  mills  handle  an  average  of  20,000  to  25,000  cars  of  grain  annually,  and 
ship  out  finished  wheat  and  corn  products  of  4,000  to  5,000  cars  every  year.  The 
Lukens  Milling  Company  has  recently  erected  cement  storage  tanks  for  stor- 
age of  grain,  of  the  capacity  of  125,000  bushels,  and  the  Blair  Elevator  Com- 
pany, which  is  operated  by  J.  W.  and  W.  A.  Blair,  in  191 5,  also  erected  cement 
storage  tanks  to  the  capacity  of  200,000  bushels.  The  growth  of  the  mills 
of  Atchison  is  logical,  for  they  are  located  in  a  rich  agricultural  section,  and 
consequently  the  mills  are  among  the  most  important  enterprises  in  the  city. 
In  each  case  the  mills  of  Atchison  are  being  operated  by  the  sons  of  its 
founders.  The  Blair  mill  was  established  by  E.  K.  Blair,  in  an  early  day  of 
the  history  of  Atchison,  and  is  now  managed  by  his  sons,  J.  W.  and  W.  A. 
Blair.  The  Lukens  mill  was  founded  by  David  Lukens,  who  came  to  Atchi- 
son in  1857.  He  operated  a  sawmill  and  raised  corn  in  Missouri  bottoms  un- 
til 1877,  when  he  built  the  Diamond  Mills,  now  conducted  by  his  sons,  Arthur 
Lukens,  Edwin  Lukens  and  David  Lukens.  The  original  Cain  Mill  Company 
was  established  by  John  M.  Cain  and  Alfred  Cain,  and  its  successor,  the  Cain 
Milling  Company,  is  operated  by  Douglas  M.  Cain,  the  son  of  Alfred  Cain. 

Atchison  is  also  the  home  of  two  of  the  largest  wholesale  hardware 
stores  on  the  Missouri  river,  both  of  which  began  operations  here  at  approxi- 
mately the  same  time.  The  operations  of  the  Blish,  Mize  &  Silliman  Hardware 
Company  are  the  largest  of  the  two  companies.  This  company  travels  thirty 
men  and  has  an  office  and  store  force  of  eighty-eight  men  and  women.  It  has 
an  annual  payroll  of  $115,000.00.  It  was  founded  by  D.  P.  Blish,  E.  A. 
Mize  and  J.  B.  Silliman,  who  were  all  related  by  marriage.  The  company  be- 
gan in  a  small  way  as  a  successor  to  J.  E.  Wagner  &  Company,  and  has 
branched  out  in  its  business  until  it  covers  several  States  and  territories.  It 
occupies  a  magnificent  re-inforced  concrete  fire-proof  structure  at  the  corner 
of  Fifth  and  Utah  avenue,  and  its  business  has  been  increasing  from  year 
to  year. 

The  A.  J.  Harwi  Hardware  Company  is  owned  and  controlled  largely 
by  F.  E.  Harwi,  the  son  of  its  founder,  and  a  full  account  of  its  operations 
appears  in  a  sketch  of  the  life  and  career  of  A.  J.  Harwi  in  this  history. 


3l6  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

Atchison  is  particularly  proud  of  the  fact  that  it  is  one  of  the  best  job- 
bing centers  in  this  part  of  the  country',  and  in  this  connection  the  wholesale 
groceiy  business  is  well  represented  in  the  two  splendid  firms  of  the  Dolan 
Mercantile  Company  and  the  Symns  Grocery  Company.  The  Dolan  Mercan- 
tile Company  was  established  In-  \\".  F.  Dolan,  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Atchison, 
who  started  in  a  small  way  as  a  retail  grocer  merchant,  and  died  leaving  a 
splendidly  established  wholesale  grocery  business,  which  is  now  conducted 
by  M.  J.  Horan  and  Leo  Nusbaum.  This  house,  under  the  able  management 
of  these  two  young  men  is  rapidly  making  for  itself  a  big  reputation  among 
wholesale  dealers  and  grocers.  In  addition  to  jobbing  regular  lines  of  mer- 
chandise this  company  has  recently  installed  its  own  plant  for  the  manufacture 
of  fluid  extracts,  baking  powder  and  ])ancake  flour,  and  also  roasts  its  own 
coffees.  It  has  a  large  traveling  force,  visiting  the  States  of  Nebraska,  Mis- 
souri, Kansas  and  Oklahoma,  and  the  Dolan  brands  are  well  known  thrnugh- 
out  this  whole  territory. 

The  Symns  Grocery  Company  was  established  by  A.  B.  Symns,  who  came 
to  Kansas  from  West  Virginia,  with  his  three  brothers,  in  1858,  where  he  set- 
tled in  the  town  of  Doniphan  and  engaged  in  mercantile  pursuits,  until  he 
removed  to  Atchison  in  1872.  He  opened  a  wholesale  and  retail  grocery  here 
in  that  year,  and  continued  in  business  without  a  partner  until  Marcli,  1878, 
when  the  firm  became  Symns  &  Turner,  under  which  name  it  was  run  until 
1880,  when  it  was  changed  to  A.  B.  Symns  &  Company.  It  was  subsequently 
incorporated  into  the  Symns  Grocery  Company,  and  at  the  death  of  A.  B. 
Symns,  the  business  was  run  Ijy  J-  ^^'■  Allen,  J.  E.  Moore,  C.  A.  Lockwood 
and  Tom  Gray.  It  operates  in  about  the  same  territory  that  the  Dolan  ^ler- 
cantile  Company  operates  in,  and  its  present  enterprising  management  is 
keeping  up  the  splendid  reputation  establishefl  b}-  its  founder. 

The  Odell  Cider  &  Vinegar  Ciim])any  is  a  new  institution  in  Atchison. 
A.  Leo  is  manager,  and  $30,000.00  is  invested  in  the  plant  and  equipment 
here.  This  company  pressed  out  over  200,00  bushels  of  apples  in  191 5,  and 
iTiade  650,000  gallons  of  vinegar.  Forty  men  are  employed  during  the  press- 
ing season,  and  over  $30,000.00  a  year  is  paid  out  for  apples,  which  are 
converted  into  150,000  gallons  of  vinegar,  whicli  is  shi])ped  to  various  jioints 
in  the  United  States  during  191 5. 

The  Stevenson  planing  mill  employs  twelve  men,  with  a  i)ayroll  of  about 
$10,000.00  a  year  and  annual  sales  aggregating  $27,000.00.  S.  R.  Steven- 
son, who  for  many  years  was  employed  by  the  old  Atchison  Furniture  Com- 
pany, is  at  the  head  of  this  business.  He  settled  in  Atchi.'^on  in  1865,  and 
learned  cabinet  making  with  Dickinson  &  Company,  of  this  citw 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  3I7 

It  would  require  a  volume  to  properly  elaborate  upou  the  operations  of 
the  various  commercial  enterprises  of  Atchison.  What  has  been  given  is  the 
merest  outline  of  the  industrial  activities  here.  The  brief  reference  to  the 
several  business  houses  and  manufacturing  plants  is  made  merelv  for  the  pur- 
pose of  showing  the  character  of  the  industrial  life  of  the  county. 

In  addition  to  those  enumerated  there  are  other  jobbing  and  manufac- 
turing interests  operating,  in  some  instances  on  as  large  a  scale,  and  in  other 
instances  on  a  smaller  scale,  but  which  in  themselves  are  just  as  important. 
Reference  has  not  been  made  to  the  Klostermeier  Hardware  Company,  one 
of  the  largest  jobbers  in  hardware  in  northeastern  Kansas,  or  to  L.  W.  Voigt 
&  Company,  large  shippers  of  fruit,  vegetables  and  produce,  or  to  Kean  & 
Tucker,  operating  along  the  same  line ;  neither  has  the  James  Poultry  Com- 
pany been  mentioned,  which  is  one  of  Atchison's  growing  concerns.  There 
are  also  manufacturers  of  cigars,  brooms  and  barrels;  large  distributors  of 
automobiles  and  automobile  accessories,  and  candy  manufacturers.  The  Rail- 
way Specialty  Company,  manufacturers  of  gasoline  propelled  railway  track 
cars  is  making  substantial  progress.  From  a  small  beginning  it  has  forged 
ahead,  under  the  able  management  <if  Clive  Hastings,  until  it  has  reached  a 
point  where  it  will  soon  take  its  place  among  the  leading  track  car  manu- 
facturers of  this  country.  Already  the  company  has  shipped  its  cars  to  for- 
eign parts,  and  it  has  also  supplied  many  of  the  large  railroads  of  the  United 
States  with  its  cars.  The  Weiss  Cornice  Company  is  the  latest  arrival  in 
Atchison.  This  company  makes  metal  cornices,  window  frames  and  other 
builders'  fire-proof  specialties.  It  recently  moved  here  from  Kansas  City  and 
is  already  a  large  employer  of  labor.  The  Washer  Grain  Company,  estab- 
lished by  Maj.  S.  H.  Washer,  does  a  large  grain  business,  and  is  still  managed 
by  Major  Washer,  who  recently  passed  his  eightieth  birthday.  He  is  ably 
assisted  by  his  son,  W.  R.  Washer,  who  is  also  otherwise  prominently  identi- 
fied with  the  commercial  and  shipping  interests  of  the  county. 

Atchison  also  is  a  fine  retail  center,  and  draws  trade  from  the  surrounding 
territory  for  a  distance  of  from  fifty  to  seventy-five  miles.  It  has  fine  dry  goods 
stores,  which  carry  the  latest  merchandise ;  good  shoe  stores,  millinery  shops, 
grocery  and  hardware  stores  and  shops  of  all  kinds,  all  of  which  are  run  b-\' 
enterprising  merchants.  Atchison  is  a  good  town  in  which  to  live;  a  city  of 
beautiful  homes;  fine  paved  and  well  lighted  streets;  a  good  water  system  and 
adequate  street  car  service,  and  a  fine,  prosperous  set  of  people.  The  future 
of  Atchison,  as  a  commercial  center,  is  particularly  bright,  and  it  may  look 
back  with  a  justifiable  pride  to  what  has  already  been  accomplished,  and 
forward  to  a  better  tlay  that  is  yet  to  come. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


PUBLIC  BUILDINGS  AND  INSTITUTIONS. 


ATCHISON     POSTOFFICE COURT     HOUSE^COUNTY     HOSPITAL YOUNG     MENS 

CHRISTIAN     ASSOCIATION STATE     ORPHANS'     HOME ATCHISON      PUBLIC 

LIBRARY ATCHISON   HOSPITAL MASONIC  TEMPLE. 

The  first  postoffice  in  Atchison  opened  in  a  small,  one-story,  stone 
building,  on  the  south  side  of  Commercial  street,  between  Second  and  Tliird. 
The  room  was  about  20x26  feet  in  dimensions,  but  large  enough  for  the 
purpose  for  which  it  was  intended  at  that  time.  The  location  of  the  post- 
office  was  removed  in  1S56  to  the  store  of  Messrs.  Woolfolk  &  Cabell,  on  the 
levee.  During  the  war  in  Kansas,  in  August,  the  headquarters  of  the  United 
States  mail  service  were  removed  to  the  law  office  of  P.  P.  Wilcox.  From 
there  the  office  was  removed  to  a  building  on  the  north  side  of  Commercial 
street,  between  Third  and  Fourth,  and  it  was  there  that  in  July,  1882,  the 
free  delivery  system  was  inaugurated  in  Atchison,  which,  with  her  money 
order  department  fully  equipped  the  postoffice.  A  number  of  years  later 
agitation  was  started  for  the  erection  of  a  new  postoffice,  and  through  the 
efforts  of  Senator  Ingalls  a  site  at  the  northeast  corner  of  Seventh  and  Kan- 
sas avenue  was  purchased  from  Dr.  Cochrane  by  the  Government,  and  the 
contract  was  awarded  for  the  erection  of  the  postoffice  June  24,  1892,  at  a 
cost  of  $61,703.17. 

The  names  and  terms  of  the  postmasters  of  Atchison  since  the  founding 
of  the  office  are  as  follows:  Robert  S.  Kelly,  March  13.  1855;  John  H.  Blas- 
ingham.  December  20,  1855;  Henry  Addoms,  July  28,  1857;  John  A.  Martin, 
April  26,  1861 ;  Benjamin  B.  Gale,  March  5,  1874;  John  M.  Price,  February 
6,  1879;  Melleville  C.  Winegar,  March  10,  1882;  H.  Clay  Park,  March  30, 
1886:  Solomon  R.  Washer,  March  20,  1890;  Edgar  C.  Post,  June  7,  1894; 
James  M.  Chisham,  June  3,  1898;  William  D.  Casey,  December  14,  1910; 
Louis  C.  Orr  December  29,  1914,  who  is  postmaster  in  1916. 

318 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  319 

COURT  HOUSE. 

The  present  court  house  of  this  county  occupies  lots  i,  2  and  3,  in  block 
65,  Old  Atchison,  and  the  contract  for  the  building  was  entered  into  on  the 
twenty-first  day  of  May,  1896,  and  accepted  by  the  board  of  county  com- 
missioners September  13,  1897.  The  total  cost  of  building  and  fixtures  was 
$83,154.48. 

COUNTY    HOSPITAL. 

The  present  county  hospital  for  the  poor  is  located  on  the  southeast 
quarter  of  section  14,  township  6,  range  20.  The  farm  was  purchased  from 
R.  A.  Park  October  7,  1903,  for  $9,540,  and  the  hospital  was  erected  Jan- 
uary 3,  1905,  at  a  cost  of  $27,501.  The  average  cost  of  operating  the  hos- 
pital and  farm  of  160  acres  is  approximately  $2,109.16  per  year,  and  the 
average  number  of  inmates  is  thirty.  The  present  superintendent  is  J.  S. 
Clingan. 

THE    YOUNG    MEN's    CHRISTIAN    ASS0CI.\TI0N. 

On  December  2,  191 1,  there  met  in  the  office  of  C.  S.  Hull  a  small  group 
of  men  interested  in  securing  a  modern  Young  Men's  Christian  Association 
building  for  the  city  of  Atchison.  Although  this  is  the  first  formal  meeting 
of  which  there  are  any  minutes  recorded  it  is  known  that  the  idea  of  an 
organization  and  building  had  long  existed  in  the  mind  of  William  Carlisle, 
and  that  encouragement  was  given  him  by  many  others.  At  the  meeting  held 
on  December  2  the  Atchison  Y.  M.  C.  A.  Promotion  Club  was  formally 
launched  with  Claude  B.  Fisk  as  president. 

At  the  next  meeting,  held  January  i,  1912,  an  executive  committee,  com- 
posed of  R.  W.  Ramsay,  W.  B.  Collett,  Fred  Oliver,  and  C.  S.  Hull  was 
elected  and  the  secretary  was  authorized  to  invite  John  E.  Manley,  State 
secretary  of  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association,  to  be  present  at  the  ne.xt 
meeting  of  the  club. 

On  March  6,  19 12,  the  club  met  at  the  Ryram  Hotel  for  luncheon.  Mr. 
Manley  was  present  at  this  meeting  and  outlined  a  plan  for  a  campaign  to 
raise  the  necessary  funds  to  erect  a  modern  building.  The  luncheon  meeting 
adjourned  to  meet  at  the  office  of  H.  H.  Hackney  at  4  p.  m.,  at  which  time 
a  business  committee  of  twenty-five  men  was  appointed.  The  following  com- 
posed this  committee :  H.  B.  Mize,  Fred  Oliver,  Eugene  Flowe,  W.  B.  Col- 
lett, C.  S.  Hull,  George  Guerrier,  R.  W.  Ramsay,  Sheffield  Ingalls,  D.  M. 


320  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTV 

Cain,  F.  W.  Woodford,  A.  F.  Heck,  August  Manglesdorf,  Jr..  T.  A.  Moxcey, 
Eugene  Pulliam,  E.  W.  Clausen,  Clive  Hastings,  H.  H.  Hackney,  N.  T. 
Veatch,  \V.  P.  Waggener,  W.  J.  Bailey,  Charles  Linley,  Roy  Seaton.  Claude 
Fisk,  J.  A.  Shoemaker,  Holmes  Dysinger.  This  committee  was  later  in- 
creased to  twenty-seven,  and  the  names  of  W.  A.  Carlisle  and  W.  A.  Jackson 
were  added. 

The  first  regular  meeting  of  the  provisional  committee,  as  it  was  now 
called,  was  held  at  the  Blish,  Mize  &  Silliman  offices  March  13  and  a  perma- 
nent organization  effected.  State  Secretary  Manley  was  present.  R.  W. 
Ramsay,  the  present  incumbent,  was  made  president  at  this  meeting:  Charles 
Linley,  \-ice-prcsident ;  C.  S.  Hull,  recording  secretary,  and  George  (iuerrier, 
treasurer.  '!'.  C.  Treat  at  this  time  tendered  the  use  of  a  room  in  the  Simp- 
son building  for  an  office  for  the  organization,  which  was  gratefully  accepted. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  executive  committee,  held  March  18,  191 2.  L.  V. 
Starkey  was  employed  as  general  secretary  and  took  active  charge  of  the 
building  campaign  April  15. 

At  the  meeting  held  April  22  it  was  decided  to  raise  $100,000  by  public 
subscription,  and  the  following  team  captains  were  elected :  S.  R.  Beebe,  O. 
A.  Simmons,  H.  B.  Mize,  John  R.  Taylor,  F.  M.  Woodford,  L.  M.  Baker, 
Charles  A.  Brown.  W.  D.  Casey,  W.  W.  Hetherington.  and  W.  A.  Jackson. 

The  charter  for  the  organization  bears  the  date  of  April  6  and  was  duly 
acted  upon  and  signed  by  the  committee  of  twenty-seven  at  a  meeting  held 
April  22. 

In  a  ten  days'  campaign  conducted  May  15-25,  i<)i2,  an  amount  ap])roxi- 
mating  $85,000  was  raised  by  popular  subscription.  The  heatlquarters  of  the 
campaign  were  in  a  room'  furnished  by  J.  C.  Killarney  at  105-107  North 
Fifth  street. 

The  latter  part  of  June,  i<)T2,  the  site  at  the  northeast  corner  of  Fourth 
and  Commercial  streets  was  contracted  Un  and  work  begun  at  once  on  the 
building.  On  December  4,  1913,  the  splendid  building  which  now  occupies 
that  corner  was  formally  opened  for  the  regiilar  work  of  the  association. 
The  membership  soon  reached  450,  and  has  been  maintained  at  aliout  that 
point  ever  since. 

The  entire  cost  of  building,  including  site  and  furnishings,  amounted  to 
$1 13.000. 

The  Y.  M.  C.  A.  building  contains  thirty-four  living  rooms  with  a 
capacity  for  fifty  men.  These  rooms  are  now  kept  filled  practically  all  the 
time.     A  restaurant  is  operated  on  the  ground  floor  and  there  are  excellent 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  32  I 

facilities  for  liandling-  banquets  and  committee  meetings.  Tlie  iDuikling-  is 
always  at  the  tlisposal  of  church  societies  and  other  organizations  for  gatlicr  • 
ings  of  any  kind. 

There  is  a  gymnasium,  -14x72  feet,  thoroughly  ecjuipped  with  all  neces- 
sary apparatus  and  a  white  tile-lined  swimming  pool.  20x50  feet.  With  a 
separate  entrance  on  Fourth  street,  there  is  a  special  game  room  for  boys  ten 
to  fifteen  years  of  age. 

The  present  board  of  directors  is  composed  of  R.  W.  Ramsay  as  presi- 
dent;  B.  L.  Brockett,  vice-president;  H.  H.  Hackney,  recording  secretary; 
Charles  Lmley,  treasurer ;  Messrs.  W.  B.  Collett,  M.  T.  Dingess.  Claud  B. 
Fisk,  J.  A.  Fletcher,  C.  C.  Ham,  W.  \V.  Hetherington,  Martin  Jensen,  J.  F. 
Krueger,  H.  P.  Shepherd,  and  F.  M.  Woodford. 

The  present  general  secretary,  Ira  J.  Beard,  came  to  the  association  in 
April,  1914.  Fmmett  T.  Ireland  is  the  present  physical  director,  and  George 
Kassabaum  is  the  assistant  secretary. 

On  the  fourth  of  December,  1914,  an  anniversary  banquet  was  held  in 
the  gymnasium,  celebrating  the  first  year  of  the  association  in  its  new  build- 
ing, and  the  reports  of  the  work  accomplished  at  that  time  dispelled  any  feel- 
ing there  may  ha\e  lieen  on  tlie  part  of  some  that  such  an  institution  could 
not  be  successfully  maintained  in  Atchisf)n.  This  banquet  was  attended  by 
200  enthusiastic  friends  and  members  of  the  asociation,  and  Governor  Arthur 
Capper  was  a  guest  of  honor. 

Membership  in  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  is  open  to  any 
boy  or  man  of  good  character  who  is  over  ten  years  of  age.  Memliership  in 
the  Atchison  association  is  accepted  and  honored  in  all  other  ^'oung  Men's 
Christian  associations  throughout  the  country.  The  dominant  purjjose  of  the 
association  is  the  building  up  of  Christian  character. 

STATE  orphans'   HOME. 

The  legislature  of  the  State  of  Kansas  at  the  session  of  1885  enacted  the 
first  law  for  the  establi.shing  of  a  Soldiers'  Orphans'  Home  at  Atchison,  Kan. 
For  the  purpose  of  erecting  the  first  building  the  legislature  appropriated  the 
sum  of  $24,300  on  condition  that  the  land  should  be  donated  to  the  State. 

The  act  of  the  legislature  provided  that  said  Soldiers'  Orphans'  Home 
".shall  be  an  institution  for  the  nurture,  education  and  maintenance,  without 
charge,  for  all  indigent  children  of  soldiers  who  served  in  the  army  and  navy 
of  the  Union  during  the  late  rebellion,  and  who  have  been  disabled   from 

21 


322  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

wounds  or  disease,  or  who  have  since  died  in  indigent  circumstances,  and 
other  indigent  orphan  children  of  the  State."  The  institution  was  located  at 
Atchison,  Kan.,  on  the  present  site  which  was  purchased  from  the  late  J.  P. 
Brown  and  donated  to  the  State.  In  pursuance  of  the  act  of  the  legislature  a 
portion  of  what  is  now  the  main  building  was  erected  and  by  a  subsequent 
appropriation  was  finished,  and  the  first  children  were  admitted  on  July 
I,  1887. 

The  original  building  was  a  four-story  brick  building  with  a  basement. 
The  fourth  story  was  made  into  a  dormitory,  with  five  rooms  for  employes. 
The  third  story  consisted  of  a  smaller  dormitory,  lavatories,  rooms  for  em- 
ployes and  sleeping  room  for  the  superintendent.  The  second  story  had 
school  rooms,  superintendent's  office,  parlor,  lavatories  and  rooms  for  em- 
ployes. The  first  floor  rooms  were  dining  room,  kitchen,  store  room,  school 
rooms.  The  basement  was  used  for  boilers,  store  rooms,  laundrs-  and  boys' 
lavatory. 

The  laws  regulating  the  home  were  amended  and  enlarged  by  Uie  legis- 
lature at  its  session  of  1889,  so  that  all  children  sound  in  mind  and  body  and 
over  two  years  of  age  and  under  fourteen  years,  belonging  to  any  one  of  the 
following  named  classes  shall  be  eligible  for  admission  to  the  home :  "First, 
any  child  dependent  upon  the  public  for  support;  any  dependent,  neglected 
and  ill-treated  child  who  is  an  object  of  public  concern,  and  whom  the  State 
may  have  power  to  exercise  and  extend  its  protection  and  control." 

This  act  of  the  legislature  so  increased  the  number  of  eligible  for  admis- 
sion to  the  home  that  it  soon  became  necessary  to  enlarge  the  building.  In 
1 89 1  the  legislature  again  appropriated  the  sum  of  $7,000  for  the  erection  of 
the  west  wing,  to  be  the  same  width  and  heighth  as  the  main  building,  and 
to  increase  the  length  by  thirty  feet  and  this  gave  play  room,  sitting  room, 
school  room  and  sleeping  room  for  the  kindergarden  children,  also  a  room  in 
which  the  John  A.  Martin  Memorial  Library  was  placed,  and  a  reading  room 
in  the  upper  story  for  the  larger  boys. 

Connected  with  this  appropriation  was  $1,000  for  a  hospital  building 
which  is  detached  from  the  main  building  by  about  100  feet. 

The  growth  of  the  institution  and  the  number  desiring  admission  made 
it  necessary  to  again  ask  for  an  appropriation  for  more  buildings.  At  the 
session  of  the  legislature  of  1895  the  legislature  appropriated  $91,800  for  the 
erection  of  the  east  wing  and  for  three  cottages,  50x42  feet,  and  a  building 
for  domestic  purposes,  40x110  feet,  which  contains  the  chapel,  children's 
dining  room,  one  large  school  room,  kitchen,  store  room,  one  employes'  din- 
ing room  and  eight  rooms  for  employes. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  323 

At  the  legislative  session  of  1907  an  appropriation  of  $25,000  was  made 
for  the  purpose  of  erecting  a  new  cottage  on  the  Orphans'  Home  grounds,  to 
be  used  for  the  purpose  of  caring  for  destitute  crippled  children  who  were 
otherwise  unprovided  for  under  the  various  acts  of  the  legislature  providing 
for  the  Orphans'  Home.  The  foundation  for  this  building  was  commenced 
on  the  seventeenth  day  of  October,  1909,  and  the  building  was  completed, 
and  ready  for  the  occupancy  of  children  July  i,  1910.  The  law  providing  for 
the  admission  of  children  has  never  been  changed  and  very  few  crippled  chil- 
and  ready  for  the  occupancy  b}'  children  July  i.  1910.  The  law  providing  for 
only  children  sound  in  mind  and  body  between  the  ages  of  two  and  fourteen 
years  shall  be  admitted.  This  cottage  at  the  present  time  is  used  for  the  elder 
girls  of  the  institution  and  it  seems  very  well  adapted  for  that  purpose. 

The  legislature  of  1903  very  generously  appropriated  $20,000  to  build  a 
brick  pavement  form  the  city  to  the  home.  This  road  was  completed  to  the 
city  limits  in  1904.  Since  that  time  the  city  has  extended  its  pavement  so 
that  now  there  is  a  pavement  road  all  the  way  from  the  home  to  the  busi- 
ness district  of  Atchison. 

The  two  latest  improvements  of  great  value  to  the  home  are.  first 
the  connecting  up  of  tlie  home  with  the  Atchison  Water  Company,  so  that 
now  we  receive  a  supply  of  water  adequate  for  all  purposes.  This  was  done 
in  1913  and  1914.  Previous  to  that  time  water  had  been  obtained  from 
various  sources  and  the  supply  was  always  poor  in  quality  and  verv  inadequate 
in  quantity.  This  apparently  settles  the  question  of  water,  so  far  as  this 
institution  is  concerned,  and  we  now  have  a  plentiful  supply  of  the  purest  of 
water.  Second :  From  the  very  first  beginning  of  the  home  the  question 
of  sewage  disposal  has  been  one  of  great  difficulty  and  a  source  of  much 
annoyance  and  discomfort  to  those  around  about,  particularly  the  neighbor- 
ing farmers.  For  years  the  sewage  of  the  institution  flowed  out  through 
the  pasture  land  and  fields  of  our  neighbors,  and  various  attempts  to  build 
sewage  disposal  plants  were  made  by  the  board  of  control  and  others  who 
had  charge  of  the  State  institutions,  but  with  little  or  no  success.  At  the 
present  time  we  are  engaged  in  connecting  up  the  institution  with  the  city 
sewer  system  at  a  cost  of  approximately  $6,000. 

The  original  cost  of  the  land  occupied  by  the  State  Orphans'  Home,  and 
purchased  from  J.  P.  Brown,  as  hereinbefore  mentioned,  was  $16,000. 

No  institution  in  this  State  occupies  a  more  beautiful  and  sightly  loca- 
tion. It  is  situated  at  an  elevation  of  275  feet  above  the  Missouri  river,  and 
overlooking  the  winding-  course  of  that  stream  for  miles,  with  the  city  of 


3^4  HISTORY  OV  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

Atchison  at  its  feet  and  with  the  view  north  and  west  unobstructed  for  miles, 
it  is  the  wonder  and  admiration  of  all  who  behold  it.  It  is  impossible  for  me 
to  state  exactly  or  to  ascertain  exactly  the  cost  of  the  institution,  properly 
known  as  the  State  Orphans'  Home,  but  it  is  approximately  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  $300,000. 

The  first  superintendent  was  John  Pierson;  his  wife,  Mrs.  M.  A.  Pierson, 
was  his  matron,  and  the  celebrated  Dr.  Eva  Harding,  now  a  physician,  located 
in  Topeka.  and  running  for  the  Democratic  nomination  for  Congress  in  the 
First  district,  was  his  physician.  Mr.  Pierson  was  not  veiy  long  in  this  office. 
The  records  do  not  show  just  how  long,  but  he  was  succeeded  by  Charles 
E.  Faulkner,  who  is  now  serving  as  superintendent  of  the  Washburn  Memorial 
Orphans'  Asylum,  at  Minneapolis,  Minn.  It  was  during  Faulkner's  admin- 
istration that  most  of  the  improvements  heretofore  noted  were  made.  Faulk- 
ner was  succeeded  by  C.  A.  Woodworth  in  1898  and  served  but  two  years, 
when  H.  H.  Young  was  appointed.  He  served  but  a  short  time  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  E.  L.  Hillis.  who  held  the  office  until  the  time  of  his  resignation, 
April  I,  1907,  because  of  ill  health.  Mr.  Hillis  was  succeeded  by  E.  C.  Willis, 
of  Newton,  Kan.,  on  April  10,  1907,  who  remained  superintendent  until  he 
was  succeeded  by  Mrs.  E.  K.  Burnes  on  the  first  day  of  September,  1913. 
Mrs.  Bumes  held  the  place  for  two  years,  being  succeeded  by  E.  C.  Willis  on 
the  first  of  Septemlier,  1915,  who  is  still  the  superintendent  at  the  present 
time. 

More  than  6,000  have  been  inmates  nf  the  humc  at  sometime  or  another, 
and  of  the  6,000  Duly  200  are  here  at  the  present  time.  All  of  the  oth- 
ers who  are  still  living  are  out  in  the  world  and  doing  for  themselves  like 
other  people  with  various  degrees  of  success.  Some  of  them  are  doing  well ; 
others  exceedingly  well,  and  are  occupying  good  ])Ositions,  or  are  in  business 
for  themselves. 

Very  sincerely, 

Edw.vkd  C.  Willis, 

Superintendent. 

ATCHISON    PUBLIC    LIBRARY. 

Major  W.  W.  Downs  was  the  promoter  of  the  associatinn.  He  was  at 
Kansas  in  the  spring  of  1879  and  opened  its  doors  to  the  public  November 
17  of  that  year. 

Major  W.  W.  Downs  was  the  propoter  of  the  association.     He  was  at 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  325 

that  time  superintendent  of  the  Central  Branch  railroad  and  realized  the  need 
of  reading  and  amusement  rooms  for  the  young  men  in  this  city.  He  suc- 
ceeded in  interesting  a  number  of  influential  Atchison  women  in  the  work  and 
promised  a  generous  personal  donation  and  the  cooperation  of  the  various 
railroads  centering  here. 

It  was  unfortunate  that  before  the  doors  of  the  library  swung  open  the 
Central  Branch  changed  officials.  In  spite  of  this  discouragement  the  Atchi- 
son ladies  continued  to  work,  and  since  its  organization  it  lias  always  been 
managed  by  a  board  of  fifteen  women. 

Funds  are  raised  by  the  sale  of  membership  and  donations  and  a  small 
monthy  stipend  from  the  city.  J.  P.  Pomeroy  subsequently  made  a  splendid 
donation,  amounting  to  $10,000,  and  later  on,  A.  J.  Hanvi  contributed  a  like 
amount  for  the  support  of  this  institution.  It  now  has  almost  11,000  books 
on  its  shelves  besides  hundreds  of  magazines  and  pamphlets. 

Mrs.  Leontine  Scofield  was  appointed  librarian  in  Januar}',  1883,  and 
has  held  that  position  from  that  time  until  1916  uninterruptedly.  She  has  en- 
deared iierself  to  the  thousands  of  patrons  who  have  visited  this  institution, 
and  her  familiarity  witli  tlie  place  and  her  fidelity  to  tlie  work  especially  fits 
her  for  this  important  place. 

The  following  Atchison  ladies  are  the  officers  of  the  association  in  1916: 
Mrs.  ^\'.  W.  (intln-if,  president:  Mrs.  F.  F.  Harwi,  vice-president;  Mrs.  W. 
,S.  Beitzel,  recording  secretary:  Miss  Effie  E.  Symns,  corresponding  secre- 
tary; Mrs.  Fannie  W.  Linley,  treasurer.  In  addition  to  tliese  ladies  the  fol- 
lowing are  directresses :  Miss  Nellie  Allen,  Mrs.  R.  F.  Clark,  Mrs.  L.  R.  Sea- 
ton,  Mrs.  G.  W.  Click,  Mrs.  E.  S.  Wills,  Mrs.  W.  H.  Scliulze,  I\Irs.  J.  M. 
Challiss,  Mrs.  D.  C.  Newcnmb,  and  Miss  Mary  Lukens.  Mrs.  J.  J.  Ingalls  is 
an  lionorarv  directress  nf  the  association. 

ATCHISON    HOSPITAL. 

The  first  attempt  to  found  a  hospital  in  the  city  of  Atchison  originated 
in  1884,  and  after  a  general  meeting  for  organization  a  board  was  appointed 
which  purchased  and  re-constructed  a  building  situated  on  South  Seventh 
street  l)et\veen  U  and  V,  and  the  institution  was  open  to  tlie  pulilic  Mav  2q 
of  that  year. 

Tlie  following  named  Atchi.son  ladies  \\ere  prominently  identified  with 
the  movement  that  was  responsible  for  the  building  of  the  first  hospital  in 
Atchison:    Mrs.  A.  .\.  Carey,  who  was  the  first  president  of  the  association; 


326  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

Mrs.  J.  J.  Berrj',  Mrs.  W.  W.  Campbell,  Mrs.  E.  A.  Mize,  Mrs.  D.  P.  Blish, 
Mrs.  C.  B.  Singleton,  Mrs.  ].  J.  Ingalls,  and  Mrs.  C.  S.  Osborn. 

After  five  years  of  activity  this  building  as  a  hospital  was  closed  through 
lack  of  support  and  the  misapprehension  of  the  purpose  of  a  hospital  on.  the 
part  of  the  community. 

From  about  1889  until  1912  the  hospital  necessities  of  Atchison  were 
provided  by  private  institutions  and  cases  were  sent  outside  of  the  city,  but  in 
the  fall  of  1912  the  need  for  a  hospital  within  the  city  had  become  very  appar- 
ent, and  as  a  result  the  following  public  spirited  citizens  of  the  city  associated 
themselves  together  for  the  purpose  of  building  a  modern  hospital :  W.  P. 
Waggener.  president ;  R.  W.  Ramsay,  vice-president :  Otis  E.  Gray,  secre- 
tary: Joseph  M.  Schott,  treasurer.  The  directors  with  the  above  officers 
were :  Frank  Hanvi,  T.  M.  Walker  and  L.  R.  Seaton.  They  instituted  a  cam- 
paign for  the  purpose  of  raising  $50,000  to  purchase  a  site  and  construct  and 
equip  a  building  for  a  general  hospital. 

The  campaign  was  to  a  ven,'  large  degree  successful,  sufficient  money 
being  raised  in  this  initial  effort  to  warrant  the  directors  in  purchasing  a  site, 
the  square  block  situated  on  North  Second  street  between  N  and  O  streets, 
where  a  fire  -proof  building  was  constructed  to  accommodate  thirty-five 
patients  with  a  maximum  capacity  of  fifty.  The  building  is  equipped  with 
the  most  modem  appliances  for  hospital  activities.  The  operating  room  was 
modeled  and  equipped  after  the  suggestion  of  the  most  celebrated  surgeons  in 
the  country,  and  since  the  opening  of  the  hospital  to  receive  patients  in  July. 
1914,  its  succes  has  been  assured  and  its  need  demonstrated.  It  possesses 
appliances  and  equipment  conservatively  valued  at  $65,000. 

Tlie  present  board  of  directors  are:  W.  P.  W'aggener,  president:  Frank 
E.  Harwi,  vice-president :  O.  E.  Gray,  secretary ;  Joseph  M.  Schott,  treasurer. 
Directors:  R.  W.  Ramsay,  H.  E.  Muchnic,  Eugene  Howe  and  Leo  Nusliaum. 

The  purpose  of  this  institution  is  to  take  care  of  tlie  sick  and  injured 
of  the  community  without  distinction  of  race,  color  or  creed.  Those  who  can 
afford  to  pay  are  expected  to  pay  the  fees  of  the  institution.  No  one  is  re- 
fused attendance  by  reason  of  his  or  her  inability  to  pay  for  sucli  service.  The 
biological  and  X-Ray  lalx)ratories  are  among  the  best  equipped  in  the  State 
and  these  laboratories  with  their  e(|uipment.  like  most  of  tlie  furnishings 
and  equipment  of  the  hospital,  are  memorials  of  the  former  residents  of 
Atchison  county. 

MASONIC   TEMPLE. 

This  magnificent  new  home  for  the  Masonic  orders  of  Atchison  is  a 
three-story    structure    of    re-inforced    concrete    fire-proof    construction    with 


HISTORY  01'   ATCHISON  COUNTV 


}>^7 


Masonic   Temple,   Atcliison,   Kan. 


basement.  It  is  built  of  gray  Brazil,  Indiana,  vitrified  brick  and  trimmed  with 
ocean  colored  terra  cotta.  The  first  floor  is  a  store  room  and  on  the  second 
floor  there  are  a  number  of  offices  and  the  banquet  hall  with  kitchen  facilities. 
The  third  floor  is  used  e.xclusively  for  Masonic  purposes,  and  in  the  rear  por- 
tion of  the  third  floor  is  a  mezzanine  floor  with  tire-pn«if  Inckers.  The 
lodge  room  is  embellished  with  an  ornamental  plaster  cninice  and  with  Seagli- 
ola  columns  and  pilasters.  The  ceiling  is  circular  with  a  large  dome,  and 
the  memorial  room  is  finished  with  ornamental  plastering  in  elaborate  Egyp- 
tian design.  The  total  cost  of  this  building  with  furniture  and  er|ui])ment  was 
close  to  $60,000. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


SOCIETIES  AND  LODGES. 


ATCHISON    COUNTY    PROTECTIVE    ASSOCIATION BENEVOLENT    AND    PROTECTIVE 

ORDER  OF  ELKS FRATERNAL  ORDER  OF  EAGLES OTHER  SECRET  SOCIETIES 

CATHOLIC   SOCIETIES. 

One  of  the  strongest  county  organizations  among  the  farmers  is  the 
Atchison  County  Protective  Association.  It  had  its  origin  in  a  vigilance 
committee  whicli  was  organized  at  Gdiul  Intent  and  Shannon,  in  1883.  For 
three  years  this  committee  operated  as  a  vigilance  committee  and  was  organ- 
ized under  tlie  Central  Protective  Association,  August  31,  1886,  by  William 
Conners,  of  Winthrop,  Mo.  L.  P.  Dubois,  concerning  whom  a  biographical 
sketch  appears  in  another  part  of  this  history,  was  the  first  ])resident  of  the 
Good  Intent  lodge,  and  W.  H.  Smith  was  the  first  secretary.  Hon.  T.  J. 
Emlen,  county  treasurer  of  this  county,  was  the  first  treasurer  i>f  Shannon 
Hill  lodge,  and  J.  I.  Holmes  was  the  first  secretary. 

The  first  work  that  was  done  by  the  consolidated  lodges  was  in  running 
down  a  thief  who  stole  a  team  of  ivirses  from  the  late  Rolla  Streeper.  Mem- 
bers of  both  lodges  were  taxed  $10  each  to  defra\-  the  ex])ense  of  the  chase. 
J.  H.  Barrv  was  sheriff  of  the  county  at  that  time  and  captured  the  thief 
in  Nebraska. 

Following  tliis  cai)ture  the  lodges  decided  that  the  expense  was  too  great 
to  be  borne  by  them  alone  and  so  tlie  Atchison  County  Protective  Association 
was  formed  in  the  spring  of  1889.  The  first  president  was  C.  S.  I'rim,  and 
the  second  president  was  Hon.  W.  T.  Bland,  third  president  was  Elias  Graves. 
W.  H.  Busli  was  the  fourth  president,  and  he  held  office  for  ten  years  and 
was  one  of  the  most  ]io])ular,  tactful  and  conscientious  officials  the  associa- 
tion ever  liad.      \\  ill   Dcmlew  nf  the  Good  Intent  ludge,  was  president  of  the 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 


329 


association  in  1916,  and  no  better  man  ever  filled  the  position.  The  Hon- 
Edward  Iverson,  ex-county  clerk,  and  now  cashier  of  the  Exchange  State 
Bank,  at  Atchison,  has  been  secretary  of  the  association  since  1901.  The 
association  has  now  a  membership  of  1,500  and  with  twenty-five  lodges,  and 
is  affiliated  with  the  Central  Protective  Association. 

BENEVOLENT  .\ND  PROTECTIVE  ORDER  OF  ELKS. 

This  lodge  was  organized  January  17,  iqoi,  with  150  charter  members. 
W.  T.  Bland,  for  many  years  district  judge  of  this  county,  was  elected  the  first 
exalted  ruler.  The  lodge  occupied  temporary  quarters  for  a  number  of  years, 
and  erected  its  present  building  at  a  cost  of  $20,000  and  dedicated  it  in  1907. 
The  prcFcnt  membership  of  the  Elk's  lodge  is  326,  and  the  names  of  the  past 


l-Jl. 


Club    House,    Atchison,    Kan. 


exalted  rulers,  in  .-iddition  tn  W.  T.  Bland,  are  as  follows:  Charles  Einlev. 
T.  S.  Young.  J.  Ai.  Challiss,  James  W.  Orr,  \V.  S.  Washer.  Fred  fnddings. 
W.  r.  Waggencr.  I!.  W.  \"ickcry,  W.  1).  liarlmrger,  Charles  .\.  I'.r.iwn.  ( i. 
\\".  .\l\ers,  II.  1!.  I'iliniek-,  and  Walter  F..  liniwn,  whose  term  expires 
March  31.    nji'). 


330 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 


ATCHISON  AERIE,    NO.    1 73,   FRATERNAL  ORDER  OF  EAGLES. 

The  Atcluson  Aerie,  Xo.  173,  of  the  Fraternal  Order  of  Eagles,  was 
instituted  on  October  3,  1901.  The  officers  in  1916  are  as  follows:  Past 
worthy  president,  Owen  Grady ;  worthy  president,  John  V.  Smith ;  worthy 
vice-president,  Fred  Ramhke ;  worthy  cliaplain,  F.  E.  Kaaz ;  treasurer,  L.  M. 
Baker;  secretary,  W.  H.  Smitli ;  trustees,  S.  S.  King,  Carl  Sclmiitt,  E.  N. 
Underwood ;  aerie  physician,  Dr.  C.  F.  Finney. 


Eagles"   Hume,   .\tchison,   Kan. 

The  aerie  meets  every  W'ednesdav  evening.  The  cost  of  t!ie  present 
building  was  about  $35,000.  Tlie  bu'lding  belongs  to  the  Eagles'  Benevo- 
lent .Association.     The  present  menil)erslii)i  is  530. 


SECRET   SOCIETIES. 

Ancient  Order  of  United  W'urknien — Atchison  Lodge,  No.  4,  first  and 
third  Thursdays  at  Od  Fellows'  Hall.     L.  M.  Baker,  recorder. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  33  I 

Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen — Mulford  Lodge,  No.  137.  Sec- 
ond and  fourth  Thursdays  at  Odd  Fellows'  Hall.     W.  A.  Wilson,  recorder. 

Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen — Degree  of  Honor — Columbia 
Lodge,  No.  85.     Second  and  fourth  Thursdays. 

Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks — Atchison  Lodge,  No.  647. 
First  and  third  Tuesdays  at  611  Kansas  avenue.  George  R.  Hooper,  secre- 
tary. 

Central  Protective  Association — Atchison  Lodge,  No.  32.  Meets  at 
call  of  president.     W.  H.  Smith,  secretary. 

Court  of  Honor — (See  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen.). 

Eagles — (See  Fraternal  Order  of  Eagles). 

Elks  Club  House — (See  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks). 

Fraternal  Aid  Association — Atchison  Council,  No.  7.  First  and  third 
Wednesdays  at  Security  Hall.     Rosa  S.  Voorhees,  secretary. 

Fraternal  Order  of  Eagles — Atchison  Aerie,  No.  173.  Every  Wednes- 
day at  Eagles'  Hall.     W.  H.  Smith,  secretary. 

Grand  Army  of  the  Republic — A.  S.  Everest  Post,  No.  493.  First  and 
third  Mondays  at  court  house. 

Grand  Army  of  the  Republic — A.  S.  Everest  Woman's  Relief  Corps, 
No.  148. First  and  third  Thursdays  at  court  house.  Mrs.  John  Noron, 
secretary. 

Grand  Army  of  the  Republic — John  A.  Martin  Post,  No.  93.  Fourth 
Sundays  at  court  house.  Willful  A.  Stanley,  adjutant.  C.  H.  Burrows,  com- 
mander. 

Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows — (See  Odd  Fellows). 

Improved  Order  of  Red  Men — Miami  Tribe,  No.  15.  Every  Monday 
at  Red  Men's  Wigwam.     J.  M.  Tarman,  sachem. 

Independent  Order  of  Foresters — Court  Atchison,  No.  1741.  Meets 
at  call  of  Chief  Ranger.     George  R.  Hooper,  secretary. 

Kansas  Fraternal  Citizens — Atchison  Assembly,  No.  15.  First  and 
third  Thursdays  at  Odd  Fellows'  Hall.     Walter  North,  secretary. 

Knights  and  Ladies  of  Security — Atchison  Council,  No.  267.  Meets 
every  Thursday  at  Security  Hall.     Courtney  Turner,  secretary. 

Knights  and  Ladies  of  Security — Harmony  Council,  No.  1375.  Second 
and  fourth  Thursdays.     C.  H.  Burrows,  secretary. 

Knights  of  the  Maccabees — Atchison  Tent,  No.  2.  First  and  third  Tues- 
days.     F.  M.  Woodford,  record  keeper. 

Knights  of  Pythias — Golden  Cross  Lodge,  No.  7.  Every  Thursday  at 
Security  Hall.     W.  M.  Thistle,  keeper  of  records  and  seal. 


332  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

Masonic — Active  Lodge,  No.  158.  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons. 
Second  and  fourth  Mondays  at  Knights  of  Pythias  Hall.  A.  W.  Nicholson, 
secretary. 

Masonic — Washington  Chapter,  No.  i,  Royal  Arch  Masons.  Second 
and  fourth  Thursdays  at  Asylum,  724I/2  Commercial  street.  J.  E.  Hender- 
son, secretary. 

Masonic — W'asliington  Commandery,  No.  2,  Knights  Templar.  First 
and  third  Thursdays  at  Asylum,  724I/2  Commercial  street.  J.  E.  Henderson, 
recorder. 

Eagle's  Benevolent  Association — Meets  at  call  of  president.  W.  H. 
Smith,  secretary. 

Masonic — Washington  Council,  No.  2,  Royal  and  Select  Masters.  Third 
Saturdays  at  Asylum,  Masonic  Temple.     J.  E.  Henderson,  recorder. 

Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons — Washington  Lodge,  No.  5,  Ancient 
Free  and  Accepted  Masons.  First  and  third  ^londays  at  Masonic  Temple. 
J.  E.  Henderson,  secretary. 

Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons — Order  of  Eastern  Star — Martha 
Washington  Cliapter,  No.  215.  First  and  third  Fridays  at  Masonic  Temple. 
Miss  Alice  Noron,  secretary. 

Modem  Brotherhood  of  America — Atchison  Lodge,  No.  427.  Second 
Tuesdays  at  Red  Men's  Wig\vam.     Charles  Pantle,  secretary. 

Modern  A\'oodmen  of  America — -L'nity  Camp,  No.  356.  Second  and 
fourth  Fridays  at  Odd  Fellows'  Hall.     T.  J.  Ritner,  clerk. 

Mystic  Workers  of  the  World — First  and  tliird  Tuesdays  at  Security 
Hall.     Herman  Haase,  secretan-. 

Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows'  Hall — Southwest  corner  Fifth  and 
Kansas  avenue,  second  and  third  floors. 

Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows — Friendship  Lodge,  No.  5.  Every 
Tuesday  at  Odd  Fellows'  Hall.     ^\^  H.  Smith,  secretary. 

Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows — Hesperian  Encampment,  No.  6. 
First  and  third  Fridays  at  Odd  Fellows'  Hall.     A.  W.  Heisey,  secretarj-. 

Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows — Rebekah.s — I'^riendship  Lodge,  No. 
288.  Second  and  fourth  Mondays  at  Odd  Fellows'  Hall.  Mrs.  Bessie  Jost, 
secretary. 

Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows — Schillers  Lodge,  No.  33.  Every 
Wednesday  at  Odd  Fellows'  Hall.     Charles  Feierabend,  secretary. 

Order  of  Eastern  Star — (See  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons). 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  333 

P.  E.  O.  Society — Chapter  J,  Kansas.  Every  second  Friday  at  homes 
of  memljers.  Mrs.  Anna  Lungwitz,  secretary.  PubHc  rest  room.  109  South 
Fifth  avenue. 

Daughters  of  Rehekah — (See  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows). 

Red  Men's  Wigwam — Third  floor,  500  Commercial  street. 

Royal  Arcanum — Atchison  Commandery,  No.  1035.  Scott  Jones,  sec- 
retary.    Meets  at  call  of  regent. 

Royal  Neighl)ors — Atchison  Camp,  No.  1044.  First  and  third  Fridays 
at  Odd  Fellows"  Hall.     Mrs.  Emma  M.  Christian,  recorder. 

United  Commercial  Travelers  of  America — Atchison  Council,  No.  99. 
Fourth  Saturdays  at  Masonic  Temple.     George  R.  Hooper,  secretarv. 

Woodmen  Circle — Atchison  Grove,  No.  13.  First  and  third  Mondavs 
at  Odd  Fellows'  Hall.     A.  W.  Heisey,  secretary. 

Woodmen  of  the  World — Atchison  Camp,  No.  9.  First  and  second 
Mondays  at  Odd  Fellows'  Hall.     Judge  J.  P.  Adams,  clerk. 

Security   Hall — 524-526   Commercial   street,   third    floor. 

CATHOLIC  SOCIETIES. 

Carroll  Club — First  and  tliird  Tuesdays  at  St.  Louis  College  Hall.  Le- 
Roy  Ostertag,  secretary. 

Catholic  Mutual  Benevolent  Association — No.  20.  First  Thursdays  at 
St.  Louis  College  Hall.     Werner  Xass,  secretary. 

Knights  of  Columbus — Sacred  Heart  Council,  No.  723.  Second  and 
Fourth  Thursdays  at  Hall,  511,'^  Commercial  street.  William  T.  Jochems, 
financial  secretary;  Charles  Smith,  recording  secretary. 

Ladies'  Catholic  Benevolent  Association — No.  602.  First  and  third 
Tuesdays  at  St.  Louis  College  Flail.     Agnes  Langan,  secretary. 

St.  Joseph's  Benevolent  Society — Second  Sundays  at  St.  Louis  College 
Hall.     Joseph  Tinschert,  secretary. 

Odd  Fellows — Abdallah  Shrine  Club — Meets  at  call  of  president.  J.  E. 
Henderson,  secretary. 

Masonic  Charity  Association — Meets  at  call  of  president.  A.  W.  Nich- 
olson, secretary-treasurer. 

Ladies'  Catholic  Benevolent  Association — No.  942.  Second  and  fourth 
Tuesdavs. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 


THE  afro-a:\ikricax  race. 


EARLY    DAY    CONDITIONS THEIR    ADVANCEMENT PRIOR    DICKEY HENRY    C. 

BUCHANAN EUGENE     L.     BELL CHARLES     INGRAM CHARLES     J.     FER- 
GUSON  HENRY    DICKEY DR.    FRANK    ADRIAN    PEARL^    M.    D. DR.    W.    W. 

CALDWELL,  M.  D. 

The  story  of  the  African  race  in  Atchison  county  makes  an  appeal  to 
the  thoughtful  and  intelligent  student  of  history.  It  is  not  a  mere  platitude 
to  say  that  the  negro  has  made  marvelous  progress  in  many  lines,  and  not 
the  least  striking  illustration  of  this  assertion  is  to  point  to  what  he  has 
accomplished  in  this  county  under  circumstances  that  have  not  been  alto- 
gether propitious.  The  record  of  African  bondage  here  is  not  voluminous, 
but  it  is  sufficient  upon  which  to  base  a  story  of  his  development.  As  early 
as  1856  a  reference  to  slavery  in  Atchison  county  is  found  in  the  Squatter 
Sovereign,  which  on  September  16  of  that  year  contained  the  following 
advertisement : 

$500  REWARD. 

Ran  away  from  the  subscribers  on  the  night  of  September  9.  two  negro 
boys,  Ned  and  Harrison. 

Ned  is  about  eighteen  years  old,  stout  and  well  built,  about  five  feet, 
eight  inches  high,  and  weighs  about  170  pounds.  At  the  time  of  his  leav- 
ing was  dressed  in  a  brown  velvet  coat. 

Harrison  is  a  bright  mulatto,  about  five  feet,  four  inches  high,  weighs 
about  120  pounds,  is  about  sixteen  years  old,  and  was  rather  shabbily  dressed. 

Said  negroes  took  with  them  two  horses. 

One  black,  six  years  old,  branded  H  on  left  Iiip,  quite  thin,  about  fifteen 
and  one-half  hands  high. 

One  claybank,  dark  mane  and  tail,  rather  bony,  six  years  old,  about 
fifteen  and  one-half  hands  high,  paces. 

334 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  335 

Five  hundred  dollars  reward  will  be  given  for  the  apprehension  and 
safe  return  of  the  negroes,  or  $250  for  the  recovery  of  either  of  the  negroes 
and  horses. 

A.  J.  Frederick, 
R.  H.  Cabell. 
Atchison,  K.  T. 

A  search  of  the  files  of  the  Squatter  Sovereign  fails  to  disclose  the 
sequel  to  this  ad\'ertisement.  Whether  or  not  "Ned  and  Harrison"  were 
subsequently  apprehended  and  the  reward  paid  must  Ije  left  to  the  imagina- 
tion, but  doubtless  they  were  among  the  four  million  black  men  from  whose 
limbs,  a  few  years  later,  Abraham  Lincoln  struck  the  shackles,  and  whose 
descendants  this  day  are  breathing  the  pure  air  of  freedom.  There  is  no  defi- 
nite record  of  the  number  of  slaves  in  Atchison  county  at  the  time  the  adver- 
tisement in  the  Squatter  Sovereign  appeared.  When  the  first  census  was  taken 
in  1855  no  counties  had  been  established  and  the  territorv  in  Atchison  county 
was  included  in  the  fifteenth  election  district.  This  census  provided  for  the 
enumeration  of  the  slaves  in  the  territor}',  and  as  far  as  can  be  determined, 
the  following  men  in  and  around  Atchison  were  slave  owners:  D.  .A.  N. 
Glover,  three;  \\'.  M.  Size,  five;  John  Samuel,  one;  R.  A.  Walker,  one; 
Charles  Kcher,  three;  S.  F.  Raz,  three;  and  Grafton  Thomasson,  the  saw- 
mill man,  of  Atchison,  owned  three,  one  of  whom  drowned  herself  in  the 
Missouri  river,  which  fatality  was  the  direct  cause  of  the  famous  Pardee 
Butler  incident.  It  is  a  far  cry  from  "Ned  and  Harrison"  to  I'rior  Dickey  and 
Henry  Buchanan,  successful  farmers  of  Walnut  township,  and  it  will  be  the 
object  of  this  chapter  to  show  how  far  that  cry  is,  by  tracing  somewhat  inti- 
mately the  lives  and  careers  of  Dickey  and  Buchanan,  and  other  leading 
negroes  of  the  Mills  neighborhood. 

Prior  Dickey  was  born  in  Barren  county,  Kentucky,  March  9,  1861,  a 
son  of  Jackson  and  Edith  Dickey,  the  father  a  native  of  West  Virginia,  and 
the  mother  of  Kentucky.  The  first  eighteen  years  of  his  life  were  spent  in 
Kentucky,  and  in  1879  he  came  to  Kansas,  and  his  first  employment  was  in 
a  rock  quarry  at  Millbrook,  Graham  county.  He  possessed  $3.75  when  he 
landed  in  this  town.  He  helped  build  sod  houses,  and  in  fact  turned  his 
hand  at  anything  that  offered  for  his  board  and  lodging.  During  the  spring 
of  1880  he  walked  from  Millbrook  to  Concordia,  a  distance  of  200  miles,  in 
search  of  work.  He  was  accompanied  by  a  friend,  Calvin  Trotter,  and  their 
joint  capital  was  $1.25.     After  reaching  Concordia,  and  also  having  gone 


336  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

without  food  for  two  days,  he  secured   work  willi  a  railroad  construction 
crew,  and  was  sent  from  Concordia  to  Atchison,  and  thence  to  Rich  Hill, 
Mo.,  and  later  to  Texas,  wliere  he  worked  on  the  extension  of  tlie  Missouri, 
Kansas  &  Texas  railway.     W'lien  this  work  was  fini.shed  he  started  for  Kan- 
sas, and  wishing  to  sa\e  his  money  stowed  himself  in  a  box  car.     \\  hile  the 
train  was  at  a  standstill  in  a  Texas  town,  a  wiiite  man  knocked  on  the  door, 
demanding  admittance.     Prior  was  scared,  and  stealing  out  of  the  opposite 
door,  started  to  run.     Tiie  wliite  man  called  out,  "Stop,  neighbor."  and  Prior 
stopped.     Tliey  became   friends,  and  came  nortli   together   in  the  box  car. 
On  arriving  at  Ft.  Scott,  Prior  gave  his  white  friend  $1,  fed  him  at  a  res- 
taurant, and  sent  him  on  his  way.     From  Ft.   Scott  he  came  to  Atchison, 
and  later  was  em])loved  in  railr^iad  construction  work  of  various  kinds  in 
Nel)raska,  on  the  Central  Branch  railroad  in  Kansas,  the  Wabash  in  Missouri, 
and  elsewhere.     In  1833  he  secured  his  first  employment  on  a  farm,  a  field 
of  endeavor  in  which  he  has  since  made  a  signal  success.     From  ten  dollars  a 
month  to  twenty-one  dollars,  with  board  and  lodging,  was  his  wage.     Prior 
possessed  a  spirit  of  thrift  and  .saved  his  wages.     In  1885,  while  working  for 
Medad  Har\-ey.  in  Grasshopper  township.  Atchison  county,  he  bought  liis 
first  forty  acres.     On  this  place  he  put  his  fatlier  and  mother.  l)ringing  them 
from  Kentucky.     Tliey  lived  here  until  their  deatiis,  that  of  the  father,  in 
1895.  and  tlie  mother  in  191 1.     Prior's  example  in  caring  for  his  aged  par- 
ents, even  refusing  to  marry  on  account  of  attendance   on  his  mother,   is 
worth\-  of  enuilation.     Tlu"ee  years  after  his  first  purchase  of  land  lie  i)ought 
liis  second  forty,  a  year  later  a  third  forty,  then  an  eighty,  and  later  from 
John  J.  Ingalls.  he  bought  a  160  acre  tract.     He  is  also  the  owner  of  a  160 
acre  farm  in  Oklahoma,  and  his  various  holdings  total  o\er  500  acres.     He 
is   a   capable   and    industrious   agriculturist,    employs   modern    methods,    is   in 
close  touch  with  the  adxancement  in  scientific  farming,  and  is  a  successful 
breeder  of  high  grade  cattle  and  hogs.     His  herd  of  grade  Herefords  is  the 
equal  of  any  in  the  county  and  numbers  over  fifty  head.     His  property  is 
well  improved  and  well  kept.     He  is  a  stockholder  in   the   State   Bank  of 
Potter  and  conceded  to  be  no  mean  financier.     He  is  a  stanch   Republican 
and  states  "not  a  black  man  in  the  United  States  can  conscientiously  1)e  any- 
thing but  a  Republican."     He  cast  his  first  vote  in  Graham  county  in  the 
first  election  held  in  that  county  after  its  organization.     He  is  a  Mason  and 
a  Baptist.     A  sister  and  her  children  comprise  his  household.     Possessed  of 
ambition  to  succeed  and  gain  an  assured  position  in  his  adopted   State,  of 
untiring  energy,  intelligence  and  the  quality  of  thrift,  Prit)r  Dickey  has  de- 
veloped into  a  citizen  who  is  worth  while. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  337 

Henry  C.  Buchanan  was  born  in  Lincoln  county.  Kentucky,  on  April  8,' 
1844.  His  father  was  a  sku'e,  owned  by  Dr.  Thomas  Montgomery,  and 
named  Martin  Montgomery,  and  his  mother  was  Violet  Shanks,  a  slave 
girl,  owned  by  Archie  Shanks.  Their  son  was  l)orn  an  the  Shanks  planta- 
tion. Following  the  death  of  Archie  Shanks,  his  daughter,  Sarah,  inherited 
the  boy,  Henry,  along  with  thirty  other  slaves.  She  afterward  married  a 
man  b}-  the  name  of  Buchanan,  and  this  famih-  name  was  g^iven  the  boy.  He 
grew  to  young  manhood  on  the  Buchanan  plantation,  and  was  given  fair 
treatment,  but  not  any  schooling.  In  1864  he  left  the  plantation  and  en- 
listed in  the  Fifth  United  States  cavalry,  at  Camp  Wilson,  on  the  Kentucky 
river.  He  served  about  twent\-two  months  and  was  mustered  out  at  Little 
Rock,  Ark.  He  then  returned  to  the  old  plantation  in  Kentucky,  and  found 
it  had  been  made  a  Govenmient  post.  He  was  fairly  well  posted  on  farm- 
ing, as  he  had  been  one  of  the  best  field  hands  on  the  Buchanan  plantation, 
and  this  fact  being  known  to  the  land  owners  of  the  neighborhood,  he  bad 
no  difficulty  in  leasing  a  portion  of  the  old  plantation.  A  brother-in-law  was 
associated  with  him  in  this  venture,  but  Henry  was  the  manager.  He  later 
leased  land  in  the  adjoining  county.  His  farming  was  profitable,  and  he 
saved  his  money,  eventually  accumulating  enough  capital  to  engage  in  the 
general  merchandise  business  in  Lancaster,  Ky.,  on  a  small  scale.  In  188 1 
he  concluded  to  go  west,  and  chose  Atchison  Kan.,  as  his  place  of  location. 
He  arrived  here  at  the  time  of  the  great  flood,  and  shortly  afterward  opened 
a  grocery  and  produce  store  on  Fifth  street.  He  continued  in  this  business 
until  189 1,  when  he  sold  out,  and  with  the  proceeds  bought  100  acres  of  land 
in  Walnut  township.  This  property  he  improved,  and  as  the  vears  have 
passed  he  has  added  to  the  acreage,  until  now  he  owns  400  acres.  The 
property  is  well  improved,  well  kept  and  well  farmed.  He  was  married  in 
1878  to  Belle  Hogans,  of  Garritt  county,  Kentucky,  who  died  in  1899. 
Handicapped  by  the  lack  of  education,  he  has  spared  no  reasonable  expense 
in  the  matter  of  educating  his  cliildren,  and  his  sons  are  now  carrving  for- 
ward their  father's  farm  enterprise  along  modern  lines,  and  are  well  edu- 
cated, intelligent  members  of  the  community.  A  deceased  daughter,  Luella 
B.,  graduated  from  the  Atchison  county  high  school,  at  Fffingham.  Henry 
Buchanan  has  always  been  a  Republican.  He  has  served  as  precinct  com- 
mitteeman, and  as  a  member  of  the  election  board  at  several  elections,  and 
also  as  judge  of  election.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Baptist  church,  and  has  been 
a  member  of  the  board  of  trustees  of  his  local  church  for  many  years.  Mea.s- 
ured  from  the  standpoint  of  a  man  who  has  done  the  things  which  have 
come  to  his  hand  from  time  to  time,  he  lias  done  those  things  well.     He  has 

22 


T,^8  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

assisted  in  the  development  of  the  county's  agricultural  resources,  has  been 
thrifty,  and  has  gained  the  respect  and  esteem  of  the  residents  of  his  town- 
ship and  county. 

Eugene  L.  Bell,  prosperous  farmer,  Walnut  township,  was  bom  at  Oak 
Mills,  lian.,  July  28,  1875,  a  son  of  Joseph  and  Sydney  (King)  Bell,  natives 
of  Missouri  and  Kentucky,  respectively.  Joseph  Bell,  the  father,  was  born 
in  October,  1844,  in  Platte  county,  Missouri,  of  slave  parentage,  lie  lived 
in  Missouri  until  1863,  and  then  located  in  Leavenworth,  Kan.,  where  he 
joined  the  United  States  army,  becoming  a  member  of  Company  G,  Seventy- 
ninth  regiment,  United  States  Colorado  infantr}^  He  served  until  the  close 
of  the  Civil  war,  taking  part  in  fourteen  battles.  After  the  war  he  married- 
Miss  Sydney  King  at  Leavenworth,  Kan.  In  1872  he  removed  to  Oak  Mills, 
Atchison  county,  and  settled  on  a  farm  in  Walnut  township.  He  was  one 
of  the  pioneers  of  this  settlement  and  developed  a  fine  farm.  Mr.  Bell  took 
an  active  part  in  matters  pertaining  to  the  betterment  of  his  community  and 
was  an  exemplary  citizen.  Many  of  the  noted  men  of  his  day  in  Kansas  were 
his  warm  and  steadfast  friends.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bell  were  the  parents  of  nine 
children,  six  of  whom  were  reared  to  maturity:  Eugene  L.,  the  subject  of 
this  review;  Mrs.  Birdie  Norman,  of  Omaha,  Neb.;  Mrs.  T.  C.  Brown,  and 
Miss  Pearlie  Bell,  of  Chicago,  111. ;  Humphrey  Bell,  of  Pittsburgh,  Pa. ;  and 
Mead  Bell,  of  Cleveland,  Ohio.  Joseph  Bell  died  May  30,  1914.  Mrs.  Bell 
died  April  18,  1903.    Like  her  husband,  she  ran  away  from  slavery  to  Kansas. 

Eugene  L.  spent  his  boyhood  days  assisting  his  father  in  cultivating  the 
home  farm,  and  managed  to  attend  school  about  two  and  one-half  months 
out  of  the  year  until  he  attained  the  age  of  nineteen  years.  He  then  began 
to  hustle  for  himself  and  completed  a  three  years'  course  in  the  Atchison 
county  high  school  at  Effingham.  Ambition  and  a  desire  to  educate  himself 
led  him  to  make  sacrifices  in  order  to  prepare  himself  to  better  cope  with  the 
struggle  for  a  livelihood.  The  priceless  boon  of  an  education  was  his  after 
considerable  effort,  and  he  graduated  from  the  county  high  school  in  1896. 
He  then  returned  to  the  avocation  of  farmer  and  rented  land  in  Walnut  town- 
ship, which  he  cultivated  for  some  years.  Mr.  Bell  is  the  owner  of  a  fine 
farm  in  Walnut  township. 

He  was  married  December  26,  1901,  to  Miss  Mamie  Churchhill,  of  Mon- 
rovia, Kan.,  a  native  of  Hardin  county,  Kentucky.  They  settled  in  Atchison, 
Kan.,  and  lived  there  three  years  after  this  marriage.  Mr.  Bel!  then  moved 
to  Walnut  township  and  taught  school  for  two  terms  in  District  No.  20.  He 
then  bought  forty  acres  of  land,  on  which  he  has  since  made  his  home.    Seven 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  339 

children  have  been  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bell :  Inez,  Orville,  Eugene,  Leslie, 
Jr.,  Justin,  Irene,  Pearlie,  Ruthanna.     Mrs.  Bell  died  December  7,  19 12. 

Mr.  Bell  has  been  the  local  newspaper  correspondent  of  his  neighbor- 
hood for  several  vears  and  has  a  decided  literary  talent.  For  the  past  eighteen 
years  he  has  been  connected  with  school  district  No.  20  in  the  capacity  of 
teacher  and  school  trustee.  He  is  a  progressive  Republican  in  his  political 
affiliations,  and  has  been  honored  by  his- party.  On  May  27,  191 5,  he  was 
appointed  by  Governor  Capper  as  a  member  of  the  board  of  trustees  of  Ouin- 
daro  University,  Kansas,  and  also  received  a  complimentarv  appointment  to 
attend  the  Farmers'  Congress  as  a  negro  delegate,  held  at  the  Panama  Exposi- 
tion at  San  Francisco.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church 
of  Atchison,  and  has  been  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity  for  the  past 
fifteen  years.  Mr.  Bell  has  taken  a  prominent  part  in  the  educational  and 
civic  life  of  Atchison  county.  He  has  served  as  a  delegate  to  county  and  State 
conventions  of  his  party,  and  filled  the  position  of  doorkeeper  and  sergeant- 
at-arms  in  the  house  of  representatives  at  Topeka.  His  newspaper  experience 
mcludes  a  term  of  employment  in  the  printing  department  of  the  Omaha  Bee 
when  nineteen  years  old,  where  he  learned  typesetting,  going  from  there  to 
Chicago  and  attending  the  World's  Fair.  After  tliis  experience  he  returned 
home  with  the  intention  of  securing  an  education  and  succeeded.  Mr.  Bell 
is  one  of  the  well  respected  citizens  of  his  community,  and  is  one  of  the 
recognized  leaders  of  his  race  in  Kansas.  His  father,  Joseph  Bell,  was  a 
member  of  the  Grand  Anny  of  the  Republic,  Scott  Post,  of  Hydro.  Okla.. 
whither  he  removed  in  1900. 

Charles  Ingram,  a  well  known  farmer,  of  Walnut  township,  whose  agri- 
cultural plant  is  located  four  miles  distant  from  the  town  of  Potter.  Kan., 
consisting  of  160  acres  of  good  land,  is  a  native  of  the  Southland.  He  was 
born  in  1S55,  a  son  of  Hart  and  Vinia  Ingram,  both  of  whom  were  born  and 
reared  in  Tennessee.  Just  previous,  or  some  years  before  the  opening  of  the 
Civil  war,  his  parents  left  Tennessee  and  came  to  Buchanan  county,  Missouri, 
as  chattels  of  Jesse  Ingram.  The  Ingram  fann  was  located  about  four  miles 
distant  from  St.  Joseph,  Mo.  Here  they  toiled  in  the  fields  of  the  master 
and  owner  until  given  their  freedom  by  Mr.  Ingram  near  the  end  of  the 
Civil  war.  The  owner,  on  setting  his  slaves  free,  told  them  to  go  out  and 
hustle  for  themselves.  Hart  Ingram  and  his  family  came  to  Kansas  and 
lived  during  their  first  winter  here  in  Atchison.  He  then  located  on  a  farm 
in  Mt.   Pleasant  township,  and  worked  for  Mr.   Speck  for  five  years.     He 


340  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY 

then  rented  land  of  John  King-  for  one  year,  after  which  he  invested  his  sav- 
ings in  forty  acres  of  land  in  W'alnnt  township,  upon  which  he  resided  until 
his  demise. 

As  a  youth  Charles  had  no  opportuin'ly  to  acquire  an  education,  and  after 
his  marriage  in  1880  he  rented  land  for  several  years,  and  eventually  saved 
enough  money  to  make  a  payment  on  forty  acres  of  farm  lands.  He  im- 
mediately made  his  home  on  his  pwrchase  and  has  added  to  his  possessions 
until  he  is  now  the  owner  of  160  acres  of  excellent  farm  land,  with  good, 
comfortahle  dwelling  and  improvements.  Charles  Ingram  was  married  in 
1880  to  Margarette  Farner,  of  Atchison  county.  Five  children  have  blessed 
this  marriage,  who  are  all  receiving  the  benefits  of  a  good  school  education 
by  their  ambitious  parents. 

Mr.  Ing-ram  is  a  Republican  in  politics,  and  is  a  member  of  the  Baptist 
church.  He  is  a  man  of  high  and  strong  character,  whicii  has  been  developed 
in  the  stern  and  exacting  school  of  adversity.  Air.  Ingram  has  seen  the  time 
when  he  was  unable  to  borrow  even  twenty-five  dollars,  and  his  credit  is  now 
good  for  as  much  as  $2,500,  should  be  desire  it.  One  of  his  daughters.  Grace, 
is  a  graduate  of  the  Atchison  county  high  school  at  Fffingham,  and  the  others 
have  been  given  similar  opportunity.  Grace  Ingram  taught  school  in  .Atchi- 
son county  before  her  marriage.  Mr.  Ingram  is  a  striking  example  of  the 
progress  which  his  race  has  made  since  the  negroes  have  been  freed  from 
bondage. 

Charles  J.  Ferguson,  farmer,  of  Oak  Mills.  Kan.,  was  Ixirn  in  l^latte 
county,  Missouri,  in  .\pril.  t88i,  a  son  of  Daniel  and  Sarah  (Williams) 
Ferguson,  the  former  a  native  of  Kentucky,  and  the  latter  a  native  of  Mis- 
souri. The  parents  of  Charles  came  to  Kansas  from  Missouri  in  1881,  and 
settled  on  a  small  farm  of  twenty  acres,  wbicii  Daniel  bought  with  his  sav- 
ings, and  still  owns.  Charles  attended  school  in  District  No.  20,  and  was 
reared  on  the  parental  farm.  After  his  marriage  in  IQOO  he  began  doing 
things  for  himself  and  has  become  the  owner  of  100  acres  of  fine  farm  lands, 
overlooking  Bean  I^ke.  and  located  in  Walnut  townshi]i.  Mr.  Ferguson 
has  attained  to  his  comfortable  position  of  affluence  li)-  industry,  economy, 
and  good  financial  mana.gement,  and  began  his  career  with  practically  noth- 
ing. He  was  the  first  man  in  W'alnut  township  to  ship  a  carload  of  wheat, 
and  others  have  since  followed  his  example.  He  shipped  his  first  carload 
of  wheat  in  1910  and  has  become  noted  as  a  grower  of  small  .grain,  having 
raised  1,690  bushels  of  wheat  in  1914,  and  raises  on  an  average  over  1,200 
bushels  annually.     He  was  married  March  7,  1900.  to  Eliza,  a  daughter  of 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  34I 

H.  C.  Buchanan,  and  is  the  father  of  the  following  children  :  Granville  F., 
liorn  Decemljer  19,  1900;  Sarah,  liorn  March  i,  1902;  Sheffield,  Ijorn  January 
12,  1905;  Rothschild,  born  Septembers.  1908;  Luella,  born  June  17,  T910: 
Decina,  bom  May  31,   1912. 

Mr.  I-'ergusim  is  a  Republican  in  politics  and  has  taken  an  active  and  in- 
fluential part  in  the  affah's  of  his  party  in  Atchison  county.  He  was  elected 
a  member  of  the  county  central  committee  in  1908,  and  has  held  this  position 
since  that  time.  He  is  treasurer  of  the  school  lx)ard  of  District  No.  20  of 
his  township.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Knights  of  Tabor,  of  Atcliison.  and  is 
well  thought  of  and  highly  respected  by  all  who  know  him. 

Henry  Dickey,  farmer,  of  Walnut  townshij),  was  Ijorn  Feiiruarv  24.  1850, 
in  Barron  county,  Kentucky.  He  was  a  son  of  Jackson. and  Edith  Dickey, 
who  were  slaves  until  freed  by  the  Emancipation  Proclamation.  After  the 
Civil  war,  whicii  resulted  in  the  Dickeys  becoming  freemen,  the  parents  re- 
mained in  Kentucky  until  1884.  Henry  was  at  that  time  working  on  a  farm 
in  Kentucky  for  fifty  cents  a  day,  and  he  wished  to  better  his  condition  and 
that  of  his  parents.  Accordingly,  he  came  to  Kansas  in  search  of  a  location, 
and  found  it  in  Atchison  county.  After  his  brother,  Prior  Dickey,  joined 
liim  in  this  cmuU}',  lie  and  Prior  pooled  their  interests  and  invested  in  fann 
lands  until  they  now  own  over  500  acres  of  land  in  partnership.  Thev  also 
own  fort}-  head  of  fine  Hereford  cattle,  seven-eighths  pure  bred  stock. 

Mr.  Dickey  was  married  February  23,  1903,  to  Celia  Kerford,  a  daugh- 
ter of  Abraham  Kerford,  a  well  known  colored  family  of  Atchison  county. 
The  Kerfords  came  from  the  home  county  of  Abraham  Lincoln,  in  Kentucky. 
One  child  has  been  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Henry  Dickey,  Sarah  E.,  born 
September  24,   1906. 

Politically,  Mr.  Dickey  is  allied  with  the  Republican  party,  and  has  scr\ed 
as  a  meml)er  of  the  school  board  of  his  district.  He  and  his  wife  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Baptist  church.  Mrs.  Dickey  is  affiliated  with  the  True  Eleven 
lodge  of  Atchison.  Mr.  Dickey  is  one  of  the  most  influential  and  successful 
members  of  the  negro  race  in  Kansas,  and  is  considered  as  one  of  the  indus- 
trious and  highly  successful  agriculturists  and  live  stock  men  of  Atchison 
coujTty. 

Dr.  Frank  .\drian  Pearl,  M.  D.,  Atchison,  Kan.,  is  one  of  the  self-made 
men  of  the  present  generation.  He  was  born  September  2,  1886,  in  the  city 
of  Atchison,  a  son  of  Ryes  and  Sarah  J.  Pearl,  the  former  of  whom  was  a 
native  of  Missouri,  and  removed  to  Atchison,  Kan.,  shortlv  after  the  close 
of  the  Civil  war.     ?Te  li\-ed  in  Atchison  until  1888,  and  then  moved  to  IJutte, 


342  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

Mont.,  where  he  lived  until  his  demise.  After  his  demise  the  widow  mar- 
ried a  man  named  Davis. 

Frank  xA.  was  reared  to  young  manhood  in  Butte,  and  attended  tlie  pub- 
lic and  high  school  of  his  home  city,  afterwards  pursuing  a  course  in  business 
college.  \Vhen  yet  a  boy  lie  began  to  work  for  himself  and  early  became 
self-reliant  in  doing  anv  and  all  kinds  of  honest  labor.  In  1905  and  1906 
he  studied  in  the  Topeka  Educational  Institute,  and  supported  himself  by 
hard  work  while  studying  in  this  institution.  He  then  entered  Howard  Medi- 
cal College,  of  Washington,  D.  C.  and  graduated  from  this  school  in  1912. 
After  iiis  graduation  Dr.  Pearl  located  in  Kansas  City,  and  for  one  and  one- 
half  years  served  as  interne  in  the  General  Hospital  of  Kansas  City.  He 
located  in  Atchison  in  August  of  1914,  and  has  built  up  an  excellent  practice 
among  the  people  of  his  race,  and  has  made  a  name  for  himself  as  a  skilled 
and  well  educated  physician.  Dr.  Pearl  is  a  member  of  of  the  County  Medical 
Society,  the  Tri-State  Medical  Association,  embracing  Missouri,  Kansas,  and 
Oklahoma,  and  the  Kansas  Medical  Societ)^  He  is  an  independent  in  poli- 
tics, and  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  churcli.  Dr.  Pearl  is  fra- 
ternally allied  with  the  Odd  Fellows,  the  United  Brotherhood  of  Freemen, 
and  tlie  Knights  of  Tabor.  He  is  well  educated,  courteous,  a  great  student, 
and  is  fast  making  a  place  for  himself  in  his  chosen  profession. 

Dr.  W.  W.  Caldwell,  M.  D.,  of  Atchison,  Kan.,  was  born  in  Nashville. 
Tenn.,  in  1877,  a  son  of  Jefferson  and  Elizabeth  (Bell)  Caldwell.  His  mother 
was  a  native  of  Louisiana  and  had  the  entire  support  of  ten  children  thrown 
upon  her  after  the  removal  of  the  family  to  Topeka,  Kan.,  in  i8So.  Mrs.  Cald- 
well was  a  capable  woman  of  more  than  ordinaiy  ability,  thorouglily  un- 
tutored, but  possessed  of  a  strong  character,  she  determined  that  her  ciiildren 
should  be  fitted  to  cope  with  the  battle  of  life  with  well  trained  minds.  She 
early  installed  into  the  minds  of  her  children  those  qualities  of  character 
which  have  produced  great  men.  She  possessed  an  iron  constitution  and  an 
unconquerable  will  which  enabled  her  to  put  in  long  hours  each  day  at  the 
wash-tub  in  order  to  gain  the  means  of  feeding  tlie  hungr\'  mouths  of  her 
children.  She  also  taught  each  of  her  offspring  to  become  self-supporting  as 
soon  as  they  were  able  and  encouraged  them  to  strike  out  for  tliemselves. 
An  instance  of  her  nature  is  shown  in  an  occurrence  in  the  life  of  Dr.  Cald- 
well :  "When  tlie  boy  was  fourteen  years  of  age  he  made  liis  way  to  St.  Louis, 
via  'tlie  side-door  Pullman'  route.  He  did  not  like  the  appearance  of  things 
in  St.  Louis,  and  returned  to  the  safer  haven  of  his  home  in  Topeka.  only 
to  be  chided  by  his  mother  for  his  inability  to  stay  away  from  home  and 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  343 

make  his  own  way  in  the  world  as  she  desired  him  to  do.""  The  night  follow- 
ing his  return  he  again  left  home  and  did  not  return  until  time  for  school 
to  re-open  in  the  fall,  with  money  in  his  pocket  which  would  suffice  to  carry 
him  through  the  winter.  The  mother  was  an  expert  laundress  and  kept  all  of 
her  children  in  school  as  long  as  thev  desired  to  go.  Two  of  her  daughters 
nearly  finished  the  high  school  course  in  Topeka,  but  Dr.  Caldwell  was  the 
only  child  of  the  family  to  acquire  a  collegiate  education  and  a  professional 
training. 

He  attended  both  the  public  and  high  schools  of  Topeka  and  afterwards 
studied  for  three  years  in  the  State  Normal  school  at  Topeka,  and  was 
granted  a  life  teacher's  certificate.  While  at  college  Dr.  Caldwell  made  a 
great  reputation  as  a  runner  and  football  player,  serving  as  halfback  on  the 
State  Normal  football  team.  He  acquired  his  education  practically  by  his 
own  efforts,  encouraged  by  his  ambitious  mother.  In  1892,  when  he  Avas 
fourteen  years  of  age,  he  made  his  first  trip  away  from  home,  to  St.  Louis, 
but  returned  home  after  one  month's  stay  in  that  city.  His  mother  having 
ridiculed  him  for  coming  home,  he  caught  the  Rock  Island  flyer  out  of  To- 
peka that  night  and  rode  part  of  the  way  to  Denver.  After  a  thrilling  experi- 
ence covering  a  period  of  two  weeks,  he  finally  arrived  at  the  western  city, 
just  as  he  started,  without  funds,  but  with  the  desire  to  obtain  employment. 
He  worked  in  Denver  at  any  honest  employment  he  could  obtain,  such  as 
shining  shoes,  laying  concrete,  hotel  porter,  and  similar  jobs.  His  hard- 
ships were  many,  but  he  was  eventually  well  repaid  for  his  earlv  struggles. 
One  place  which  he  held  as  porter  in  a  barber  shop  enabled  him  to  lay  by 
a  considerable  sum  of  money  each  week.  He  was  paid  ten  cents  per  shine 
and  allowed  to  keep  the  money  thus  earned,  and  saved  eight  dollars  during 
his  first  week.  He  worked  for  this  shop  for  three  successive  summers,  and 
made  it  a  rule  to  lay  by  eight  dollars  each  week.  When  it  came  time  for 
school  to  open  he  would  "beat"  his  way  back  to  Topeka  via  the  overland 
trains  and  study  during  the  wiinter  and  spring  months,  and  would  then  again 
make  his  way  to  Denver  in  time  for  employment.  Thirty-five  dollars  saved 
usually  sufficed  to  pay  his  expenses  during  the  winter  months  while  in  school, 
and  he  would  sometimes  make  his  way  home  with  $300  in  his  pocket.  He 
kept  up  this  plan  of  working  and  studying  until  he  had  completed  his  medical 
course,  entering  medical  college  in  1902,  and  graduating  therefrom  in  1906. 
After  practicing  in  Topeka  for  one  and  one-half  years  he  went  to  Indepen- 
dence, Kan.,  but  remained  there  only  seven  months.     In  1908  Dr.  Caldwell 


344  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

came  to  Atchison  and  opened  an  office  for  general  medical  practice.  He  has 
made  a  great  success  in  his  noble  profession,  and  has  attained  to  a  high  posi- 
tion of  leadership  among  the  members  of  the  Afro-American  race. 

Dr.  Caldwell  was  married  in  1906  to  Araminta  Beck,  a  native  of  W'a- 
megoa  county,  Kansas,  and  to  this  union  have  been  born  children,  as  follows : 
Georgia,  born  in  1909;  Elizabeth,  born  in  1911 ;  Elnora,  born  in  1908.  The 
mother  of  these  children  was  bom  in  Kansas  City  August  20,  1880.  a  daugh- 
ter of  Leonardo  Beck,  a  stone  cutter  by  trade.  Her  mother,  Mrs.  Georgia 
Beck,  was  one  of  the  original  Fisk  Jubilee  Singers,  who  sang  in  pul)lic  recitals 
in  many  cities  of  the  United  States  and  in  England.  They  sang  in  the  cause 
of  education,  the  money  earned  by  the  recitals  going  to  defray  the  expenses 
of  erecting  the  $100,000  Jubilee  Hall  at  Fisk  University,  Nashville,  Tenn. 
An  uncle  of  Mrs.  Caldwell,  Col.  James  L.  Beck,  commanded  the  Twenty- 
third  regiment  of  colored  Kansas  volunteers  which  served  in  Cuba  during 
the  Spanish-American  war..  Mrs.  Caldwell  is  a  well  educated  lady  and  is 
a  graduate  of  the  Wamego,  Kansas,  high  school,  and  graduated  from  Kansas 
University  before  she  attained  the  age  of  twenty  years.  She  is  a  member  of 
the  Eastern  Star  lodge  of  Topeka,  in  which  city  she  taught  school  for  seven 
years,  later  teaching  one  year  in  Springfield,  Mo. 

Dr.  Caldwell  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity  of  Topeka,  and  is 
a  physician  for  the  Knights  of  Tabor  lodge  of  Atchison.  He  is  a  member  of 
Ebenezer  Baptist  Church,  and  is  a  Republican  in  politics.  In  1912  lie  re- 
ceived the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts  from  the  State  Normal  at  Emporia, 
Kan.  On  July  30,  1915,  Governor  Capper  appointed  the  Doctor  a  delegate  to 
the  National  Negro  Educational  Congress,  held  at  Chicago,  from  .\ugust  16 
to  August  21,  inclusive.  In  1914  he  was  presented  with  a  walnut  gavel  by 
the  Inter-State  Literary  Association. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 


OFFICIALS. 


COUNTY TOWNSHIP   AND   SCHOOL   OFFICERS. 

County  Clerk— C.  M.  Voelker. 

County  Treasurer — U.  B.  Sharpless. 

Sheriff — Roy  C.  Trimble. 

Register  of  Deeds — L.  M.  Baker. 

County  Attorney — Charles  J.  Conlon. 

County  Sun'eyor — Charles  W'oodworth. 

County  Superintendent — D.  Anna  Speer. 

Clerk  of  District  Court — W.  H.  Smith, 

Probate  Judge — J.  P.  Adams. 

County  Commissioner;  First  district — S.  S.  King. 

County  Commissioner ;  Second  district — J.  H.  Glancy. 

County  Commissioner :  Third  district — Andrew  Speer. 

Member  of  Legislature;  Second  district — T.  A.  Moxcey. 

Member  of  Legislature ;  Third  district — A.  E.  Mayhew. 

State  Senator ;  Second  district — B.  P.  W'aggener. 

TOWNSHIP    OFFICIALS SHANNON    TOWNSHIP. 

Trustee — Joseph  Taylor.  Clerk— Richard  Handke. 

Treasurer — Edward  Underwood. 

LANCASTER  TOWNSHIP. 

Trustee — C.  R.  Perdue.  Treasurer — J.  R.  Gragg. 

Clerk — F.  H.  Kloepper.  Justice — C.  D.  Parrot. 

GRASSHOPPER  TOWNSHIP. 

Trustee — William  Stirton.  Treasurer — Charles  McCurdy. 

Clerk — L.  N.  Plummer.  Constable — G.  R.  Shannon. 

KAPIOMA  TOWNSHIP. 

Trustee — F,  M.  Pratt.  Treasurer — James  Robertson. 

Clerk — Walter  Ferris.  Justice — C.  F.  Katherins. 

345 


346 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 


BENTON  TOWNSHIP. 

Trustee — W.  S.  Heffelfinger.  Justice — W.  P.  Heffelfinger. 

Clerk— J.  G.  Niblo.  Constable— J.  W.  Acheson. 

Treasurer — W.  R.  Smith.  Constable — James  Farrell. 

CENTER  TOWNSHIP. 

Trustee — J.  E.  Gibson. 
Clerk — Edward  Higley. 


Trustee — B.  Cummins. 
Clerk— j.  W.  Ashcraft. 

Trustee — S.  M.  Young. 
Clerk — J.  R.  Adams. 


Treasurer — George  Schroeder. 
Justice — S.  E.  Langworthy. 

MT.   PLEASANT  TOWNSHIP. 

Treasurer — Robert  Volk. 
]  ustice — William  Hartman. 

WALNUT  TOWNSHIP. 

Treasurer — C.  N.  Faulconer. 
Justice — B.  Brown. 


PRESENT  ATCHISON   COUNTY  SCHOOL  OFFICERS,    I9I5-I916. 


Names  of  officers  in  the  followi 
District  No.  2 — 
Charles  Cummings.  Atcliison. 
James  Neilson,  Atchison,  Route  6. 
George  \'anderweide,  .-\tcliison. 
District  No.  3 — 
H.  J.  Kuhnhoff,  Lancaster. 
J.  W.  Loutliian,  Huron. 
Herman  Fuhrman,  Lancaster. 
District  No.  4 — 

J.  W.  Lewman,  Atchison,  Route  3. 
Robert  Limerick,  Atcliison. 
R.  L.  Stevens,  Atchison,  Route  3. 
District  No.  5^ 

J.  B.  Davenport,  Atchison,  Route  2 
H.  W.  Sachse,  Atchison,  Route  i. 
John  M.  Price,  Atchison,  Route  i. 
District  No.  6 — 
William  Hartman,  Cummings. 
C.  R.  Miller,  Atchison,  Route  3. 
William  Krall,  Cummings. 


ng  order  :  Director,  Treasurer,  Clerk  : 

District  No.  7 — 

Nicholas  Boos,  Atchison,  Route  5. 

Conrad  Handke,  Atchison,  Route  5. 

John  Vandeloo,  Atchison,  Route  5. 

District  No.  8 — 

S.  G.  Moore,  Cummings. 

C.  P.  Higley,  Cummings. 

E.  Scarlett,  Nortonvilie. 

District  No.  9 — 

James  Servaes,  Atchison,  Route  i. 

A.  B.  Howe,  Atchison,  Route  i. 

L.  E.  Lister,  Atchison,  Route  1. 

District  No.  10 — 

Guy  P.  Chain,  Lancaster. 

L.  J.  Woodhouse,  Lancaster. 

A.  J.  Smith,  Lancaster. 

District  No.  1 1 — 

John  Cowley,  Nortonvilie. 

W.  A.  Meador,  Monrovia. 

Ed.  Neill,  Nortonvilie. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 


347 


District  No.  12 — 

W.  D.  Chalfant,  Atchison,  Route  4. 

J.  A.  Kramer,  Atchison,  Route  5. 

P.  Wolters,  Atchison,  Route  5. 

District  No.  13 — 

N.  W.  Enzbrenner,  Atcliison. 

George  A.  Thurn,  Atchison. 

John  Schletzbaum,  Atchison. 

District  No.  15 — 

Harry  Strine,  Monrovia. 

S.  Swendson,  Monrovia. 

C.  W.  Stutz,  Monrovia. 

District  No.  16 — 

Roy  Grandstaff,  Atchison,  Route  2. 

J.  B.  Findley,  Atchison,  Route  2. 

J.  H.  Glancy,  Atchison,  Route  2. 

District  No.  17 — 

M.  Amend,  Cummings. 

M.  Jones,  Cummings. 

T.  J.  Ferris,  Cummings. 

District  No.  19 — 

C.  Chne,  Cummings. 

Wilham  Donnelly,  Cummings. 

L.  B.  Allen,  Cummings. 

District  No.  20 — 

E.  L.  Bell,  Oak  Mills. 

C:  J.  Ferguson,  Oak  Mills. 
J.  D.  Richardson,  Oak  Mills. 
District  No.  21 — 

F.  H.  Hawk,  Effingham. 
William  Critchfield,  Effingham. 
Mrs.  C.  M.  Madden,  Effingham. 
District  No.  22 — 

W.  F.  Speer,  Muscotah. 

E.  A.  Barley,  Muscotah. 
James  R.  Fassnacht,  Muscotah. 
District  No.  23 — 

F.  W.  Weber,  Horton,  Route  i. 

L.  N.  Plummer,  Horton,  Route  i. 


John  Shoebrook,  Horton,  Route  i. 

District  No.  24 — 

J.  E.  Wilson,  Huron. 

W.  H.  Grimes,  Everest,  Route  2. 

W.  F.  Harden,  Everest,  Route  2. 

District  No.  25 — 

T.  P.  Armstrong,  Atchison,  Route  3. 

J.  I.  Holmes,  Atchison,  Route  4. 

A.  L.  Keithline,  Shannon. 

District  No.  26 — 

F.  M.  Linscott,  Farmington. 

Edwin  Thorne,  Farmington. 

William  Higley,  Monrovia. 

District  No.  27 — 

W.  A.  Dilgert,  Atchison,  Route  2. 

William  Christian,  Atchison,  Route  2. 

L.  H.  Davenport,  Atchison,  Route  2. 

District  No.  28 — 

John  Myer,  Cummings. 

George  Schrader,  Cummings. 

W'illard  Pike,  Farmington. 

District,  No.  29 — 

H.  L.  McLenon,  Effingham. 

Anton  Candreia,  Effingham. 

WilHam  E.  Steward,  Muscotah. 

District  No.  30 — 

Frank   Plummer,  Arrington. 

W.  J.  Schiffbauer,  Arrington. 

D.  L.  Dawdy,  Arrington. 

District  No.  31 — 

J.  E.  Hamon,  Arrington. 

Frank  Reichart,  Arrington. 

John  Nevins,  Valley  Falls. 

District  No.  32 — 

D.  L.  Richards,  Effingham. 

D.  Richter,  Effingham. 

Frank  A.  Stever,  Effingham. 

District  No.  33 — 

John  A.  Sacks,  Oak  Mills. 


348 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 


H.  Pohl,  Oak  Mills. 

J.  R.  Adams,  Oak  Mills. 

District  No.  34 — 

John  Davitz,  Oak  Mills. 

Frank  Zacharias,  Oak  Mills. 

R.  E.  King,  Oak  Mills. 

District  No.  35 — 

F.  B.  Maris,  Nortonville. 

E.  M.  Glaspy,  Nortonville. 
Dennis  Stillman,  Nortonville. 
District  No.  36 — 

A.  T.  Bilderback,  Nortonville. 

Harry   H.    Nieman,    Nortonville. 

John  Moeck,  Nortonville. 

District  No.  37 — 

Henry  Fankhanel,  Monrovia. 

H.  .\.  McLenon,  Everest,  Route  2. 

Stewart  McLenon,  Monrovia.  . 

District  No.  38 — 

S.  E.  LangAvorthy,  Nortonville. 

J.  R.  Snyder,  Farmington. 

H.  Bertels,  Nortonville. 

District  No.  39 — 

F.  W.  Weit,  Effingham. 
Bon  Hargrove,  Effingham. 
C.  N.  Snyder.  Effingham. 
District  No.  40 — 

J.  P.  Holmes,  Cummings. 

Mrs.  Cora  B.  Ferguson,  Atchison. 

[.  M.  Martin,  Atchison,  Route  3. 

District  No.  41 — 

Mrs.  \\1.  H.  Ryherd,  Horton. 

Gates  Saxton,  Horton,  Route  3. 

O.  E.  Rigdon,  Everest. 

District  No.  42 — 

John  Burns,  Effingham. 

John  Huffman.  Nortonville. 

J.  P.  Davidson,  Nortonville. 

District  No.  43 — 


J.  F.  Thompson,  Muscotah. 

W.  D.  Roach,  Muscotah. 

Ralph  A.  Allison,  Muscotah. 

District  No.  44 — 

R.  E.  Brooks,  Huron. 

C.  E.  Smith,  Huron. 

A.  F.  Allen,  Huron. 

District  No.  45 — 

W.  H.  Wicker,  Horton,  Route  i. 

Gilbert  Pendlebury,  Horton.  Route  i. 

Robert  P.  \^■aller,  Horton,  Route  i. 

District  No.  46 — 

Abe  Gerard,  Atchison,  Route  6. 

Sam  Gelwick,  Atchison,  Route  6. 

M.  J.  Baker,  Atchison,  Route  6. 

District  No.  47 — 
H.  H.  Rork,  Horton,  Route  i. 
O.  G.  Wilson,  Horton,  Route  i. 
W.  M.  Loser,  Horton,  Route  i. 
District  No.  48 — 

E.  C.  Evans,  Shannon. 
George  Anderson,  Lancaster. 
A.  Fannen.  Shannon. 

John  Miller,  Muscotah. 
W.  E.  Hubbard,  Muscotah. 

F.  M.  Pratt.  Muscotah. 

District  No.  50 — 

E.  Whittier,  Muscotah. 

Walter  Stewart,  Muscotah. 

H.  M.  Foster,  Muscotah. 

District  No.  51 — 

H.  A.  Watowa.  Atclnson,  Ruute  4. 

Everett  Shufflebarger,  Lancaster. 

Mrs.  Anna  Kumfrf,  Lancaster. 

District  No.  52 — 

R.  L.  Finnegan,  Atchison,  Route  5. 
Julius  Handke,  Atchison,  Route  5. 
Thomas  Kilkeny,  Atchison,  Route  5. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 


349 


District  No.  53 — 

Frank  Fassnacht,  Effingham. 

\\\  J.  Lauffer,  Effingham. 

F.  R.  Schurman,  Effingham. 

District  No.   54 — 

W.  R.  Freeland,  Effingham. 

Ed.  High.  Effingham. 

\X.  H.  W'ilHams,  Effingham. 

District  No.  55 — 

F.  W.  Kaufman,  Cummings. 
\\'.  K.  Stilhngs,  Cummings. 
E.  B.  Nieman,  Cummings. 
District  No.  56 — 

J.  E.  Behen,  Farmington. 

J.  G.  Cormode,  Farmington. 

S.  Congrove,  Farmington. 

District  No.  57 — 

Samuel  Plotner,  Horton,  Route  i. 

N.  E.  Jacobs,  Horton,  Route  i. 

C.  S.  Fairbairn,  ]\Iuscotah. 

District  No.  58 — 

Lawrence  Kipp,  Horton. 

J.  H.  Claunch,  Horton. 

G.  E.  Rork.  Horton,  Route  i. 
District  No.  59 — 

Howard  Nortli,  Lancaster. 

Jacob  Buttron,  Lancaster. 

H.  A.  Dorssom,  Lancaster. 

District  No.  60 — 

James  Mummert,  Effingham. 

David  Morgan,  Effingham. 

E.  L.  Henning,  Effingham. 

District  No.  61 — 

Charles  Gilliland,  Atchison,  Route  i. 

John  Downey,  Atchison,  Route   i. 

J.  D.  Hundley,  Atchi.son,  Route  i. 

District  No.  62 — 

David  Rouse,  Everest,  Route  2. 


James  W.  Freeland,  Horton,  Route  3. 

Wallace  E.  Harden,  Everest,  Route  2. 

District  No.  63 — 

Frank  Hunn,  Arrington. 

Thomas  F.  Cawley,  Arrington. 

M.  McGrath,  Arrington. 

District  No.  65 — 

Robert  C.  Sparks,  Atchison. 

T.  C.  Treat,  Atchison. 

Augaist  Haegelin,  Atchison. 

District  No.  66 — 

William  Walz,  Atchison,  Route  4. 

Louis  J.  Drimmel,  Atchison,  Route  4. 

R.  D.  Holder,  Atchison,  Route  4. 

District  No.  67 — 

Thomas  MuUins,  Atchison,  Route  5. 

Antox  Brox,  Atchison,  Route  5. 

C.  E.  Wood,  Atchison,  Route  5. 

District  No.  68 — 

Sam  Beyer,  Arrington. 

David  Beyer,  Arringtcjn. 

William  Lovelace,  Muscotah. 

District  No.  69 — 

J.  H.  Durst,  Atchison,  Route  4. 

Chester  Yaple,  Atchison,  Route  4. 

H.  S.  McGaughey,  Atchison,  Route  4. 

District  No.  70 — 

J.  D.  Nevins,  Arrington. 

Henry  Reichart,  Arrington. 

W.  P.  Yazel,  Arrington. 

District  No.  71 — 

W.  J.  Hunter,  Atchison,  Route  i. 

Charles  Pantle,  Atchison,  Route  i. 

C.  E.  Jaquish,  Atchison,  Route  i. 

District  No.  72— 

William  H.  McLenon,  Monrovia. 

Gus.  Stutz,  Lancaster. 

Gustav  Gigstad,  Lancaster. 


350. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 


District  No.  73 — 

A.  G.  Higley,  Nortonville. 

John  W.  Henry,  Nortonville. 

W.  T.  Henry,  Nortonville. 

District  No.  74 — 

J.  P.  Cummings,  Atchison,  Route  3. 

A.  C.  Mayfield,  Atchison,  Route  3. 

J.  W.  Barber,  Atchison,  Route  3. 

Union  No.  i — 

John  Henninger,  Potter. 

Frank  Beard,  Potter. 

S.  A.  Ellerman,  Potter. 

Union  No.  2 — 

Albert  Hanf,  Atchison,  Route  i. 

D.  T.  Greiner,  Atchison,  Route  i. 

Lawrence  Wagner,  Potter. 

Joint  No.  3-50— 

Charles  Handke,  Atchison,  Route  6. 

Paul  Kuhnert,  Atchison,  Route  6. 

Henry  Handke,  Atchison,  Route  6. 


Joint  No.  6 — 

H.  E.  Montgomery,  Larkinburg. 

E.  A.  Smith,  Larkinburg. 

J.  J.  Mooney,  Larkinburg. 

Joint  No.  70-98 — 

W.  L.  Heineken,  Effingham,  Route  i. 

Calvin  H.  Feerer,  Nortonville. 

G.  B.  Van  Horn,  Nortonville. 

Rural  High  School  No.  i — 

J.  E.  Remsberg,  Potter. 

T.  F.  Hall,  Potter. 

D.  H.  Sprong,  Jr.,  Oak  Mills. 

Atchison  County  High  School — 

D.  Anna  Speer,  President,  Atchison. 

C.  E.  Belden,  Vice-president,  Horton, 
Fred  Sutter,  Treasurer,  Effingham. 
S.  W.  Adams,  Secretary,  Atchison. 
H.  A.  McLenon,  Everest,  Route  2. 

J.  A.  Kinney,  Atchison. 

D.  H.  Sprong,  Jr.,  Oak  Mills. 


i^tiilnr  <il   liuv.  (h'chjio  W.  Cliik.  ill   Statiuiiy    Hall.   \\;isliiiij;ti>ii.   O.  C. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  HISTORY 


GEORGE  WASHINGTON  GLICK. 

George  W.  Glick,  ninth  governor  of  Kansas,  was  born  at  Greeneastle, 
Fairfield  count)-,  Ohio,  July  4,  1827.  His  great-grandfather.  Philip  (dick. 
a  Revolutionary  soldier,  was  one  of  five  brothers  who  came  to  Pennsylvania 
from  Germany.  His  grandfather.  George  Glick.  sened  in  the  War  of  1812.  as 
did  also  his  mother's  father,  Capt.  George  Sanders.  Governor  Glick's  father, 
Isaac  Glick,  was  a  man  of  influence  in  the  community  in  which  he  lived,  took 
an  active  interest  in  State  and  local  politics,  and  held  many  positions  of  public 
trust.  His  mother,  Mary  Sanders,  was  of  Scotch  parentage.  Both  parents 
lived  to  a  good  old  age. 

George  W.  Glick  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm  near  Fremont,  Ohio, 
and  there  acquired  the  habits  of  industry,  economy  and  self-reliance  that  made 
his  later  life  so  successful.  At  the  age  of  twenty-one  he  entered  the  office  of 
Bucklin  &  Hayes  as  a  law  student,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  two  years 
later  at  Cincinnati  by  the  supreme  court.  He  began  practice  at  Fremont,  and 
soon  won  an  enviable  reputation  as  a  hardworking  and  successful  lawyer.  He 
fully  sustained  this  reputation  after  coming  to  Kansas. 

Locating  at  Atchison  in  the  spring  of  1859,  he  fonned  a  partnership  with 
Hon.  Alfred  G.  Otis,  which  lasted  until  1874,  when  an  affection  of  the  throat 
compelled  him  to  abandon  the  practice  of  law.  Mr.  Glick  soon  took  a  leading 
place  at  the  Kansas  bar.  His  practice  extended  to  all  tlie  courts.  He  was  a 
salaried  attorney  for  two  railroads  and  a  numJjer  of  corporations. 

Mr.  Glick  was  a  natural  leader  and  began  early  in  life  to  take  an  active 
part  in  politics.  When  but  thirty-one  years  of  age  he  was  nominated  for 
Congress  hy  the  Democracy  of  his  district  in  Ohio,  but  declined  the  nomina- 
tion. The  same  year  he  was  nominated  for  State  senator  and  made  the  race 
against  Gen.  R.  P.  Bucklin,  his  former  law  preceptor.     He  was  elected  to  the 

351 


352  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

Kansas  le,s^islature  in  1862  uithout  opposition,  and  reelected  in  1863,  "64. 
'65,  '66,  '68,  '76  and  '82. 

During  his  service  as  a  legislator,  he  secured  the  passage  of  many  needed 
and  important  laws  which  have  settled  and  fixed  the  policy  of  the  State  on  mat- 
ters of  vast  interest,  that  have  stood  the  test  of  time  and  experience.  In  1876 
Mr.  Click  was  made  speaker  pro  tem.  of  the  house  of  representatives,  although 
that  body  was  strongly  Republican.  He  was  a  delegate  to  Democratic  Na- 
tional con\entions  in  1856,  1868,  1884  and  1892.  The  Kansas  delegation  in 
the  Democratic  National  convention  at  Chicago  in  1892  presented  his  name 
to  that  convention  as  its  candidate  for  vice-president,  after  the  nomination  of 
Crover  Cleveland  for  President,  and,  although  not  the  nominee  of  the  con- 
\ention  for  that  office,  lie  received  many  votes.  He  was  nominated  for  gov- 
ernor in  1868  and  made  the  race  in  obedience  to  his  party's  call,  though  his 
defeat  was  inevitable.  In  1882  he  was  again  the  unanimous  choice  of  his 
party  for  governor  and  made  a  memorable  campaign,  speaking  in  nearly 
every  county  in  the  State ;  and,  though  fighting  against  great  odds,  among 
them  being  a  Repu1)lican  majority  of  over  52,000,  he  defeated  that  distin- 
guished Republican  and  Trohiljitionist,  John  P.  St.  John,  In-  8.079  \-otes. 
Governor  (jlick  was  inaugurated  Januar\-  8,  1883,  and  his  administratinn  was 
marked  by  dignity,  intelligence,  and  a  careful  and  discreet  management  of 
the  material  and  financial  interests  of  the  State.  His  long  experience  as  a 
legislator  gave  him  an  intimate  knowledge  of  its  needs,  and  many  valuable  re- 
form measures  recommended  in  his  message  to  the  legislature  were  accom- 
plished. He  entered  an  earnest  protest  against  the  burdens  imposed  upon 
the  agricultural  classes  by  the  railroads  and  asked  that  legislation  be  enacted 
to  prevent  these  exactions,  A  law  creating  a  railroad  commission,  and  em- 
bodying substantially  all  the  improvements  asked  by  him,  was  passed,  and 
proved  of  great  benefit  to  the  people  of  the  State. 

In  1885  he  was  appointed  by  President  Cleveland  pension  agent  at  Topeka 
and  reappointed  when  Mr.  Cleveland  again  came  into  office.  During  Mr. 
Click's  two  terms  as  pension  agent  at  the  Tojjeka  agency,  he  received  and  dis- 
bursed over  $85,000.00. 

In  1857  he  married  Elizabeth  Ryder,  of  Massillon,  Ohio,  a  latly  de- 
scended from  a  distinguished  colonial  ancestry.  Her  ancestors  were  among 
the  first  settlers  of  Concord,  Mass.,  and  she  derived  her  name  from  forbears 
who  were  well  known  among  the  early  colonists  of  New  York  City.  For  fifty 
years  and  more  this  noble  matron,  having  with  her  the  best  traditions  of  Amer- 
ican life,  presided  over  the  hospitable  home  of  George  W.  Click,  with  the  grace 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  353 

and  dignity  inherited  from  a  fine  ancestry.  She  added  to  the  success  of  liis 
public  life  the  greater  blessings  of  domestic  happiness.  Two  children  were 
born  to  this  union :  Frederick  H.  Click  and  Mrs.  James  W.  Orr,  of  Atchison, 
Kan.  He  died  at  Atchison,  Kan.,  April  13,  191 1,  aged  eighty-four  years;  his 
wife  and  children  survive  him. 

Each  State  is  entitled  to  place  in  Statuary  Hall  at  the  capitol  in  Washing- 
ton, statues  of  two  of  its  citizens  renowned  in  literature,  art,  war  or  civil  life, 
and  several  years  ago  one  of  such  places  was  filled  In-  the  State  of  Kansas  with 
a  statue  of  John  James  Ingalls,  of  Atchison,  Kan.  The  regular  session  of  the 
191 3  legislature  of  Kansas  adopted  a  concurrent  resolution  and  made  an  ap- 
propriation for  the  purchase  of  a  suitable  statue  as  a  tribute  to  the  memory  of 
George  Washington  Click,  to  be  placed  in  Statuary  Hall,  where  the  Nation 
has  granted  to  its  people  the  privilege  of  placing  it.  The  statue  was  designed 
and  executed  by  Charles  H.  Niehaus  and  accepted  by  Congress  as  a  gift  from 
Kansas,  with  suitaljle  ceremonies,  and  is  now  in  Statuary  Hall.  A  cut  repre- 
senting it  precedes  tliis  sketch.  Sixteen  thousand  fi\e  hundred  copies  of  a  vol- 
ume containing  the  proceedings  in  Congress,  and  a  plate  of  the  statue,  were, 
by  authority  of  Congress,  printed  and  distributed. 


HORACE  MORTIMER  JACKSON. 

He  who  leaves  behind  him,  when  he  passes  laexond  the  goal  from  wliich 
no  mortal  man  has  ever  returned,  a  pleasant  and  aljiding  memorv  of  his 
existence  on  this  earth,  and  has  bequeathed  to  his  progeny  and  posterity  a 
heritage  of  right  living  and  right  thinking,  has  accomplished  much.  His 
memory  will  be  revered  long  after  that  of  the  individual  who  has  done  noth- 
ing but  accumulate  wealth  and  has  made  no  effort  to  leave  this  earthlv  abiding 
place  a  better  place  to  live  than  when  he  came  upon  it.  Judge  Horace  Morti- 
mer Jackson,  deceased,  was  a  man  who  li\ed  an  upright  life,  and  was  accorded 
the  uni\-ersal  respect  of  his  fellow  men  and  was  a  legal  practitioner  of  high 
rank,  whose  honorable  methods  of  practice  and  manner  of  living  were  sucii 
as  to  commend  him  for  most  favorable  mention  in  the  archives  of  his  adopted 
county  of  Atchison. 

Judge  Horace  M.  Jackson  was  born  near  Albion,  Penn.,  July  11,  1839,  a 
son  of  Lyman  Jackson,  wlio  was  the  son  of  Miciiael  Jackson,  wlidse  father 
was  also  named  Michael,  and  was  a  native  of  Ireland.     Michael  Jackson, 

22, 


354  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

the  founder  of  the  family  in  America,  came  from  Ireland  and  settled  near 
Hartford,  Conn.  He  went  to  the  coast  to  trade  and  was  not  thereafter  heard 
from  and  was  supposed  to  have  heen  killed  by  Indians.  He  had  three  sons, 
one  of  whom,  Ebenezer,  died  in  service  as  a  soldier  during  the  French  and 
Indian  war.  Another  son  went  south,  and  the  third  was  Michael  Jackson, 
the  direct  ancestor  of  Horace  M.  Jackson.  Michael  was  born  March  28,  1735 
and  on  June  4,  1755,  was  married  to  Susanna  W'illcocks.  who  was  bom  April 
u>.  1732.  They  settled  in  Windham  county,  Connecticut,  later  removing  to 
Pownal,  near  Bennington,  Vt.  Michael  Jackson  was  a  soldier  in  the  colonial 
army  during  the  French  and  Indian  war,  and  was  a  member  of  Company  Ten, 
First  regiment.  He  was  discharged  December  12,  1759.  He  also  enlisted 
in  the  Seventh  Company  of  the  Third  regiment  of  volunteers.  Army  of  In- 
dependence, May  5,  1775,  and  was  discharged  December  15,  1775.  He  later 
volunteered  for  service  in  Col.  Samuel  Herrick's  regiment  of  "Alarm  Men." 
Lyman,  the  son  of  Michael,  also  served  in  the  Revolution  on  the  American 
side.  Fie  was  born  February  29,  1755,  at  Simsbury,  Hartford  county,  Con- 
necticut. He  enlisted  eight  different  times  in  the  American  army.  Lyman 
married  Deidania  Dunham  on  January  3,  1782.  This  couple  lived  at  Albany. 
Otsego  and  Wyoming,  N.  Y.,  at  different  times.  To  them  were  bom  thirteen 
children.  About  1805,  Ljinan  Jackson  settled  in  Erie  county,  Pennsylvania, 
and  obtained  a  dense  tract  of  timber  land  in  the  Holland  Purchase  from  which 
he  cleared  a  farm.  Seven  sons  and  a  son-in-law  of  this  redoubtable  patriot 
fought  in  tlic  \Var  of  1812. 

Lyman  Jackson  died  March  20,  1835.  David  Bardsley  Jackson,  a  son 
of  Lyman.  Iwrn  May  29,  1797,  at  Richfield.  Otsego  county,  New  York,  mar- 
ried Lucy  Hendryx,  on  April  11,  1822,  near  .\lbion,  Penn.  He  was  the  ninth 
child  of  Lyman  Jackson  and  cleared  a  farm  of  forty  acres  in  the  Holland 
Purchase  on  which  he  resided  until  the  year  1830.  He  then  sold  his  land, 
loaded  his  effects  in  a  farm  wagon,  drove  to  Pittsburgh,  and  took  passage 
down  the  Ohio  river  and  thence  up  the  Mississippi  to  Warsaw,  111.,  from 
wiiicli  landing  place  on  December  15,  1839  ^^  drove  to  Knoxville,  111.,  and 
bouglit  a  farm  ten  miles  west  of  the  village.  He  returned  to  Pennsylvania 
in  1841,  driving  overland  with  his  team  1,000  miles  each  way  accom- 
panied by  his  wife  and  two  youngest  children.  In  the  year  1846  he  removed 
to  a  residence  in  Knoxville  and  engaged  in  the  grocery  business.  In  1854 
he  settled  on  a  farm  one-half  mile  west  of  Cambridge.  Henn,-  county,  Illinois. 
He  lived  iiere  until  1876,  then  sold  out  and  made  his  home  at  Gilson,  for  the 
remainder  of  his  days.  This  sturdy  pioneer  died  January  18,  1879.  His 
children  were:  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Ruth  Pierce,  Zaremba,  Obadiah  H.,  Gershom, 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  355 

David,  Francis  Marion.  Charles  Wilmer  De  Loss,  Horace  Mortimer,  and 
Mrs.  Annie  Lucelia  \^'^ing. 

Horace  Mortimer  Jackson  was  reared  on  the  farm,  attended  the  schools 
of  Knoxville.  111.,  clerked  in  his  father's  grocer}-  store,  sawed  wood  for  forty 
cents  per  cord,  and  did  the  hardest  kind  of  farm  work  while  yet  a  boy.  During 
1860-61,  he  taught  school  for  $28  per  month.  On  August  7,  1861,  he  started 
for  De  Soto,  Neb.,  by  way  of  Hannibal  and  St.  Joseph.  On  April  12,  1861,  he 
boarded  a  steamer  at  St.  Joseph  en  route  for  Omaha,  \rri\ing  there  he  joined 
his  brother  Zaremba  on  his  farm  in  Nebraska.  He  worked  here  for  some 
time  and  assisted  his  brother  in  tilling  the  farm  with  oxen  in  the  most  primi- 
tive way.  He  saved  his  money  and  in  1862  returned  to  Cambridge,  111., 
taught  school  during  the  winter  and  read  law  at  night.  He  followed  farming, 
served  as  deputy  sheriff  of  the  count)-  and  finally  located  at  Versailles.  Mo., 
in  the  practice  of  law.  He  was  a  member  of  the  board  of  education  whid" 
gave  the  first  public  school  to  the  town  of  Versailles.  He  married  Lavanchia 
Isabelle  Valentine,  December  12,  1865.  She  was  the  eldest  daughter  of 
John  O.  Valentine.  For  a  time  the  newly  wedded  couple  were  in  very  poor 
circumstances. 

Tlieir  furniture  was  (if  crude  workmansliip,  made  from  store  lioxes.  It 
was  here  that  the  future  judge  made  the  friendship  of  Anderson  W.  Anthony, 
a  good  lawyer  wiiom  he  esteemed  highly,  who  became  his  first  law  partner. 
He  made  a  journey  to  Wichita,  Kan.,  in  August,  1870,  but  located  at  Maiys- 
ville.  Mo.,  in  September  of  the  same  year.  He  became  a  partner  of  D.  L. 
Palmer,  who  later  went  to  Jewell  City,  Kan.  He  then  formed  a  partnership 
with  Judge  Thomas  J.  Johnston,  and  served  as  prosecuting  attorney  of  the 
county.  In  December  of  1878  he  started  for  Beloit,  Kan.,  with  tlie  intention 
of  locating  in  tliat  city,  but  stopped  at  Atchison  where  he  met  W.  S.  (ireen- 
leaf  and  Gen.  W.  W.  Guthrie.  He  remained  in  their  law  offices  during  the 
ensuing  winter.  -General  Guthrie  at  that  time  was  a  member  of  the  State 
senate.  He  fonned  a  partnership  with  Mr.  Greenlea  on  March  17,  1879, 
whicli  continued  until  Mr.  Greenlea's  death  in  September,  1880.  His  wife 
died  March  26,  1883,  and  he  later,  on  February  11,  1886,  married  Matilda 
(Adams)  Rook,  wiio  had  one  daughter  by  a  former  marriage,  Effie,  now  the 
wife  of  C.  A.  Chandler,  of  Atchison  .  Matilda  Adams  Rook  was  a  daughter 
of  Peter  and  Martha  Adams,  of  England,  and  sister  of  J.  P.  Adams,  of  Atchi- 
son. Horace  M.  Jackson  was  apjiointcd  judge  of  the  district  court  on  March 
I,  1887,  and  continued  as  judge  until  his  successor  was  elected.  He  and  his 
son,  William  A.,  conducted  the  law  business  and  served  as  the  local  attorneys 
for  the  Santa  Fe  and  the  Burlington  railroads  until  liis  deatli.  which  occurred 


356  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

December  11.  1910.  Judge  Jackson  left  two  sons,  ^^'illiam  Anthony  and 
Zaremba  Edward.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  the  Elks, 
Modern  Woodmen  and  the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen.  He  be- 
queathed to  his  children  and  posterity  a  heritage  of  an  honorable,  upright  life 
without  stain  or  lilemish  and  will  long  be  remembered  as  one  of  the  honored 
citizens  of  .\tchison. 


ZAREMBA  E.  TACKSOX. 


The  measure  of  a  living  citizen  is  his  genuine  worth  to  his  community. 
H  lie  unselfishly  strives  to  make  his  home  city  a  better  place  in  which  to  live, 
and  does  something  l)y  which  he  will  long  be  remembered,  as  of  lasting  good, 
he  has  acc(^mplislied  a  task  well  worth  wliile.  ^^'hile  every  town  and  city  can 
boast  of  such  individuals  who  are  striving  to  do  things  in  belialf  of  the  juiblic 
welfare,  there  are  not  a  great  number  who  can  act  without  an\-  ulterior  motive 
and  without  desire  to  bring  jDCCuniary  reward  to  themselves.  Of  the  class 
of  better  citizens  mentioned  as  doing  things  for  the  betterment  of  the  con- 
dition of  the  citizenry.  Z.  E.  Jackson,  attorney  of  Atchison,  occupies  a  promi- 
nent place  in  the  cit)-.  Gifted  as  an  attorney,  upright  in  all  of  his  dealings 
with  his  fellow  men,  interested  to  a  high  degree  in  the  welfare  of  his  fellow 
citizens,  he  has  striven  unselfishly  to  do  good.  Jackson  Park,  named  after 
this  gentleman,  represents  the  culmination  of  one  of  his  dreams  and  years 
of  endeavor  to  create  a  breathing  place  of  woodland  beauty  and  a  ]niblic 
playground  of  which  the  city  may  well  be  proud. 

Z.  E.  Jackson  was  born  in  IMaryville.  Mo..  Septemlier  23.  1872.  and 
is  a  son  of  Judge  Horace  Mortimer  Jackson,  late  of  Atchison,  and  a  review 
of  whom  appears  in  this  work.  He  came  to  Atchison  witli  his  parents  when 
six  years  of  age.  He  received  his  primary  education  in  tlic  public  schools  of 
Atchison  and  afterward  stutlied  for  two  years  in  ^Midland  College.  He  then 
matriculated  in  the  University  of  Illinois,  with  the  intention  of  preparing 
himself  to  become  an  electrical  engineer.  After  studxing  for  two  years  in 
the  Illinois  university,  he  abandoned  his  original  intention  and  returning  to 
Atchison,  entered  his  father's  law  office  in  1893.  He  studied  stenography 
without  a  regular  instnictor  and  prepared  him.self  to  take  dictation,  filling 
the  post  of  stenographer  in  his  father's  office  while  reading  law.  He  studied 
law  under  his  gifted  father's  tutelage  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1899. 
being  later  admitted  to  practice  in  the  higher  State  and  federal  courts.  At 
first  lie  practiced  alone  and  was  then  made  a  member  of  tlie  law   finn  of 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  357 

Jackson  &  Jackson.  This  firm  was  at  first  composed  of  Judge  Horace  M. 
Jackson,  and  his  son,  William  A.,  and  when  William  A.,  was  elected 
to  the  position  of  judge  of  the  district  court,  it  was  composed 
of  Horace  M.  and  iiis  son,  Z.  E.  Jackson.  Air.  Jackson  is  local  attorney 
for  the  Home  Building  and  Loan  Association,  and  a  director  of  the  same  con- 
cern. He  is  the  local  attorney  for  the  Santa  Fe  Railroad  System  and  the 
Burlington  Railroad  Company.  He  is  also  the  legal  advi.ser  for  several  of 
Atchison's  corporations.  Air.  Jackson  has  the  reputation  of  heing  one  of 
the  ablest  and  cleanest  practitioners  of  the  Atchi.son  county  bar  wlio  has 
followed  in  the  footsteps  of  his  illustrious  father  in  never  refusing  counsel 
or  advice  to  a  pulilic  official,  religious  denomination  or  to  a  charitable  organ- 
ization, whether  or  not  any  fee  was  forthcoming — in  fact.  Ins  office  lias  al- 
ways been  ready  to  give  advice  to  applicants  of  the  character  of  the  foregoing 
without  charge  or  recompense  of  any  kind.  Mr.  Jackson  has  never  turned 
away  a  client  who  had  a  meritorious  cause,  because  of  lack  of  funds,  and  in 
this  respect  resembles  liis  father  in  liis  manner  of  conducting  his  legal  practice. 
\Miile  Mr.  Jackson  is  not  a  memljer  of  any  particular  religious  denomination, 
he  iias  always  lieen  a  liljeral  contributor  to  all  mo\'ements  wliich  ha\e  had 
for  their  intent  tlie  betterment  of  the  community.  He  is  owner  of  Atchison 
real  estate  and  farm  lands  in  Jackson  county,  Kansas,  to  which  he  gives  his 
personal  attention. 

Mr.  Jackson's  career  as  a  public  official  began  in  lyoi,  when  lie  was 
elected  police  judge  cjf  the  city  and  again  elected  in  1903,  after  which  he 
declined  to  again  become  a  candidate  for  the  office.  His  career  as  police 
judge  was  marked  b}'  uniform  fairness  and  impartiality,  tempered  with  kind- 
ness in  dealing  with  tlie  city's  minor  malefactors  who  were  brought  before 
him  for  judgment  in  his  official  capacity.  From  1905  to  1909  he  was  assist- 
ant city  attorney,  and  in  1912  was  elected  to  the  office  of  city  attorney  to 
fill  the  unexpired  term  of  Daniel  S.  Hooper,  deceased.  Fie  served  out  the 
unexpired  term  and  declined  to  become  a  candidate  in  1913,  liecause  of  the 
growing  demands  of  his  large  law  practice.  While  serving  as  city  attor- 
ney many  important  problems  came  up  before  the  city  for  solution,  such  as 
the  telephone  merger,  and  the  renewal  of  the  city's  contract  with  the  Atchison 
Light  and  Power  Compan\-.  His  wise  advice  and  counsel  steered  the  city 
government  safely  over  the  shoals,  incidental  to  the  settlement  of  these  ques- 
tions. Mr.  Jackson  found  the  city  finances  in  bad  shape,  as  related  to  the 
renewal  of  the  lighting  contract,  a  condition  of  affairs  brought  about  by  his 
predecessor's  long  illness  preventing  him  from  attending  to  business,  and  he 
immediately  set  to  work  to  unravel  the  tangle  and  brought  order  out  of 


338  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

chaos  to  the  achantag-e  of  the  city.  Another  matter  to  which  lie  gave  con- 
siderable attention  wliile  c!t\-  attorney  was  the  intercepting  sewer  problem 
which  he  handled  satisfactorily. 

Mr.  Jackson  is  a  pronounced  Republican  in  his  political  views,  hax'ing 
become  a  convert  to  Republican  principles  when  he  became  of  age,  a  decision 
which  he  was  influenced  to  make  by  the  panic  of  1893.  He  is  affiliated  with 
the  Knights  of  Pythias. 

He  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Maud  K.  Smith.  April  30,  1903. 
Mrs.  Jackson  was  born  in  Burlington.  Iowa,  a  daughter  of  Lewis  T.  and 
Theresa  June  (Chadwick)  Smith,  the  former  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  and 
the  latter  a  native  of  Canada.  Lewis  T.  Smith  was  born  in  1846  in  \\'est 
Lebanon,  Pa.,  and  is  one  of  the  old-time  railroad  men  of  the  early  days. 

Mr.  Jackson's  creed  of  living-  is  best  expressed  in  his  own  words,  "I  be- 
lieve that  every  man  .should  do  something  for  the  communit\-  in  which  lie  lives, 
besides  getting  a  living  out  of  it."  It  was  the  practice  of  his  creed  which  led 
to  the  beautiful  park  in  the  southeast  part  of  the  city  being  named  in  his 
honor,  over  his  personal  objections.  The  Atchison  Globe  says  of  his  connec- 
tion witii  the  building  and  equipping  of  the  park  in  the  issue  of  August  iS. 
1913,  in  part,  after  (lunting  Mv.  Jackson's  creed,  as  above  given: 

"That  e.xplains  the  principal  reason  why  lie  ( Z.  E.  Jackson)  has  taken 
such  an  interest  in  the  park  which  now  bears  his  name.  Another  reason  is  he 
likes  to  dig  in  the  ground,  and  investigate  things  as  he  finds  them  in  the  woods 
and  wild  places.  He  is  also  handy  at  improving  on  Nature  here  and  there 
without  spoiling  the  general  effect. 

"Seven  or  eight  years  ago.  after  spending  many  of  his  boyhood  and  young 
maniiood  days  in  Jackson  Park,  he  saw  the  possibilities  of  it  for  a  beautiful 
playground  for  young  and  old.  He  invited  several  of  his  South  .Atcliison 
neighbors  to  meet  in  liis  law  office  one  night  and  a  ]>ark  iniijonement  asso- 
ciation was  formed.  In  order  to  start  a  fund  for  improvements  in  the  park 
each  member  present  put  up  five  dollars.  Otlier  citizens  were  invited  to  con- 
tribute and  thus  a  small  fund  was  raised. 

"That  proved  to  l)e  the  redemption  of  City  Park,  a  tract  of  fifty-si.x  acres 
of  woodland  which  cost  the  city  $7,500  ab<jut  thirty  years  ago. 

"W'itli  the  few  hundred  dollars  raised  by  private  subscription  it  was  siiown 
wiiat  might  be  accomplished  if  the  necessary  funds  were  forthcoming.  From 
the  sale  of  a  park  bond,  issued  when  the  cil\-  was  trying  to  put  the  coal  mine 
on  its  feet,  the  committee  secured  $500  which  was  used  in  replacing  the  dam 
which  makes  the  lake  and  otlier  improvements. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  339 

"If  effective  service  is  to  be  rewarded,  llicii  tlie  cit_\'  council  made  no 
mistake  when  it  acted  on  the  petition  presented  to  it,  asking  that  the  name  of 
City  Park  be  changed  to  Jackson  Park  in  honor  of  Z.  E.  Jackson,  a  }-oung 
man  who  decided  that  tiie  making  of  a  park  was  the  del^t  lie  cjwed  the  commu- 
nity where  he  makes  his  hving." 

The  action  referred  to  in  the  foregoing  was  taken  August  i,  19 13,  wiien 
the  official  name  of  Jackson  Park  was  given  to  the  tract  in  honor  of  Mr.  Jack- 
son. Besides  his  work  of  superintending  the  park  and  bringing  about  its  re- 
demption with  the  assistance  of  otlier  pubhc  sjjirited  men,  Mr.  Jackson  and 
others  secured  a  ten-acre  tract  of  land  lying  between  the  original  fifty-six 
acres  and  the  Missouri  river,  which  has  been  added  to  and  is  now  a  part  of 
the  park. 


THOMAS  FRABLE. 


TliDuias  Frable,  retired  farmer,  of  Benton  township,  is  one  of  tiic  oldest 
living  pioneer  citizens  of  Atchison  county,  both  in  age  and  number  of  years 
of  residence  in  the  county.  He  was  one  of  the  old-time  freighters  who  con- 
ducted his  own  freighting  outfit  across  the  plains  in  the  days  of  the  Civil  war, 
and  b'eforc  the  ad\ent  of  the  transcontinental  railroads.  Mr.  Frable  was 
born  in  March,  1832,  and  has  spent  fifty-six  of  his  four  score  and  four  years 
of  life  in  .Vtchison  county  and  Kansas.  He  was  born  on  a  farm  in  Pennsyl- 
vania, a  son  of  Thomas  Frable,  who  died  when  the  subject  was  three  years 
of  age,  leaving  his  widow  in  such  poor  circumstances  that  she  was  unable  to 
rear  her  children  in  comfort.  Thomas  was  given  a  home  by  a  man  named 
Queen,  who  owned  a  large  farm,  and  he  lived  with  Queen  until  attaining  his 
majority.  Queen  owned  a  farm  of  300  acres,  and  Thomas  was  started  to 
work  when  still  a  small  boy,  learning  to  guide  a  plow  across  the  fields  when 
he  was  but  eleven  years  of  age.  When  he  became  of  age  and  was  free  to  do 
as  he  liked,  the  germ  of  adventure  and  aml^tion  seized  him  and  he  decided 
to  try  his  fortunes  in  the  great  West.  In  line  wit1i  Ibis  resolve,  be  crossed 
the  country  to  Kansas  in  1839,  in  company  with  another  young  fellow  named 
Reuben  Ferguson,  with  whom  he  finally  bouglit  a  tract  of  land  which  they 
farmed  in  common  for  a  time,  and  then  made  a  division.  Mr.  I'r.ible  still 
owns  eighty  acres  of  the  original  tract  which  he  and  Ferguson  purchased. 
Mr.  Frable  engaged  in  the  freighting  business  and  made  considerable  money 
in  the  old  days.  He  l>ecame  the  owner  of  two  teams  which  he  drove  with 
the  great  trains  which  were  constantly  leaving  Atchison  in  the  early  sixties, 


360  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

en  route  to  the  far  U'est,  and  transported  blasting  powder  to  Denver  and 
mining  points  in  Colorado  for  the  use  of  the  gold  and  silver  miners.  He  also 
carried  corn  for  tlie  United  Stales  Government.  During  the  Civil  war  Mr. 
I'^rable  was  enrolled  as  a  member  of  the  Kansas  State  militia,  and  served  at 
the  battle  of  Westport  in  the  expedition  against  the  reljel,  General  Price. 
After  the  war  he  settled  down  to  farming  in  Benton  township,  and  has  pros- 
pered exceedingly,  he  and  his  son,  Harry,  now  owning  over  560  acres 
of  fine  land.  The  Frable  home  is  one  of  the  most  imposing  and  best  built 
farm  residences  in  the  county,  and  Harry  Frable  recently  erected  a  large  barn 
in  which  the  live  stock  of  this  extensive  farm  is  housed.  Mr.  Frable  and 
Harry  have  been  life-long  Republicans. 

Tiiomas  Frable  was  married  in  1862  to  Rebecca  Graham,  a  daughter  of 
Richard  Graham,  who  came  from  Pennsylvania  with  his  family  to  Atchison 
county  in  the  early  days,  and  was  one  of  the  well  known  pioneers  of  this 
county.  Mrs.  Frable  was  born  October  5,  1835.  and  died  in  November,  1908. 
Five  children  were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thomas  Frable,  namely :  Clara,  de- 
ceased; Margaret,  dying  in  infancy:  two  died  in  infancy:  and  Harry 
was  bom  January  22,  1865. 


JAMES   W.   ORR. 


TIic  reviewer,  in  attempting  to  write  a  comprehensive  and  trutliful 
biography  of  an  individual,  must  take  into  consideration  the  related  facts  as 
to  birth  and  subsequent  career,  the  success  attained,  the  underlying  principles 
which  have  combined  to  assist  him  in  achieving  his  desires  and  ambitions,  and 
to  lay  particular  stress  upon  the  special  talent  which  lias  been  developed  in 
the  life  of  the  subject  under  review.  In  reviewing  the  life  career  of  James 
W.  Orr,  a  leading  member  of  the  Atchison  county  bar,  the  fact  is  determined 
that  he  is  truly  an  able  and  distinguished  lawyer,  whose  reputation  for  suc- 
cess at  the  bar,  for  having  a  profound  knowledge  of  the  law.  and  his  ability 
to  successfully  practice  in  the  courts  of  the  land,  arrayed  against  the  brightest 
minds  of  the  legal  profession  of  the  country,  is  recognized,  not  only  by  the 
people  of  the  State  of  Kansas  and  his  profession  generally,  but  by  the  United 
States  Government,  in  whose  employ  he  now  is  as  special  assistant  to  tlie 
attorney  general  of  the  United  States. 

James  W,  Orr  was  born  September  14,  1855,  in  the  town  of  Reading, 
Hillsdale  county,  Michigan.     In  his  boyhood  days,  and  during  the  struggle 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  361 

to  educate  liimself  for  the  practice  of  his  chosen  profession,  he  knew  what 
adversity  meant  and  has  the  satisfaction  of  knowing  that  his  education  was 
obtained  through  his  own  unaided  efforts.  He  is  a  son  of  James  and  Mary 
EHzabeth  (Underbill)  Orr,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  New  York  City. 
His  father  was  of  Scotch-Irish  descent,  his  forebears  emigrating  from  Scot- 
land to  the  north  of  Ireland  in  the  days  of  old  to  escape  religious  persecution. 
His  paternal  grandfather  left  Ireland  in  an  early  day  and  made  his  home  in 
New  York.  The  Underbill  family  is  of  English  origin  and  a  very  old  one 
in  America,  several  generations  of  whom  have  been  horn  and  reared  in  this 
countiy.  His  maternal  grandfather  was  Daniel  Unflerhill,  a  goldsmith  in 
New  York  City.  James  Orr,  the  fatlier,  was  a  merchant  in  New  York  till  about 
1848,  when  he  left  his  natix^e  city  and  engaged  in  merchandising  in  Rome, 
Syracuse  and  Utica,  N.  Y..  (three  stores),  following  which  he  engaged  in 
wholesale  business  in  Toledo,  Ohio.  While  a  resident  of  Toledo  he  became 
identified  with  some  of  the  enterprises  of  that  day  and  was  a  stockholder, 
director  and  one  of  the  builders  of  the  Erie  &  Dunkirk  railroad.  In  1861 
he  removed  to  Coldwater,  Mich.,  and  conducted  a  merchandise  business  there 
until  1868.  when,  in  broken  health,  he  settled  in  Niles,  Mich.,  where  he  died. 
When  James  W.  Orr  was  fourteen  years  of  age  he  began  earning  his  own 
living  and  educating  himself.  He  and  his  brother,  Louis  C.  Orr,  the  present 
postmaster  of  Atchison,  worked  together  for  several  years,  sharmg  their  work 
with  each  other  and  pooling  their  earnings.  The  boys  were  fortunate  in  hav- 
ing a  wise  and  ambitious  mother  who  was  well  educated  and  who  taught 
them  at  home,  thus  giving  tliem  the  education  they  were  financialh-  unable 
to  obtain  at  school.  At  the  age  of  se\enteen  years  while  employed  in  a  drug 
store  he  was  reading  law  at  nights  and  at  odd  times  when  his  work  was  not 
pressing.  By  persistent  endeavor  he  managed  to  secure  two  years  of  study 
at  Michigan  University,  at  ,\nn  .Arlior.  He  then  took  his  examination  for 
admission  to  the  bar  in  open  court,  and  was  admitted  to  practice  when  but 
twent\-  years  of  age.  His  first  employment  in  his  new  profession  was  with 
the  McCnrmick  Harvester  Company,  settling  claims,  etc.,  in  liehalf  of  that 
company.  He  remained  in  this  position  until  1880,  and  in  January,  1881, 
came  to  Atchison  where  he  has  since  continuously  resided.  It  was  necessary 
for  him  to  begin  the  upward  climb  of  the  ladder  to  fame  and  success  without 
assistance  from  an}'  indi\-idual  or  friend.  How  well  Mr.  Orr  has  succeeded 
during  the  past  thirty-four  years  is  attested  by  his  present  high  position  in  the 
ranks  of  the  legal  profession  and  the  competence  he  has  accumulated.  He 
was  first  employed  in  Atchison  by  the  New  England  Loan  &  Trust  Com- 
pany as  attorney  to  examine  abstracts  of  titles,  etc.,   at  a  salary  of   forty 


362  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

dollars  per  month.  It  was  not  long  until  he  was  receiving  a  salary  of  $150 
per  month  and  a  share  of  the  profits  in  the  employ  of  the  same  concern. 
When  the  concern  moved  to  Kansas  City  and  became  known  as  the  Equitable 
Loan  &  Trust  Company,  Mr.  Orr  remained  in  Atchison.  In  1883  he  was 
married  to  Miss  Jennie  Click,  the  only  daughter  of  Governor  George  W. 
Click,  of  Atchison.  He  took  up  the  practice  of  law,  purchasing  tlie  interest 
of  Judge  W.  D.  Webb  in  the  finn  of  Webb-&  Martin,  and  entered  into  part- 
nership with  .\.  F.  Martin,  which  partnership  existed  from  1882  until  April, 
1887.  During  the  five  years  he  had  been  in  Atchison  he  had  been  extending 
his  acquaintance  over  the  county,  and  in  Noveml^er,  1866,  was  a  successful 
candidate  for  county  attorney  on  the  Democratic  ticket,  being  elected  over 
W.  D.  Gilbert  by  a  substantial  majority,  despite  the  fact  tliat  the  county 
was  then  normally  Republican  by  over  800  majority.  In  April,  1887,  he 
formed  a  law  partnership  with  B.  P.  Waggener  and  Judge  David  Martin,  the 


Residence  of  .1.   W.  Oir. 

firm  having  previously  been  known  as  I-lvcrcst  &:  Waggener.  Judge  Martin 
resigning  the  position  of  judge  of  the  .\tchisnn  district  court  to  join  the  firm, 
which  was  known  as  \\'aggener.  Martin  &  Orr.  In  the  year  1895  Judge  Mar- 
tin retired  from  the  firm,  and  Judge  A.  H.  Horton,  then  chief  justice  of  tlie 
supreme  court  of  Kansas,  resigned  his  office  of  chief  justice,  a  position  he  had 
held  continuously  for  nineteen  yenrs,  to  become  a  member  of  the  finn.  Judge 
David  Martin  was  appcMuted  to  the  vacancy  so  made  on  tb.e  supreme  bench. 
Judge  Horton  remained  a  member  of  the  firm  until  his  deatli.  wlien  ex-Ciiief 
Justice  Frank  Doster  became  a  member  of  the  firm  known  as  AN'aggener, 
Doster  &  Orr.     During  Mr.  Orr"s  association  witli  B.  P.  Waggener  in  tlie 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  363 

practice  of  law  they  had  charge  of  the  legal  business  for  the  Gould  system  of 
railroads  in  Kansas  and  Nebraska;  the  Western  Union  Telegraph  Company; 
express  companies,  and  the  Pullman  Palace  Car  Company.  They  were 
associated  in  partnership  with  three  ex-chief  justices  of  the  supreme  court  of 
Kansas  during  this  period.  In  June,  1910,  Mr.  Orr  resigned  his  position 
as  attorney  for  the  Missouri  Pacific  Railway  Company,  and  his  connection 
with  B.  P.  Waggener.  which  had  then  continued  for  twenty-three  years,  was 
also  terminated.  The  position  of  special  assistant  to  the  attorney-general 
of  the  United  States  was  proffered  him  by  Attorney-General  McReynolds  in 
Octol>er,  19 1 3,  while  Mr.  Orr  was  engaged  in  the  trial  of  a  case  in  St.  Louis. 
He  accepted  and  was  given  charge  of  the  suit  of  the  Government  against  the 
Southern  Pacific  Company  and  others,  including  the  Central  Pacific  Railway, 
to  dissolve  the  relations  between  those  companies.  Mr.  Orr  conducts  his  cases 
for  the  Government  in  addition  to  his  private  practice.  His  rise  has  been 
stead\  and  consistent  during  the  years  he  has  been  practicing  his  profession 
in  Atchison,  and  it  is  true  that  the  youth  who  began  his  career  in  the  city  of 
Atchison  for  the  modest  salary  of  forty  dollars  per  month  now  enjoys  a  lucra- 
tive private  law  practice,  in  addition  to  his  income  from  the  Government  and 
not  supplemented  by  corporation  salaries.  Mr.  Orr  has  accumulated  a  com- 
fortable fortune  during  the  years  of  his  practice  and  has  what  is  considered 
the  most  beautiful  home  in  Atchison.  In  his  home  he  has  his  private  library 
of  several  hundred  volumes,  including  the  standard  works  of  literature.  His 
law  library  lines  the  walls  of  his  down-town  offices  and  exceeds  2,000  vol- 
umes in  number. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Orr  had  but  one' child,  a  son,  George  Glick  Orr.  who  was 
drowned  while  bathing  in  the  Pacific  ocean,  near  San  Diego,  Cal,  on  July 
21,  1909,  at  the  age  of  twenty-five  years.  The  loss  of  this  talented  young 
man  saddened  the  lives  of  his  parents  for  years.  At  the  age  when  most 
young  men  are  just  beginning  to  gain  a  higher  education,  George  Glick  Orr 
could  read,  write  and  speak  six  different  languages.  For  seventeen  years  of 
his  life  he  was  a  student,  graduated  at  the  University  of  Kansas,  and  had 
been  admitted  to  the  bar,  showing  great  promise  in  his  chosen  profession  and 
being  frequently  entrusted  with  important  legal  matters. 

Mr.  Orr  has  received  all  the  Masonic  degrees  except  the  thirty-third, 
and  is  a  memljer  of  several  fraternal  societies.  He  attends  and  contributes  to 
tlie  support  of  the  Christian  Science  Church,  of  which  Mrs.  Orr  is  a  member. 

In  politics  and  as  a  public  official  and  law-maker,  Mr.  Orr  has  a  record 
of  which  any  man  may  well  be  proud.  He  became  a  member  of  the  Kansas 
Democratic  State  central  committee  in  1884  and  remained  such  continuously 


364  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

until  1908,  and  in  point  of  service  was  its  oldest  member.  He  has  attended, 
as  a  delegate,  six  National  Democratic  conventions,  and  on  three  occasions 
was  a  member  of  the  notification  committee  appointed  to  officially  notify  the 
presidential  candidate  of  his  nomination  by  the  convention,  including  Cleve- 
land in  1892;  Parker  in  1904,  and  Woodrow  Wilson  in  1912.  His  excep- 
tional career  in  politics  began  as  early  as  1880,  when  he  served  as  assistant 
secretary  of  the  committee  chosen  to  notify  General  Hancock  at  Governor's 
Island,  N.  Y.,  of  his  nomination  for  the  Presidency.  Mr.  Orr  was  an  original 
Wilson  man  and  one  of  the  committee  of  five  having  the  floor  management 
of  the  Wilson  forces  at  the  Baltimore  convention  in  1912  which  nominated 
Mr.  Wilson  for  the  Presidency.  From  1901  to  1907  Mr.  Orr  served  three 
terms  successively  as  mayor  of  the  city  of  Atchison  and  gave  the  city  one  of 
the  best  administrations  in  its  history.  He  served  two  terms  in  the  State 
legislature  as  representative  from  the  Atchison  city  district,  the  sessions  of 
191 1  and  1913.  During  the  191 1  session  he  was  one  of  the  three  legislators 
selected  by  the  house  to  draft  and  did  prepare  the  present  public  utilities  low, 
under  which  all  railroads  and  public  utilities  in  this  State  are  now  managed 
and  controlled;  he  was  the  author  of  the  present  comprehensive  drainage 
laws ;  the  law  requiring  the  attorney-general  to  pay  into  the  State  treasury  all 
fees  received  by  him  in  the  prosecution  of  State  cases ;  the  so-called  "Orr 
viaduct  law,"  which  requires  railroads  to  construct  and  maintain  at  their  ex- 
pense all  necessary  viaducts  over  or  tunnels  under  their  tracks  in  cities,  and 
under  which  the  Fourteenth  street  viaduct  in  this  city  and  viaducts  in  many 
other  cities  have  been  built  and  the  maintained  by  the  railroads,  also  many 
other  laws  of  public  interest  and  importance.  In  the  session  of  1913  he  was 
chairman  of  the  judiciary  committee  and  was  elected  majority  leader  of  the 
house.  At  the  close  of  the  legislative  session  of  1913  Mr.  Orr  was  presented 
with  a  resolution,  unanimously  adopted  by  the  members  of  the  house,  beauti- 
fully engraved  in  India  ink,  artistically  framed  and  containing  a  reproduction 
of  the  great  seal  of  Kansas.  This  resolution  thanks  Mr.  Orr  for  the  assistance 
he  had  given  individual  members  of  the  house  and  for  his  service  to  the  State, 
both  as  chairman  of  the  judiciary  committee  and  as  majority  house  leader, 
and  is  signed  by  every  member.     It  follows : 

"house  resolution,  XO.  51 BY  MR.  RIDDLE. 

"Resolved,  That  the  members  of  the  house  extend  to  tlie  Hon.  James 
W.  Orr  their  sincere  thanks  for  the  splendid  service  lie  has  given  to  them  and 
to  the  State  during  the  present  session.    In  addition  to  his  work  as  floor  leader 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  365 

of  the  majority  party,  and  his  work  as  chairman  of  the  judiciary  committee, 
he  has  been  tireless,  patient,  and  industrious  in  giving  to  individual  members 
the  benefit  of  his  learning  and  ability  by  helping  them  in  their  work.  His  help 
has  been  extended  alike  to  members  of  all  political  parties,  and  has  been 
especially  beneficial  to  members  who  have  had  little  experience  in  legislative 
work.    He  has  the  confidence,  esteem  and  love  of  all  the  members. 

"Done  in  the  city  of  Topeka,  this  eighth  day  of  March,  191 3." 


ANDREW  B.  SYMNS. 


A\'hen  the  late  A.  B.  Symns  passed  beyond  mortal  ken  on  April  9,  1905, 
Atchison  suffered  a  loss  from  its  business  circles  which  could  never  be  re- 
placed. He  left  behind  him  a  monument  in  the  A.  B.  Symns  Grocer  Company, 
one  of  the  largest  of  the  wholesale  establishments  of  the  city  and  State,  which 
was  the  product  of  his  brain  and  ability.  He  was  one  of  the  noted  pioneer 
figures  of  a  decade  which  produced  great  and  strong  men.  From  a  modest 
beginning"  he  rose  to  become  a  national  character  in  the  business  world  of  the 
great  \^'est  and  realized  his  ambition  during  a  long  and  useful  life.  He  not 
only  succeeded  in  accumulating  a  comfortable  fortune  but  left  a  reputation 
for  integrity  and  upright  citizenship  which  has  never  been  surpassed  by  any 
of  his  compeers  of  the  building  age  in  .\tclTison  and  Kansas.  From  bovhood 
to  the  time  he  iiad  jiassed  the  age  of  three  score  years  and  ten,  Mr.  Symns 
was  an  indefatigable  worker  and  never  relaxed  except  for  much  needed 
recreation  and  rest,  occasionally.  Early  in  his  career  he  had  great  faith  in 
the  future  of  Atchison  and  that  faith  was  fully  justified  by  his  own  success 
in  the  jobbing  field. 

A.  B.  Symns  was  born  in  Monroe  county.  West  Virginia,  March  27,  1831, 
and  was  a  son  of  John  and  Elizabeth  (Peters)  Symns,  natives  of  old  Virginia, 
of  Scotch-Irish  descent. 

As  a  boy  he  worked  on  his  father's  farm,  attending  school  three  months 
each  winter.  At  the  age  of  eighteen  he  clerked  in  a  store  at  Petertown  and 
later  on  attended  Lewisburg  Seminary  one  year.  He  also  worked  at  White 
Sulphur  Springs  before  coming  west  in  1853.  He  listened  to  Ihe  call  of  tlie 
great  unpeojjled  western  country  for  )oung  and  ambitious  men  to  develop 
her  dormant  resources,  and  in  1853  crossed  the  country  to  St.  Joseph,  Mo., 
where  he  clerked  in  a  store  for  two  years  and  then  went  to  St.  Louis.  After 
clerking  in  St.  Louis  for  one  year  he  became  an  eighth  owner  of  the  steam- 


366  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

lx)at  "Hesperian"  and  served  as  clerk  aboard  the  steamer.  This  boat  made 
its  first  trip  on  the  Missouri  trade  in  1856  and  it  was  while  passing  up  and 
down  the  Missouri  river  that  he  was  attracted  to  the  then  flourishing  town  of 
Doniphan.  It  far  overshadowed  Atchison  at  that  time  and  he  determined 
to  locate  in  Doniphan.  During  the  time  he  was  connected  with  the  steamboat 
service  he  had  many  interesting  experiences.  He  opened  a  grocery  store  in 
1858,  but  during  the  same  year  the  land  office  was  removed  to  Atchison  and 
Doniphan  lost  ground,  but  the  Symns  store  grew  in  size  and  importance  and 
was  the  nucleus  around  which  his  great  business  was  subsequently  builded. 
He  removed  the  store  to  Atchison  in  1872,  and  Ijegan  wholesaling  in  a  small 
way  in  connection  with  his  retail  business.  In  1877  he  was  doing  business  in 
the  corner  store  room  at  Sixth  and  Commercial  streets,  on  the  southeast  corner. 
While  located  in  this  building  he  closed  out  his  retail  business  and  engaged  in 
jobbing  exclusively.  With  the  impetus  given  by  his  splendid  business  mind 
and  his  remarkable  energy  the  business  grew  rapidly,  and  he  soon  found 
himself  at  the  head  of  one  of  the  largest  wholesale  grocery  houses  in  the 
western  country.  Thirty  men  are  employed  as  traveling  salesmen  by  the 
Symns  Grocer  Company  alone,  and  the  Symns  Utah  Grocer  Company,  which 
he  established,  has  its  own  force.  Customers  of  Mr.  Symns  over  Kansas, 
Nebraska,  Oklahoma,  Missouri.  Texas,  Colorado  and  Utah  have  always  agreed 
that  A.  B.  Symns  was  the  fairest  man  with  whom  they  ever  did  business.  He 
had  faith  in  .N.tchison  as  a  great  jobbing  center,  and  the  success  of  his  business 
fully  justified  that  belief.  The  immense  jobbing  house  of  the  Symns  Grocer 
Company  on  Main  street  of  Atchison  was  built  from  plans  prepared  by  Mr. 
Symns  himself  and  is  one  of  the  most  complete  establishments  of  the  kind  to 
be  found  anywhere.  So  extensive  did  the  business  become,  however,  that  it 
was  necessar}-  to  erect  an  addition  in  1903.  The  capitalization  of  the  Symns 
Grocer  Company  at  the  time  of  the  demise  of  Mr.  S}-mns  was  $300,000  and 
that  of  the  Utah  concern  at  Salt  Lake  City  was  $80,000.  ilr.  Symns  was 
president  of  both  companies  and  had  a  controlling  interest  in  each.  He  left 
an  estate  valued  at  over  $300,000. 

One  of  the  interesting  episodes  of  Mr.  Symns'  mercantile  career  was  tlic 
looting  of  his  Doniphan  store  by  Cleveland's  band  of  outlaws,  who  made 
Atchison  their  headquarters  in  the  winter  of  1861-62.  At  the  time  Mr. 
Symns  was  absent  in  St.  Joseph,  but  his  brothers,  Sam  and  ^^'illiam  Symns, 
were  in  charge  when  it  was  surrounded  one  evening  by  Cleveland  and  his 
gang.  They  forced  William  Symns  to  open  the  safe  and  took  what  money 
there  was  on  hand  in  addition  to  clothing,  saddles,  etc.     While  the  robbery  was 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  36/ 

in  progress,  Mrs.  Symns  ran  out  to  arouse  the  neighbors,  but  no  help  was 
forthcoming  because  of  tlie  fact  that  everybody  was  afraid  of  Cleveland  and 
his  gang,  and  the  thieves  got  away  with  their  Ijooty  unmolested. 

A.  B.  Symns  was  married  in  1858,  returning  to  Old  Virginia  for  his 
bride.  ]Miss  Elizabeth  Tiffany,  who  was  his  boxhood  sweetlieart.  Mrs.  Symns 
was  a  member  of  an  excellent  Virginia  family  and  bore  him  tiie  following 
children:  ^Irs.  A.  S.  Rowan,  who  died  December  31,  1903;  Miss  Effic 
Symns,  of  Atchison ;  Charles,  Atchison,  and  Guy.  Tlie  mother  of  these  chil- 
dren departed  this  life  September  12,  1900,  at  the  age  of  si.\ty-four  years,  hav-_ 
ing  been  born  in  1836.  Six  children  were  born  and  died  in  infancy  at  Doni- 
phan :  Jolm,  Joseph,  Lee,  Hugh,  Edna  and  Louis.  ]\Ir.  Symns  died  April 
9,  1905,  at  Hot  Springs,  Ark.  He  was  sincerely  mourned  and  Atchison  busi- 
ness circles  suffered  a  loss  which  could  hardly  be  estimated. 

While  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Symns  were  on  their  wedding  trip  on  the  steamer 
"Carrier"  en  route  up  the  Missouri  river  from  St.  Louis  to  Doniphan.,  the 
boat  sank  near  Hermann,  Mo.  They  easily  escaped  drowning  because  the 
"Carrier"  sank  slowly,  but  they  lost  their  newly  jnirchased  household  goods 
and  a  large  amount  of  supplies  with  which  Mr.  Symns  intended  to  stock  the 
Doniphan  store.  '  I\Irs.  Symns  continued  to  Doniphan  on  another  boat,  while 
Mr.  Symns  returned  to  St.  Louis  to  lay  in  another  stock  of  household  goods 
and  provisions  for  his  store. 

The  Symns  family  came  of  old  Scotch  Presb)terian  stock.  Although  a 
southerner  by  Iiirth.  lie  was  a  L'nion  man  in  Kansas.  He  was  an  independent 
Democrat  in  politics. 

Mr.  Symns  was  in  active  pursuits  even  after  attaining  the  age  of  three 
score  years  and  ten,  and  was  always  found  early  at  his  desk.  He  was  not 
only  the  active  head  of  the  business  but  closely  watched  the  details.  He  was 
always  hurrying  and  was  ever  busy,  and  it  was  iiis  custom  to  walk  daily  to 
the  postoffice  for  his  mail  so  as  to  have  the  benefit  of  the  exercise.  Having 
always  been  a  man  of  correct  habits  he  belied  his  years  and  his  demise  came 
unexpectedly  at  Hot  Springs.  He  was  accidentally  killed  by  a  locomotive  on 
a  railroad  crossing  at  Hot  Springs,  where  it  had  been  his  custom  to  go  for 
his  health  during  the  latter  ten  }ears  of  his  life.  He  was  fond  of  his  family 
and  dearly  loved  his  home  life.  He  was  quiet,  unassuming,  and  was  one  of 
the  kindest  and  gentlest  of  men,  probably  no  man  being  more  universally 
admired  and  beloved  in  Atchison  during  his  day.  His  life  story  furnishes  a 
decided  inspiration  for  any  one  who  may  read  of  his  success  in  Atchison. 


368  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

BALIE  PEYTON  WAGGENER. 

It  is  not  difficult  to  classify  Balie  P.  Waggener  so  as  to  deterniine  his 
position  in  the  civic  body  of  Atchison,  but  it  is  not  easy  to  write  a  review  com- 
prehensive enough  to  give  a  proper  estimate  of  this  distinguished  citizen  who 
has  been  honored  in  his  home  city  and  in  the  State  of  Kansas.  When  one 
thinks  of  Atchison  it  is  only  natural  to  refer  to  the  city  as  the  home  of  Balie 
Waggener.  who  is  indisputably  grouped  among  the  prominent  and  widely 
known  figures  who  have  shed  fame  and  luster  upon  their  liome  city.  A  lead- 
ing attorney,  statesman,  progressive  citizen,  builder,  fanner  and  stockman, 
friend  of  all  children,  capitalist,  and  public  benefactor  are  some  of  the  terms 
which  might  be  applied  to  him  without  fear  of  contradiction  from  the  mass 
of  the  people  who  know  him  best. 

He  was  born  in  Platte  county,  Missouri,  July  18,  1847,  a  son  of  Peyton 
R.  and  Sophronia  Briseis  (Willis)  Waggener,  who  were  American  born  and 
descended  from  old  American  families.  The  great-grandfather  of  Mr.  W'ag- 
gener  served  in  the  Continental  army  as  a  lieutenant-colonel  during  the  .Ameri- 
can war  of  independence,  and  hi?  grandfatlier  was  a  major  in  the  United 
States  army  during  the  War  of  1812.  Balie  Waggener  attended  the  public 
schools  until  he  attained  the  age  of  fourteen  years  and  then  obtained  a  situa- 
tion as  toll-gate  keeper  on  the  old  Platte  City  &  Western  turnpike.  He  was 
ambitious  to  become  a  lawyer  and  during  the  interims  of  his  duties  in  attend- 
ing the  toll-gate,  and  after  his  day's  work  was  done,  he  read  his  law  books. 
The  next  step  in  his  preparation  to  l^ecome  a  member  of  the  legal  profession 
was  to  enter  the  law  office  of  Otis  8z  Glick,  in  .Atchison.  This  was  in  1866, 
and  so  assiduously  did  the  young  man  apply  himself  to  his  studies  that  he  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  June  10,  1867.  Three  years  later  he  formed  a  partnership 
with  Albert  H.  Norton,  then  United  States  district  attorney,  under  the  firm 
name  of  Horton  &  Waggener,  which  lasted  until  the  election  of  Judge  Horton 
to  the  office  of  chief  justice  of  the  Kansas  supreme  court  in  1876.  In  1887 
Mr.  Waggener  formed  a  partnership  under  the  firm  name  of  Waggener,  Mar- 
tin &  Orr,  which  continued  until  .April  30,  1895,  when  the  firm  was  dissolved 
and  the  firm  became  Waggener,  Horton  &  Orr.  Chief  Justice  Horton  having 
resigned  his  position  and  again  entered  the  firm.  David  Martin,  Mr.  Wag- 
gener's  former  partner,  became  chief  justice  of  the  supreme  court  of  Kansas 
to  succeed  Chief  Justice  Horton.  In  1902  Judge  Horton  died,  and  later  his 
place  in  the  firm  was  taken  by  Ex-Chief  Justice  Frank  Dnster,  under  the  firm 
name  of  Waggener,  Doster  &  Orr.  It  will  thus  be  seen  that  I\Ir.  Waggener 
has  been  associated  in  the  practice  of  law  with  three  chief  justices  of  the 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  369 

supreme  court  of  Kansas.  In  1913  Mr.  Orr  withdrew  from  the  firm  to  become 
special  assistant  to  the  attorney-general  of  the  United  States,  and  the  firm  is 
now  known  as  Waggener,  Challiss  &  Crane,  being  composed  of  W.  V.  W'ag- 
gener,  James  Challiss  and  Albert  Crane.  Mr.  Waggener  now  devotes  his 
time  and  legal  talents  almost  exclusively  to  his  duties  as  general  solicitor  for 
the  Missouri  Pacific  railway. 

The  ability  of  a  lawyer  having  the  calibre  of  Mr.  Waggener  was  bound 
to  attract  attention,  and  on  January  4,  1876,  he  was  appointed  general  attor- 
ney of  the  Missouri  Pacific  railway  for  the  State  of  Kansas,  and  on  May  i, 
1910,  he  was  made  general  solicitor  for  that  company  for  the  States  of  Kan- 
sas, Nebraska,  and  Colorado,  his  son,  W.  P.  Waggener,  succeeding  him  as 
general  attorney  for  Kansas.  During  the  forty-four  years  Mr.  Waggener  has 
been  engaged  in  the  practice  of  law  he  has  won  an  enviable  position  at  the 
bar  through  his  own  personal  efforts.  He  has  never  ceased  to  be  a  student 
of  all  subjects  pertaining  to  that  most  jealous  of  professions,  and  it  is  worthy 
of  note  that  he  is  the  possessor  of  one  of  the  most  comijjete  law  libraries  in 
the  United  States,  containing  upward  of  10,000  volumes  on  every  conceivable 
legal  subject.  He  keeps  his  library  at  his  residence,  which  is  one  of  the  hand- 
somest and  best  appointed  in  the  city  of  Atchison,  and  he  prepares  most  of  his 
cases  in  the  study  of  his  home  where  privacy  is  possible. 

Naturally,  a  man  of  Air.  Waggener's  vigor  and  broad-mindedness  would 
eflgage-in  enterprises  outside  of  the  practice  of  liis  ])rofession,  and  he  has  done 
so  in  such  a  manner  as  to  profit  himself  and  the  community.  In  1892  he  was 
elected  president  of  the  Exchange  National  Bank  of  .Atchison,  which  position 
he  has  since  held.  He  perfected  and  put  into  operation  the  Atchison  Railway, 
Light  and  Power  Company  in  the  city,  and  is  the  owner  of  the  famous  "Green 
View  Stock  I-'arm,"  comprising  500  acres,  beautifully  located  a  short  distance 
west  of  .\tchison.  and  which  is  one  of  the  best  equipped  and  most  modern 
farms  in  Kansas.  Through  experimentation  and  adapting  modern  methods 
of  agriculture  to  the  cultivation  of  his  land  and  the  breeding  of  fine  li\e 
stock,  Mr.  Waggener  has  become  a  recognized  authoritv  on  agriculture  and 
aninril  hu'^bandry.  The  annual  sales  of  fine  live  stock  which  are  ])ro 
duced  on  his  farm  have  become  an  annual  event  in  this  section  of  Kansas  and 
the  West,  and  are  largely  attended  by  buyers  from  all  parts  of  the  country. 

In  addition  to  his  professional  and  business  interests,  Mr.  Waggener  has 
manifested  a  public  spirit  in  matters  pertaining  to  the  political  conditions  of 
his  city  and  State.  Firmly  grounded  in  Democratic  principles,  be  has  become 
one  of  the  foremost  leaders  of  his  party  and  occupies  a  high  place  in  its  coun- 
cils.    In  1R69  he  was  elected  to  the  Atchison  city  council  when  he  had  barely 

24 


370  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

attained  his  majority.  In  the  year  1872  he  was  the  nominee  of  his  party 
for  the  office  of  attorney-general  of  the  State  of  Kansas,  and  in  1873  was 
made  city  attorney.  From  1889  to  1891  and  again  in  1895-97  he  was  mayor 
of  the  city.  In  1902  he  was  elected  a  meml^er  of  the  lower  branch  of  the 
State  legislature,  which  had  a  large  Republican  majority,  and  during  the  term 
held  the  important  position  of  chairman  of  the  judiciary  committee.  It  is 
generally  conceded  that  he  influenced  much  of  the  legislation  at  that  session, 
and  his  record  so  commended  him  to  his  constituents  that  in  1904  he  was 
elected  to  the  State  senate  from  a  strong  Republican  district,  carrying  the 
district  by  a  majority  of  1,500  votes,  although  at  the  same  election  Theodore 
Roosevelt,  the  Republican  candidate  for  President,  carried  the  same  district 
by  over  3,600,  an  indisputable  testimonial  to  Mr.  Waggener's  personal  pop- 
ularity and  his  ability.  Mr.  Waggener  served  in  the  senate  of  the  Kansas 
State  legislature  in  the  sessions  of  1905  and  1907.  and  was  reelected  by  a  hand- 
some majority  of  over  2,000  in  November  of  1912,  He  is  now  holding  the 
position  of  State  senator  from  this  district. 

Mr.  Waggener  is  a  member  of  many  secret  orders,  and  is  prominent  in 
Masonic  circles,  being  a  Knights  Templar  and  a  Thirty-second  degree  mem- 
ber of  the  Scottish  Rite,  and  a  member  of  the  Mystic  Shrine. 

On  May  27,  1869,  Mr.  Waggener  married  Miss  Emma  L.,  daughter 
of  William  W.  Hetherington,  one  of  Atchison's  prominent  citizens,  now  de- 
ceased, a  review  of  whose  life  and  career  is  given  elsewhere  in  this  volume. 
Two  children  were  bom  to  this  union :  William  Peyton  Waggener,  a  "chip 
off  the  old  block."  and  present  general  attorney  of  the  Missouri  Pacific  rail- 
way for  the  State  of  Kansas,  and  president  of  the  Exchange  State  Bank  of 
Atchison;  Mabel  L.,  wife  of  R.  K.  Smith,  vice-president  and  general  man- 
ager of  the  Mississippi  Central  railway. 

Perhaps  the  trait  of  character  that  most  endears  Mr.  Waggener  to  the 
people  of  .\tchison  county  is  that  lil)erality  which  led  him  in  1897  to  inaug- 
urate the  system  of  giving  an  annual  picnic  to  the  children.  Every  year,  at 
his  o\\Ti  personal  expense,  he  furnishes  free  transportation,  free  entertainment, 
and  free  refre.'^hnients  to  all  the  cliildren  of  .\tchison  county  who  can  attend 
his  picnic,  and  the  larger  the  crowd  the  greater  is  his  delight.  These  picnics 
are  not  given  for  the  purpose  of  increasing  his  popularity  or  for  any  self- 
aggrandizement  whatever,  but  solely  that  he  may  steal  at  least  one  day  from 
his  business  cares  and  derive  a  wholesome  recreation  in  contributing  to  the 
amusement  of  the  young  people.  This  inno,vation  has  occasioned  at  various 
times  favorable  and  commendatory  comment  in  the  press  of  the  State,  and  a 
record  of  these  picnics  has  been  placed  in  the  annals  of  the  Kansas  State  His- 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  37I 

torical  Society.  The  report  of  the  secretary  of  the  historical  society  f<ir  the 
year  191 1  has  considerable  to  say  concerning  the  visit  of  President  Taft  to 
Kansas  in  that  year  and  his  attendance  upon  Balie  Peyton  \\'aggener's  picnic 
to  the  children  of  the  neighborhood.  The  President  left  Topeka  on  September 
2^,  about  one  hour  after  laying  the  cornerstone  of  the  Memorial  Hall  build- 
ing and  reached  Atchison  in  time  for  Mr.  Waggener's  twelfth  annual  picnic. 
The  President  spoke  words  of  high  praise  of  Mr.  Waggener  and  presented 
him  with  a  silver  lo\-ing  cup  in  behalf  of  the  peo])le  of  Atchison  county.  Mr. 
Taft's  words  in  making  the  presentation  were :  "A  token  is  this,  Mr.  Wag- 
gener. that  carries  real  sincerity  of  friendship.  I  present  this  beautiful  vase 
of  silver  in  the  name  of  the  people  here  assembled  as  a  sign  of  love  and  esteem. 
I  congratulate  you  on  the  eminence  you  have  attained."  Mr.  Waggener  re- 
sponded :  "This  is  a  distinction  unmerited.  I  have  no  words  to  express  my 
grateful  acknowledgment."  Balie  Waggener's  picnic  has  become  a  feature 
of  Kansas  history  of  a  most  pleasant  nature.  He  is  a  life  member  of  the  State 
Historical  Society,  and  has  always  been  an  ardent  and  most  liberal  friend  of 
the  society. 

\Vhen  Mr.  \\'aggener  was  forced  by  illness  to  go  to  Rochester.  Minn., 
for  the  purpose  of  having  a  surgical  operation  performed,  his  safe  return  to 
his  home  was  made  the  occasion  of  a  time  of  great  rejoicing  by  the  children 
of  the  city,  and  a  reception  was  given  him,  such  as  has  never  been  given  an 
.Atchison  citizen  before  nor  since,  and  which  occasioned  State-wide  comment 
on  the  part  of  the  press  as  a  fitting  testimonial  of  the  great  love  and  esteem 
in  whicli  he  was  held  bv  the  children  and  people  of  his  home  citv.  During 
the  time  he  was  at  Rochester  undergoing  a  surgical  operation  and  his  subse- 
quent reco\ery,  the  children  of  the  city  had  been  praying  for  his  restoration 
to  health  and  his  safe  return  to  their  midst.  It  was  their  great  friend  who 
was  ill,  and.  when  the  word  came  that  he  would  arrive  home  on  a  certain 
evening  the  children  prepared  to  receive  him  in  an  appropriate  manner.  All 
the  children  of  Atchison  turned  out  to  give  him  welcome,  and  hundreds 
formed  in  line,  through  which  Mr.  Waggener  passed  on  his  way  to  his  home. 
He  and  his  automobile  were  pelted  with  flowers  and  tears  filled  his 
eyes,  and  he  was  unable  to  express  his  heart-felt  appreciation  of  the  reception 
which  his  people  had  given  him.  It  has  been  described  as  the  most  beautiful 
and  touching  thing  that  has  ever  happened  in  the  life  of  ]Mr.  Waggener.  To 
quote  briefly  from  the  Kansas  City  Journal,  which  described  the  incident : 
"Few  men  in  this  world  were  so  fortunate  as  to  enjov  such  an  ovation.  Men 
who  have  done  important  things  have  been  received  bv  town  bands  and  by 
citizens  covered  with  fluttering  badges.     Men  have  come  back  to  their  home 


T,y2  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

people  to  be  received  in  the  opera  house,  and  cheers  have  echoed  in  their  re- 
ceptive ears.  But  it  must  be  understood  that  no  such  home-coming  as  Air. 
Waggener's  could  come  to  an  ordinary  man.  It  was  the  tribute  of  sincere 
devotion  and  genuine  friendship.  It  couldn't  be  bought  with  money  or  earned 
by  material  success.  These  Atchison  children  didn't  care  a  rap  for  Waggener, 
the  railroad  attorney,  nor  Waggener,  the  politician,  nor  even  for  Waggener, 
the  exemplaiy  citizen.  It  was  Mr.  Waggener,  the  good,  kind  friend  they 
loved,  to  whom  the  welcome  was  given,  and  it  sprung  from  sheer  joy  that  he 
had  recovered  his  health  and  was  with  them  once  more.  And  who  can  say 
that  the  earth  holds  a  more  splendid  triumph  as  the  crowning  glory  of  a  life 
than  this?  All  other  laudations  and  exclamations  are  tame  compared  with 
the  flushed  enthusiasm  of  hundreds  of  happy  children  shouting  from  their 
hearts : 

"  'Waggener,  Waggener  sis  boom  ah ! 


ALBERT  E.   MAYHEW. 


Personal  achievement  on  the  part  of  the  individual  who  accomplishes 
things  worth  while  for  himself  and  in  behalf  of  his  fellow  men,  is  always 
worth  recording.  The  inhertnt  qualities  possessed  by  an  aljle  man  will  de- 
velop and  become  pronounced  in  decided  results  if  he  be  given  the  proper  op- 
portunity. Albert  E.  Mayhew,  legislative  representative  from  the  Atchison 
county  district,  and  a  successful  merchant,  lielongs  to  that  t)pe  of  men  who 
by  force  of  intellect  and  sheer  aliility  to  do  things  have  ])laced  themsehes  in 
the  forefront  of  affairs  and  taken  their  proper  places  as  leaders  in  their  re- 
spective communities.  Forty-five  years  of  his  life  have  been  spent  in  Kansas, 
and  he  can  properly  be  classed  as  one  of  the  pioneers  of  the  State.  Mr.  May- 
hew  established  himself  in  business  in  Effingham  January  i.  1809,  ^^'^  his 
success  since  his  advent  into  Atchison  county  has  been  marked  and  rapid. 
He  began  at  first  wilh  a  capital  of  $3,000  invested  in  a  hardware  and  imple- 
ment business.  With  characteristic  energy  and  enterprise  he  developed  his 
business  to  the  extent  that  his  extensive  stock  of  goods  now  requires  a  cap- 
ital of  $10,000.  In  1912  he  purchased  a  lot  at  the  corner  of  the  two  prin- 
cipal streets  of  Effingham  and  erected  a  handsome  two-story  brick  building 
and  a  warehouse  at  the  same  time.  This  building  measures  84x60  feet,  includ- 
ing the  warehouse  and  two  splendid  show  rooms,  filled  w  ith  high  class  goods. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  373 

The  stock  of  goods  in  tlie  Mayhew  establishment  embraces  hardware,  farm- 
ing implements  and  wagons,  paints,  furniture,  and  he  also  con<lucts  an  under- 
taking establishment.  Three  men  are  employed  to  attend  to  the  extensive 
trade  of  this  store,  which  is  the  most  important  institution  of  its  kind  in  this 
section  of  the  county. 

All>ert  E.  Ala_\he\v  was  born  March  17,  1866,  at  St.  Mary's,  Ontario, 
Canada,  a  son  of  William,  born  in  1833.  died  in  ]\Iarch,  1906,  and  !\Iary  (  Lan- 
caster), born  in  1833,  died  December  25,  1878,  Mayhew,  both  of  whom  were 
torn  in  England  and  immigrated  to  Canada  when  in  their  youth.  William 
Mayhew  ran  away  from  home  and  made  his  way  to  Canada  where  he  became 
a  farmer  and  married.  \\"illiam  Mayhew  and  his  wife  resided  in  Canada  until 
May,  1870,  when  they  immigrated  to  Kansas,  settling  in  Nemaha  county. 
They  purchased  a  farm  near  the  town  of  Centralia,  developed  it  and  Mr.  May- 
hew made  a  success  of  farming  and  stock  raising.  He  began  with  a  large 
tract  of  land  at  first,  but  soon  ascertained  that  it  were  better  to  hive  a  smaller 
farm,  and  accordingly  reduced  his  acreage  to  160  acres,  upon  which  he  pros- 
pered. Mrs.  Mayhew,  the  mother  of  Albert  E.,  died  on  the  home  pi  ice  in 
Xemaha  county.  W^illiam,  as  old  age  crept  upon  him,  removed  to  San  Diego, 
Cal.,  where  his  demise  occurred.  He  is  buried  in  the  cemeterv  of  the  Cali- 
fornia city.  Five  sons  and  a  daughter  were  born  to  William  Mayhew  and 
wife,  namel\- :  John,  a  merchant,  of  Denver,  Colo. ;  Robert,  a  retired  farmer 
and  merchant,  living  in  Topeka,  Kan.;  George,  a  merchant,  of  Denver,  Colo.; 
Eliza,  wife  of  A.  B.  Clippinger,  Kansas  City,  Mo. :  Alljert  E.,  the  subject  of 
this  review,  and  Leonard,  of  Los  Angeles,  Cal. 

Albert  E.  was  reared  to  young  manhood  on  the  home  farm  in  Nemaha 
county,  and  received  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Centralia,  Kan.,  and 
the  Seneca,  Kan.,  high  .school,  completing  his  education  in  the  normal  school 
at  Emporia,  Kan.  He  taught  school  for  a  number  of  years  in  his  liome 
county,  saved  his  earnings  and  in  1887  embarked  in  the  hardware  and  imple- 
ment Inisiness  at  Vermilion.  Kan.  He  conducted  this  business  with  fair  .suc- 
cess until  1897.  ^"fl  then  sold  out,  coming  to  Effingham  soon  afterward  and 
engaging  in  the  same  line  of  business  in  this  city.  In  addition  to  his  exten- 
sive business  Mr.  Mayhew  is  the  owner  of  two  excellent  farms  in  Mar.shal! 
county,  Kansas,  aggregating  640  acres  in  all,  which  has  his  attention.  He 
has  a  beautiful,  modem  residence  in  the  south  part  of  Effingham. 

Mr.  Mayhew  was  married  in  September,  1887,  to  .Xnna  J-  Tinker,  of 
\^ermilion,  Kan.,  born  in  Humboldt  county,  Kansas,  a  daughter  of  Avery 
and  Ellen  Tinker,  natives  of  Xew  York  State,  born  at  Hastings  Center,  that 
.State.     Two  children  have  blessed  this  union  of  .\lbcrt  E.  and  Anna  Mav- 


374  HISTORY  OF  ATCIIISOX   COUNTY 

hew:  Avery,  bom  in  1889,  and  died  June  2.  1901  ;  Carl  H.,  born  January, 
1891.  and  associated  with  his  father  in  business.  Carl  H.  married  Miss  Vera 
Snvder.  and  has  one  daughter.  Lucille,  aged  two  years. 

.Mr.  Mayhew  is  a  stanch  Republican  in  his  political  affiliations  and  has 
taken  an  active  and  influential  part  in  the  affairs  of  his  party  since  coming 
to  .\tchison  county.  In  Xovember,  1914.  he  was  the  candidate  of  his  party 
for  the  high  office  of  State  representative  from  this  district  and  was  elected, 
subsequently  serving  in  the  19 15  session  of  the  Kansas  legislature  with  such 
marked  ability  as  a  legislator  that  his  course  and  activities  conferred  distinc- 
tion upon  himself  and  his  constituents.  During  this  session  he  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  committees  on  insurance,  education,  legislative  appointments,  mines 
and  mining,  and  judicial  apportionments.  Having  always  taken  a  keen  in- 
terest in  educational  affairs,  his  position  as  a  memljer  of  the  committee  on 
education  gave  him  an  opportunity  to  support  and  advocate  legislation  which 
would  enhance  the  cause  of  education  thnnighout  the  State.  He  succeeded 
in  having  passed  through  the  house  an  act  requiring  the  school  moneys  of  the 
State  to  be  loaned  to  farmers.  There  was  plenty  of  precedence  behind  an 
act  of  this  character,  and  the  fairness  of  its  provisions  is  ver}-  evident,  al- 
thougli  it  was  opposed  by  the  banking  interests  of  the  State.  The  act.  how- 
ever, failed  to  take  its  regular  course  through  the  senate,  because  of  tiie  ad- 
journment of  the  legislative  body.  It  is  probable  that  the  act  will  be  finally 
passed  at  the  ne.xt  session  and  it  is  morally  certain  to  have  strong  support,  if 
Mr.  Mayhew  is  again  representative  from  .\tchison  county.  He  also  intro- 
duced and  successfully  fathered  an  act.  allowing  districts  to  levy  higher  taxes 
to  pro\ide  more  amplv  for  bridge  building  and  road  improvements,  two  pro- 
visions, which  were  of  direct  benefit  to  the  farming  interests  of  the  State, 
inasmuch  as  the  movement  for  better  highways  is  fast  gaining  ground  in 
Kansas.  Mr.  Mayhew  also  assisted  in  the  passing  of  better  automobile  laws, 
and  took  an  active  part  in  all  the  delilx^rations  of  the  legislative  Ixidy,  special- 
izing, however,  in  legisation  which  had  for  its  utlimate  object  the  betterment 
of  the  school  system  of  the  State.  He  is  a  member  and  trustee  of  the  Pres- 
byterian church,  of  Effingham,  and  is  fraternally  associated  with  the  Odd 
Fellows  and  the  Modern  Woodmen.  It  is  probable  that  no  citizen  is  more 
widely  or  more  favorably  known  throughout  Atchison  county  than  A.  E. 
Mayhew,  and  his  course  as  a  successful  merchant  and  public  official  has  been 
such  as  to  favorably  commend  him  to  the  masses  of  the  people,  who  are  al- 
ways found  appreciative  of  honesty  and  square  dealing  on  the  part  of  men 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  375 

in  pul)lic  life,  whom  tliey  honor  with  their  pohtical  preference.  He  is  well 
worthy  of  the  confidence  and  trust  which  have  been  bestowed  upon  him  by 
the  people.  " 


JOSEPH  COUPE. 


Joseph  Coupe,  late  of  Benton  township,  was  lx)rn  December  6,  1852,  in 
Utica,  N.  Y.,  and  was  a  son  of  James  and  Jane  (  Latus)'  Coupe,  both  of  whom 
were  born  in  England.  James  emigrated  from  his  native  land  when  a  }Oung 
man  and  located  in  New  ^'ork,  where  he  married  and  reared  a  family,  cul- 
tivating a  farm  located  one  mile  from  the  limits  of  Utica.  He  died  on  his 
farm.  Joseph  was  reared  on  the  family  farm  and  attended  the  Utica  public 
schools,  receiving  an  excellent  education,  after  which  he  took  up  the  study 
of  law  and  was  admitted  to  practice  in  his  home  city.  He  practiced  his  pro- 
fession in  Utica  until  188 1  and  then  came  west  and  located  at  Falls  City,  Neb., 
where  he  continued  his  practice  with  considerable  success  until  ic)o6,  when 
he  removed  with  his  family  to  his  farm,  west  of  Effingham.  Failing  health 
induced  him  to  make  the  change,  and  it  was  thought  by  his  physicians  that 
the  open  air  life  would  lie  beneficial  to  him.     He  died  February  10,  IQ08. 

Judge  Coupe  was  married  in  1890  to  Miss  Anna  Moonev,  and  to  this 
union  were  born  six  children :  Alargaret,  a  graduate  of  the  count\-  high  school, 
and  a  teacher  in  the  Effingham  public  schools ;  James,  who  is  managing  the 
home  farm  with  his  mother;  Richard,  a  graduate  of  the  county  high  school; 
Anna,  likewise  a  high  school  graduate;  Mary,  a  junior  in  the  high  school;  and 
Joseph,  a  pupil  in  the  Sisters'  school  at  Effingham.  The  mother  of  these 
children  was  born  in  Atchison,  Kan.,  confirmed  and  baptized  in  St.  Bene- 
dict's church,  and  was  a  daughter  of  James,  born  in  1833,  and  Julia  (Ryan) 
Mooney,  bom  in  1837,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Ireland.  James  Moonev 
emigrated  from  Ireland  when  a  youth,  was  first  a  resident  of  Buffalo,  N.  Y., 
and  in  1857  moved  to  Nebraska,  and  was  later  employed  at  the  nursery  in 
Atchison,  Kan.  From  Atchison  he  removed  to  Rulo,  Neb.,  where  he  still 
lives.  He  was  married  in  i860,  and  the  family  lived  in  Atchison  during  the 
Civil  war.  James  and  Julia  Mooney  were  the  parents  of  five  children, 
namely:  Thomas,  deceased  in  March,  igo8;  John  and  James,  farmers;  Mar- 
garet, at  home  in  Rulo  with  her  parents;  Mrs.  Joseph  Coupe. 

Previous  to  locating  in  Kansas,  Mr.  Coupe  had  resided  on  a  farm  near 
Falls  City,  but  was  induced  to  remove  to  Effingham  and  liere  purchased  a 
farm  of  194  acres  west  of  the  city  in  Benton  town.sIiip,  this  farm  consisting 


376  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

of  160  acres  of  excellent  tillable  land  and  thirty-four  acres  of  pasture.  He 
was  prominently  identified  with  civic  and  political  affairs  in  Falls  City  and 
Richardson  county,  Nebraska,  and  had  built  up  a  large  and  lucrative  law  prac- 
tice. He  was  a  Democrat  in  politics  and  was  one  of  the  leaders  of  his  party 
in  Nebraska,  serving  four  years  as  county  judge  and  was  successful  in  re- 
election to  a  third  term,  but  resigned  on  account  of  poor  health.  He  was 
popular  with  the  masses  of  the  people  and  well  liked  by  all  who  knew  him, 
being  universally  admired  for  his  many  excellent  qualities  of  mind  and  heart. 


JOHN  SEATON. 

The  name  and  accomplishments  of  the  late  John  Seaton  appear  promi- 
mently  in  the  histon'  of  the  constructive  period  of  the  development  of  Kansas 
and  the  city  of  Atchison.  Destiny  and  natural  endowments  designed  Mr. 
Seaton  to  become  a  creator  and  builder ;  inherent  ability  also  made  him  a 
statesman  and  leader  of  men :  design  and  inducement  led  bim  to  locate  his 
enterprise,  which  was  the  work  of  his  own  hands  and  brain,  in  the  city  of 
Atchison.  In  the  course  of  time  be  was  the  gainer,  becoming  one  of  the 
first  citizens  of  Kansas,  and  Kansas  and  Atchison  were  doubly  gainers,  be- 
cause of  him  and  his  great  work.  What  John  Seaton  wrought,  in  an  indus- 
trial sense,  will  live  long  as  a  monument  to  his  energy  and  enterprise ;  the 
record  of  right  doing,  honesty,  plain  living  and  his  work  in  behalf  of  his 
fellow-men  in  the  halls  of  the  State  legislature  will  live  in  the  minds  and 
hearts  of  bis  fellow  citizens  in  the  long  years  to  come. 

John  Seaton  was  a  builder  whose  vision  of  a  great  industrial  enterprise 
in  the  city  of  the  great  bend  of  the  Missouri  came  true  in  a  material  sense, 
inasmuch  as  Atchison  will  continue  to  benefit  through  the  continued  whirring 
of  the  industrial  wheels  which  his  genius  set  going.  While  the  evidence  of 
his  handiwork  is  visible,  and  the  smoke  of  the  factory  wiiich  he  built  will 
continue  to  be  seen  day  after  day  as  time  goes  on,  the  greatest  reminder  of 
Mr.  Seaton's  life  on  this  earth  will  be  the  lesson  which  his  manner  of  living 
and  his  strict  atlentinn  to  the  highest  duties  of  citizenship  lia\e  left  In  poster- 
ity. Atchison  suffered  a  sincere  loss  when  bis  demise  occurred  and  his  de- 
parture from  the  realms  of  mortal  ken  created  a  void  which  could  never  be 
filled,  although  Mr.  Seaton's  work  continues  to  exist  after  him. 

John  Seaton  was  born  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  June  11,  1834,  a  son  of  John 
M.,  and  Elizabeth  (Jones)  Seaton,  the  former  a  native  of  Virginia  and  the 
latter  having  been  born  in  Vermont.     John  M.   Seaton,  the  father,  was  a 


^O^h^-^x^     Q/L<Zt^r~^ 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  377 

soldier  in  the  Mexican  W'^v  and  was  killed  in  battle  at  the  storming  of  the 
heights  of  Cerro  Gordo,  Old  Mexico.  When  Jolm  was  three  weeks  old  his 
parents  removed  from  Cincinnati  to  Louisville,  Ky.,  where  liis  boyhood  days 
were  spent.  He  was  eleven  years  of  age  when  his  father  was  killed  on  tlie 
field  of  battle.  He  attended  school  until  he  was  fifteen  years  of  age,  and 
then  began  learning  the  trade  of  a  machinist.  A  few  years  later  finds  him 
working  as  a  journeyman  machinist  in  St.  Louis,  Mo.  In  1856  with  a  cash 
capital  of  two  dollars  and  fifty  cents,  John  Seaton  started  a  foundry  at  Alton, 
111.  A  natural  aptitude  for  mechanics  and  machinery  appliances,  combined 
with  pluck,  energy  and  perseverance,  enabled  him  to  make  a  success  of  liis 
first  undertaking  and  the  enterprise  prospered. 

At  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  war  Mr.  Seaton  offered  his  services  in  de- 
fense of  the  L^nion,  and  was  commissioned  a  captain  of  Company  B,  Twenty- 
second  regiment,  Illinois  infantry.  His  first  engagement  was  the  battle  of 
Belmont  under  General  Grant,  and  Captain  Seaton  was  in  command  of  the 
skirmish  line  that  opened  this  engagement.  One  of  the  precious  possessions 
of  his  family  at  this  day  is  the  personal  letter  he  received  from  the  famous 
commander,  commending  him  for  the  efficient  manner  in  which  he  per- 
formed the  task  allotted  to  his  command.  He  served  for  one  year  and  tlien 
resigned  his  commission  and  returned  to  Alton  to  take  charge  of  his  business. 
After  the  war  ^Ir.  Seaton  remained  in  Alton  in  cliarge  of  his  foundr_\-  until 
1872,  when  he  removed  to  Atchison  with  his  entire  force  of  fifty  employees. 
He  was  induced  to  remove  westward  by  the  fact  that  six  months  previous  to 
the  time  of  his  removal  to  Atchison,  tlie  city  had  voted  $10,000  in  bonds  to 
any  man  who  would  establish  a  foundry.  He  accepted  the  offer  and  the 
result  was  one  of  the  most  beneficial  industries  ever  located  in  Atchison.  The 
Seaton  foundry  gave  employment  to  over  200  men.  and  he  l)uilt  u]>  an 
industry  which  today  stands  without  a  peer  in  its  line  in  the  West.  The 
secret  of  Mr.  Seaton's  success  lay  in  the  fact  that  every  detail  of  his  business 
received  his  direct  supervision,  and  he  insisted  tliat  on]\-  first  class  wi^rk  be 
turned  out  by  his  factories.  For  over  eighteen  years  this  captain  of  in- 
dustry carried  his  dinner  pail  with  him  to  the  foundry  and  worked  side  by 
side  with  his  men.  He  continued  doing  this  after  he  had  attained  to  a  position 
of  wealth  and  affluence  which  enabled  him  to  own  a  home  at  the  seashore  at 
Orient,  L.  I.,  and  could  have  retired  from  active  work  at  any  time  he  chose. 
None  but  the  finest  finished  products  were  allowed  to  leave  his  estaljlishment, 
and  the  name  of  Seaton  and  the  output  of  his  plant  are  noted  over  the  West 
for  the  excellence  of  the  finished  manufactured  materials  and  for  their  abso- 
lute reliability.     In  addition  to  general  architectural  work,  he  filled  orders 


378  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

for  the  Santa  Fe,  Missouri  Pacific  and  Ft.  Scott  and  Gulf  railroads,  such  as 
casting  locomotive  wheels,  smoke  stacks,  steam  cylinders,  etc.,  all  known  as 
locomotive  finished  material  products.  The  business  of  his  large  establish- 
ment in  Atchison  was  built  up  until  it  amounted  to  over  $250,000  annually, 
and  the  plant  covered  an  area  of  700x400  feet.  Mr.  Seaton  was  in  busi- 
ness continually  from  1856  until  the  time  of  his  demise,  January  12,  1912. 

The  activities  of  tliis  noted  citizen  of  Atchison  were  not  confined  cn- 
tirel}'  to  his  business,  but  he  took  an  active  and  influential  part  in  civic  and 
political  affairs  after  his  advent  in  Atchison.  His  career  showed  tliat  he 
possessed  statesmanship  ability  of  a  high  order.  For  a  period  of  eighteen 
years  Mr.  Seaton  was  a  member  of  the  Kansas  State  legislature,  and  so  great 
was  Iiis  influence  in  the  house,  and  so  long  and  distinguished  was  his  service 
that  he  became  known  throughout  the  State  as  the  "Father  of  the  House." 
His  name  is  associated  with  many  of  the  important  measures  enacted  into  law 
by  the  State  legislature,  among  them  being  the  binding  twine  factory  law, 
wliich  act  is  responsible  for  the  establishment  of  a  plant  for  the  manufacture 
of  binder  twine  at  the  State  penitentiary.  He  probably  did  more  for  the  suc- 
cess of  the  "Douglass  House,"  during  the  legislative  trouble  of  1893  than  any 
other  member  of  tlie  Republican  body.  As  a  citizen  and  a  legislator  he  en- 
joyed the  respect  and  esteetn  of  the  people  of  Kansas  without  regard  to 
political  affiliations.  He  was  opposed  to  tlie  dominance  of  "trusts  and  mo- 
nopoly," and  it  was  his  firm  conviction  that  the  great  corporations  were  devoid 
of  feeling  of  a  personal  nature. 

.Vpril  9.  1857.  Mr.  Seaton  was  married  to  Miss  Charlotte  E.  Tuthill,  of 
Alton.  111.,  and  this  marriage  was  blessed  with  five  children:  Mrs.  Lillie  M. 
Hendrickson.  of  Atchison;  John  C,  in  California;  Mary,  wife  of  l^r.  W.  H. 
Condit.  of  Kansas  City;  Mrs.  Nellie  Taber  (Seaton)  Byram,  deceased,  and 
George  L..  married  Amv  Cox,  of  \\'eston.  Mo.,  and  resides  on  South  Fourtli 
street,  Atchison;  John  C.  Seaton  married  Gertrude  Hickman,  of  Coffey- 
ville,  Kan.  and  resides  in  Kansas  City  and  Los  .\ngeles,  Cal. ;  Mrs.  Charlotte 
E.  (Tuthill)  Seaton  was  born  in  Alton,  111.,  November  10,  1840,  a  daughter 
of  Pardon  Taber  Tuthill,  wdio  was  born  and  reared  on  Long  Island,  N.  V., 
and  was  a  scion  of  one  of  the  oldest  American  families.  The  great-great- 
grandfather of  Mrs.  Seaton,  John  Tiuhni,  known  as  Pilgrim  John  Tuthill, 
came  from  England  with  early  settlers  to  Long  Island.  The  home  built  by 
Pilgrim  John  on  Long  Island  in  the  early  part  of  the  eighteeiuh  century  is 
still  standing  in  a  good  state  of  preservation.  The  ancestral  hoiue  of  the 
Tuthills  is  located  in  the  village  of  Orient,  Long  Island.  On  the  maternal 
side  an  ancestor  of  Mrs.  Seaton,  ii.Tnied  Capt.  .\ndrew  I'.nglis.  commanded  a 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  3/9 

compam-  in  the  Re\-olutinn  and  was  a  great  patriot.  Pardon  Taber  Tuthill 
was  a  pioneer  in  Alton.  111.  He  was  a  contractor  and  builder  and  in  his  later 
years  devoted  his  time  and  talents  to  horticulture.  He  was  continually  experi- 
menting- and  developed  several  new  varieties  of  fruit.  He  was  blessed  with 
a  scientific  mind  and  became  famous  as  a  horticulturist. 

John  Seaton  was  a  member  of  John  A.  Martin  Post,  No.  93.  Grand  Army 
of  the  Republic,  the  Loyal  Legion  and  the  Knights  of  Pythias  lodges.  Through 
him  the  Enterprise  theater  was  rebuilt  and  remodeled  in  Atchison,  and  he  was 
always  found  in  the  forefront  of  public  movements  to  advance  the  interests 
of  his  home  city.  Socially  Mr.  Seaton  was  a  genial,  approachable,  unassum- 
ing gentleman,  whose  pride  was  manifest  concerning  his  Civil  war  record  and 
the  fact  that  he  had  amassed  wealth  and  attained  a  leading  position  in  the 
civic  life  of  his  adopted  State  through  his  own  efforts,  and  built  up  his  for- 
tunes from  the  ground.  He  was  a  man  of  undoubted  integrity  and  was  a 
noble  character  whose  demise  was  sincerely  mourned  by  the  whole  city  of 
Atchison.  He  was  a  kind  and  indulgent  husband  and  father.  In  his  pass- 
ing Kansas  lost  one  of  her  best  and  most  widely  known  statesmen  and  Atchi- 
son one  of  her  most  useful  citizens.  His  was  a  life  well  spent  in  behalf  of 
the  city  and  State  where  his  name  will  long  be  remembered  and  revered  as 
one  of  the  honored  pioneers  of  a  widely  known  city  and  great  State  which 
he  helped  to  create. 


AARON  S.  BEST. 


It  is  meet  that  considerable  space  in  this  history  of  Atchison  county  be 
devoted  to  the  stories  of  the  lives  of  real  pioneers  of  the  county.  The  old 
pioneers  were  the  salt  of  the  earth,  and  a  stronger  or  more  vigorous  race  of 
men.  never  conquered  a  wilderness.  In  the  class  of  the  real,  old  pioneer  set- 
tlers, comes  Aaron  S.  Best,  retired  farmer,  of  Effingham,  Kan.  Captain 
Best  has  lived  in  Atchison  county  for  nearly  fifty-five  years,  and  has  seen 
the  country  transformed  from  a  vast  tract  of  pasture  and  grazing  land  to  a 
region  of  fertile  and  productive  farms,  and  well  built  towns  and  cities.  Dur- 
ing all  these  }-ears  he  has  taken  an  active  and  prominent  part  in  county  af- 
fairs, and  in  his  younger  days  was  a  political  leader  in  his  own  neighborhood. 

Aaron  S.  Best  was  bom  June  27,  1839,  in  Clinton  county,  Pa.,  a  son  of 
John  W.  and  Catharine  (Schaefer)  Best,  of  German  descent,  and  native 
born  and  reared  in  Pennsylvania.  John  \V.  Best  was  bom  in  1S09  and  died 
in  188 1.  He  was  the  son  of  Peter  Best,  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  of  German 
parentage.     In  the  year  i860,  John  W.  Best,  accompanied  by  his  wife  and 


380  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

seven  children,  crossed  the  country  to  find  a  new  home  in  Kansas.  He  had 
made  a  trip  to  Atchison  county  in  the  previous  year,  and,  after  carefully  look- 
ing over  the  ground,  made  up  his  mind  that  the  country  had  a  great  future, 
and  he  decided  to  move  his  family  so  as  to  make  a  permanent  home  in  Kan- 
sas. The  Best  family  arrived  in  Atchison  in  March  of  1861.  and  at  once 
moved  to  a  farm  in  old  Monrovia.  In  June  of  the  same  year,  the  wife  and 
mother  died,  at  the  age  of  forty-five  years.  The  following  children  were 
born  to  John  W.  Best  and  wife :  Mary  and  Elvina,  deceased,  in  Pemisylvania ; 
Henrv.  living  at  Parr,  Tex. ;  Louis,  Luther  and  Reuben,  deceased :  Mrs.  Hen- 
rietta Lamberson,  of  Argentry,  Ark.;  and  Michael,  deceased. 

Aaron  Best  was  twenty-one  years  of  age  when  the  family  removed  to 
Atchison  county.  Being  a  Free  State  advocate,  it  was  only  natural  that  he 
take  some  part  in  the  struggle  which  finally  made  Kansas  a  free  State.  When 
General  Price's  threatened  invasion  of  Kansas  seemed  imminent,  he  assisted 
in  raising  a  company  of  militia  among  his  neighbors  and  was  chosen  cap- 
tain. This  company  marched  to  Westport,  and  took  part  in  the  famous  en- 
gagement which  resulted  in  Price's  retreat  to  the  southward.  Captain  Best 
was  in  command  of  Company  F,  Twelfth  regiment,  Kansas  cavalr\-.  Only 
two  companies  of  the  Twelfth  regiment  were  under  fire,  and  Company  !■"  was 
one  of  these,  Capt.  Asa  Barnes'  company  being  the  other  actively  engaged. 
Captain  Best's  horse  was  shot  from  under  him  and  badly  crippled. 

After  coming  to  Kansas,  he  spent  one  year  assisting  his  father  on  the 
home  farm,  and  then  moved  to  a  farm  of  his  own,  south  of  Monrovia,  which 
he  developed  from  raw  prairie  land  to  a  very  productive  farm,  residing  on 
until  1907,  when  he  rented  his  land  holdings  and  retired  to  a  comfort- 
able home  in  Effingham.  The  first  land  which  Mr.  Best  owned  was  bought 
by  his  father  for  $750.  and  he  farmed  this  on  the  share  plan  for  six  years, 
after  which  he  paid  his  father  $2,000  for  140  acres.  His  next  purchase  was 
eighty  acres  of  land  nearby,  and  he  continued  to  add  to  his  land  possessions 
until  he  was  the  owner  of  275  acres  in  all.  In  the  spring  of  1914  Mr.  Best 
sold  his  fann  land  for  $21,000.  His  farm  was  one  of  the  1)est  improved 
in  Atchison  count}-,  and  naturally  brought  a  good,  round  price,  because  of  the 
good  condition  of  the  buildings  and  of  the  fertility  of  the  soil. 

Mr,  Best  was  married  in  February,  i860,  to  Malinda  Bricker,  and  to 
this  union  have  been  born  one  son  and  three  daughters,  as  follows :  Mrs.  Ella 
Rebecca  Sharp,  living  at  Helena,  Mo.,  and  mother  of  two  children,  .Albert 
and  Twila;  Mrs.  Mary  C.  Bonnell,  living  on  a  farm  southeast  of  Effingham, 
and  who  has  eight  children,  Nellie,  Edith,  Grace.  Ruth.  Catharine,  Lea, 
Claude,  Malinda;  Mrs.  Emma  Wood,  of  Council  Grove,  Kan.,  and  mother 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  381 

of  four  children,  Clara,  Beulah  Morris,  Ralph,  Esther ;  John  a  merchant,  of 
Monrovia,  Kan.,  father  of  three  children,  Leota,  Hazel,  and  Blanche.  The 
mother  of  these  children  was  born  in  Hanover  township,  Daulphin  county, 
Pennsylvania,  December  15,  1837,  and  was  a  daughter  of  Joseph  and  Rebecca 
(Lohs)  Bricker,  both  of  whom  were  of  Pennsylvania  German  ancestry, 
and  died  in  their  Pennsylvania  home. 

Mr.  Best  has  always  been  allied  with  the  Republican  party,  and  has  been 
a  stanch  advocate  of  Republican  principles  for  a  long  period  of  years.  He 
and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  contriliute 
generously  to  the  support  of  that  denomination.  He  is  fraternally  affiliated 
with  the  Odd  Fellows  Lodge  and  Encampment,  No.  5,  and  the  Modern 
Woodmen.  Physically  and  mentally,  Mr.  Best  is  a  remarkably  well  pre- 
served man,  when  one  considers  his  age  and  the  fact  that  he  endured  so 
many  hardships  in  his  first  struggles  to  attain  to  the  position  of  affluence  and 
comfort  which  he  enjoys  at  present. 


LOUIS  C.  ORR. 


Faithfulness  to  duty  on  the  part  of  public  officials  is  always  appreciated 
by  the  people,  and  an  official  who  regards  his  office  as  other  than  a  sinecure. 
is  recognized  as  honest,  capable  and  well  meaning.  In  Louis  C.  Oir,  post- 
master of  the  city  of  Atchison,  Kan.,  the  patrons  and  citizens  of  Atchison  have 
a  capable  and  conscientious  public  servant,  whose  sole  interest  is  to  see  that 
the  affairs  of  this  important  Government  office  are  conducted  smoothly,  and 
for  the  convenience  of  the  patrons  of  the  postoffice.  Although,  in  times  past, 
the  .\tchison  postoffice  has  Ijeen  looked  upon  as  a  sinecure,  operated  as  a  well 
oiled  piece  of  Government  machinery  with  an  efficient  and  well  trained  force, 
Mr.  Orr,  since  taking  over  the  duties  of  his  position,  has  demonstrated  that 
he  can  work  as  hard  and  efficiently  as  any  of  the  many  employees  making  up 
the  postoffice  force.  Probably  no  postoffice  in  the  Stale  of  Kansas  is  better 
conducted,  or  the  welfare  of  the  patrons  more  carefully  looked  after  than  the 
Atchison  postoffice,  and  credit  is  due  Mr.  Orr  for  his  diligent  application  to 
the  duties  of  his  office  since  his  appointment. 

Louis  C.  Orr,  postmaster  of  Atchison,  was  born  August  3,  1857,  in  Mc- 
Gregor, Iowa,  a  son  of  James  and  Mary  Elizabeth  (L'nderhill)  Orr,  concern- 
ing whom  further  mention  will  be  found  in  the  biography  of  James  W.  Orr, 
brother  of  Louis  C.,  in  this  volume.     When  Louis  C.  was  eight  years  of  age 


382  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

the  family  removed  from  Iowa  to  Xiles,  Mich.  Louis  C.  and  his  brother 
James  \^^  knew  wliat  poverty  was  in  their  youthful  days,  and  shared  theii 
hardships  in  common.  Louis  C.  was  ambitious  to  obtain  an  education,  and 
at  an  early  age  was  compelled.  Ijy  force  of  circumstances  over  whicli  he  had 
no  control,  to  practically  earn  his  own  living  and  the  wherewithal  to  obtain  an 
education.  For  some  years  he  and  James  W.  pooled  their  earnings  and 
worked  together  for  their  mutual  benefit,  and  to  this  day  this  trait  of  brotherly 
devotion  is  present.  Louis  C.  attended  school  until  he  had  attained  the  age  of 
eighteen  years,  and  he  then  entered  a  drug  store  at  Niles,  ^lich..  in  tlie  capa- 
city of  clerk.  He  remained  in  Michigan  until  1885,  wlien  he  came  to  Atchi- 
son. Kan.,  where  his  brother,  James  W..  had  preceded  him  in  1881.  Mr. 
Orr  entered  the  Government  railroad  mail  service,  and  was  employed  in  this 
capacity  on  the  Santa  Fe  Railway  System,  on  the  run  from  Atchison  to 
Topeka.  during  Grover  Cleveland's  first  administration.  He  then  left  the 
railway  mail  service  and  was  employed  as  clerk  in  tlie  drug  store  of  A.  \\'. 
Stevens  for  the  following  period  of  eight  years.  For  the  six  years  following 
he  was  in  charge  of  the  paint  department  of  the  McPike  Drug  Company,  a 
wholesale  drug  firm  then  operating  in  Atchison,  and  since  removed  to  Kansas 
City.  Mo.  For  four  years,  from  1907  to  1911.  he  served  as  city  collector 
of  Atchison.  He  was  engaged  in  the  real  estate  and  fire  insurance  business 
until  January,- 191 5.  Mr.  Orr  was  appointed  postmaster  of  Atchison  Decem- 
ber 29.  1914,  by  President  Wilson,  to  take  effect  January  4.  191 5.  although 
Mr.  Orr  did  not  begin  his  duties  until  January  15.  191 5. 

Mr.  Orr  was  married  in  1886  to  Mary  Isabelle  Smith,  of  Richmond.  Ind., 
a  daughter  of  John  P.  and  Mary  (Sedgwick)  Smith,  residents  of  Richmond, 
Ind.  One  son  has  been  born  to  this  marriage.  Richard  Sedgwick  Orr.  torn 
in  1888.  and  at  present  employed  as  manager  for  the  Standard  Oil  Company 
in  Atchison. 

Louis  C.  Orr  is  a  Democrat  and  is  affiliated  with  the  Christian  Scientist 
church.  For  the  past  twenty-five  years  he  has  been  a  member  of  Lodge  Xo. 
127,  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen.  It  can  be  said  of  him  that  he  is 
courteous,  efficient  and  obliging  to  all  witli  whom  he  is  brought  in  contact. 


CARL  LUDWIG  BECKMAN. 

Successful  as  an  agriculturist,  and  again  achieving  success  as  a  live  stock 
buyer  and  shipper,  is  a  summary  of  the  life  and  accomplishments  of  Carl 
Ludwig  Beckman,  one  of  the  best  known  and  progressive  citizens  of  Effing- 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  383 

ham,  Kan.  Mr.  Beckman's  live  stuck  operations  invohe  the  Inlying  and 
shipping  of  over  fifty  carloads  of  Hve  stock  yearly.  In  addition  to  his  busi- 
ness dealings,  he  also  looks  after  his  fine  farm  of  200  acres  in  Benton 
township. 

Mr.  Becknian  was  lx)rn  April  2.  1861,  in  Ouinc\ ,  111.  As  the  name  in- 
dicates, he  is  the  son  of  German  parents,  his  father,  William  Beckman,  hav- 
ing been  born  in  Germany,  in  1830,  and  was  unfortunately  killed  by  a  stroke 
of  lightning  in  Burlington,  Iowa,  in  1863.  When  a  young  man,  William 
Beckman  left  his  native  lanfl  to  seek  his  fortune  in  this  country.  He  located 
at  Ouincy,  111.,  where  he  married  Elizabeth  Kipp,  who  bore  him  four  chil- 
dren, and  was  also  born  in  Germany  in  1824.  W'illiam  Beckman  removed 
his  family  to  Burlington,  Iowa,  m  about  1862.  The  four  children  born  to 
this  couple  were :  William,  a  resident  of  Parnell,  Atchison  county,  Kansas ; 
Mrs.  Hannah  Buhrmaster,  living  on  a  farm  in  Benton  township ;  Minnie, 
and  Carl  Ludwig,  with  whom  this  review  is  directly  concerned.  The  mother 
of  these  children  later  married  Henrv  \'ollmer,  a  farmer,  in  hjwa,  who  gave 
her  and  the  children  a  good  home  and  left  his  widow  well  pro\ided  for.  Mrs. 
Vollmer.  mother  of  C.  L.,  resides  at  Mediapolis,  Iowa. 

W.hen  Carl  was  twenty  years  of  age  he  left  the  farm  in  Iowa,  and 
came  to  Kansas  in  1881,  and  in  partnership  with  his  Ijrother,  William, 
rented  a  farm  near  Effingham  for  thirteen  years,  dissolving  partnership  in 
1894.  Through  purchase  and  by  inheritance,  on  his  wife's  part,  Mr.  Beck- 
man and  his  wife  came  into  possession  of  200  acres  of  land  in  1894,  upon 
which  they  resided  until  1908.  In  that  year  they  bought  a  small  farm  of 
thirty-five  acres,  one  mile  west  of  Effingham,  upon  which  they  resided  for 
three  years,  and  then  made  a  permanent  home  in  Effingham.  Since  1908 
Mr.  Beckman  has  been  engaged  in  the  buying  and  shipping  of  live  stock, 
with  Robert  M.  Thomas  as  a  partner  in  the  enterprise,  and  has  been  very 
successful  in  this  business,  being  an  accurate  judge  of  live  stock  and  keeping 
abreast  of  market  conditions. 

He  was  married  in  1S94  to  Miss  Lebeldine  Gersbach,  torn  in  Atchison 
county  in  1863,  a  daughter  of  Samuel  and  Catharine  Gersbach,  both  of 
whom  were  natives  of  Germany,  and,  after  emigrating  from  their  nati\e 
country  to  America,  settled  in  Atchison  county  as  early  as  1854,  and  were 
among  the  earliest  pioneers  of  Kansas.  Mr.  Gersbach  preempted  land  and 
built  up  a  fine  farm  which  is  now  owned  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Beckman.  Two 
children  were  born  of  this  marriage:  Rosa,  aged  twenty  years,  and  a  stu- 
dent in  the  Atchison  county  high  school,  class  of  igi6;  and  Pearl,  aged 
seventeen,  also  a  student  in  the  high  school,  class  of  1916. 


384  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

Mr.  Beckman  is  a  Republican  in  politics,  and  takes  an  interest  in  the 
civic  and  political  affairs  of  his  home  town  and  county.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  Odd  l-'ello\vs  and  the  Modern  Woodmen.  Mrs.  Beckman  and  daughters 
are  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church.  ^Ir.  Beckman  is  a  stock- 
holder of  the  Farmers'  Mercantile  Association  of  Effingham,  and  is  gen- 
erally found  in  the  forefront  of  all  undertakings  which  are  intended  for  the 
betterment  and  progress  of  conditions  in  his  home  city. 


JAMES  GRANVILLE  MORROW. 

We  are  taught  that  life  is  eternal ;  that  when  the  course  of  man  has  been 
run  upon  this  earth  and  his  work  is  done,  his  spirit  returns  to  his  Maker  and 
he  is  judged  according  to  his  deeds  while  a  mortal  among  his  fellow  creatures. 
This  thought  and  belief  is  comforting  alike  to  the  dying  and  the  bereaved 
ones  left  behind  to  mourn  their  earthly  loss  for  the  time  being.  Longfellow 
has  written :  "Life  is  real,  life  is  earnest,  and  the  grave  is  not  its  goal ;  dust 
thou  art,  to  dust  returneth,  was  not  written  of  the  soul."  So  thought  and  so 
lived  the  late  Capt.  James  Granville  Morrow,  who  at  the  time  of  his  demise 
was  tlie  oldest  living  pioneer  resident  of  Atchison,  and  a  man  famed  for  his 
upright  life  and  beloved  for  his  good  and  kindly  deeds.  Life  was  very  "real 
and  earnest"  to  Captain  Morrow  and  he  enjoyed  his  earthly  existence  to  the 
fullest  extent,  the  latter  years  of  his  residence  in  Atchison  being  the  fullest 
and  best  of  all.  in  the  sense  that  he  indulged  his  taste  and  talents  to  doing 
things  which  he  loved,  all  the  while  being  surrounded  by  a  loving  wife  and 
children  whose  respect  and  love  he  had  to  comfort  him  through  the  greater 
part  of  his  long  and  useful  life.  Captain  Morrow  lived  in  such  a  manner  as 
to  endear  him  to  all  of  his  associates  and  he  will  long  be  remembered  as  one  of 
the  noted  figures  of  the  pioneer  and  the  present  era  of  Kansas  development. 
It  is  meet  that  tlie  life  story  of  this  truly  noble  citizen  be  recorded  in  these 
annals  of  his  county  and  city  for  the  inspiration  and  encouragement  of  the 
present  and  coming  posterity  for  all  time  to  come. 

James  Granville  Morrow  was  born  on  a  farm  in  W'ayne  county,  Ken- 
tucky, June  27,  1827.  a  son  of  Jeremiah  ,nnd  Lydia  (Holder)  Morrow,  lx)th 
of  whom  were  born  and  reared  in  Kentucky.  Jeremiah  Morrow  was  the  son 
of  Matthew  Morrow,  a  native  of  Virginia,  wlio  was  one  of  the  early  pioneers 
of  Kentucky,  and  of  Scotch  descent,  his  ancestors  having  emigrated  from 


^j-^^'M^^UnM  j:s^  A^y 


^...^-'T-^-Z^ 


^^T-T^-^^ 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  385 

Scotland  to  America  in  the  early  colonial  period  of  American  history.  Jere- 
miah Morrow,  father  of  James  G.,  was  born  in  1802,  and  after  his  removal  to 
Kentucky  married  Lydia  Holder.  Six  sons  and  two  daughters  were  torn  to 
Jeremiah  Morrow  and  wife,  only  one  of  whom  survives,  Mrs.  W.  H.  Crisp, 
residing  in  Kentucky.  Their  children  were  as  follows :  Mahala,  wife  of 
Rev.  W.  H.  Crisp,  of  Kentucky;  Floyd,  deceased;  James  Granville,  the  sub- 
ject of  this  review;  Nimrod,  deceased;  Riley,  William,  Nancy,  deceased  wife 
of  John  Pennington ;  Percy,  deceased.  Granville  Morrow  spent  his  boyhood 
days  on  the  family  farm  in  Wayne  county,  Kentucky,  and  at  the  age  of  six- 
teen years  was  sent  to  a  select  school.  He  made  his  home  with  his  parents 
until  he  attained  his  majority  and  then  set  out  to  make  his  own  way  in  the 
world.  He  dealt  quite  extensively  in  horses  which  he  drove  from  Kentucky 
to  Georgia.  He  was  also  associated  with  his  brothers  in  raising,  purchasing 
and  selling  hogs,  which  they  drove  400  miles  into  Georgia,  where  they  were 
sold  to  the  Georgia  planters.  Sometimes  a  single  planter  would  buy  500 
head  and  the  price  ranged  from  eight  to  nine  dollars  per  100  pounds,  live 
weight.  The  Morrow  brothers  frequently  drove  as  high  as  13,000  head,  trav- 
eling only  seven  miles  a  day.  There  were  no  railroads  in  those  days,  but  the 
country  was  dotted  with  stations.  Hog  cholera  did  not  bother  swine  in  those 
days  and  it  was  Captain  Morrow's  frequent  expression  that  hog  cholera  was 
a  product  of  civilization  and  high  breeding,  and,  although  the  hogs  were 
driven  as  far  as  400  miles  they  did  not  lose  weight  on  the  trip.  The  business 
of  the  Morrow  brothers  was  not  always  profitable,  however,  and  they  lost 
money  on  some  of  the  trips.  Mr.  Morrow  abandoned  the  business  in  1850, 
and  in  1854  arrived  in  Atchison  en  route  to  California,  but  he  did  not  go 
any  farther.  On  April  5,  1854,  he  arrived  at  Rushville  Landing,  now  East 
Atchison.  This  was  shortly  before  Kansas  was  opened  for  settlement,  and 
the  only  man  living  at  that  time  on  the  townsite  of  Atchison  was  George 
Million,  who  operated  a  rope  ferry  acress  the  Missouri  river.  Mr.  Morrow 
found  on  landing  at  Atchison  that  the  overland  train  which  he  expected  to 
join  en  route  to  the  far  West  had  left,  and,  as  he  was  ill  he  decided  to  wait 
for  the  next  train.  Captain  Morrow  ate  his  first  dinner  in  Kansas  with 
Samuel  Dixon  at  Dixon  Spring,  now  included  in  the  city  of  Atchison.  The 
food  was  ladled  out  of  a  common  kettle  to  which  all  the  diners  had  access 
without  style  or  invitation  other  than  "help  yourself."  A  tree  trunk  sawed 
off  smooth  answered  the  purpose  of  a  table  on  which  the  meal  was  sers'ed. 
Wliile  waiting  he  found  a  job  with  Million  and  decided  to  remain  in  Kansas. 
In  the  fall  of  1854,  he,  with  John  Alcorn,  bought  out  Portumous  Lamb's 
ferry  boat  which  was  operated  by  horse  power  and  a  tread-mill,  and  from 
25 


386  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

tliat  time  on  for  seventeen  consecutive  years  Mr.  Morrow  plied  his  ferry  be- 
tween Atchison  and  Winthrop.  In  the  fall  of  1855  he  began  operating  a 
side-wheel  steam  ferry  which  had  been  brought  here  from  Brownsville,  Pa. 
In  1857  he  became  captain  of  the  steam  ferry,  "Ida,"  later  running  tlie  steam 
ferry,  "Pomeroy,"  after  which  he  went  to  Brownsville,  Pa.,  where  he  built  the 
transfer  boat,  "William  Osborne,"  remaining  there  eight  months  while  the 
work  was  in  progress.  When  he  brought  the  ''William  Osborne"  to  Atchi- 
son it  was  loaded  with  300  tons  of  rails  for  tlie  Central  Brancli  of  the  Missouri 
Pacific  railroad,  now  the  Northern  Kansas  Division.  This  boat  also  con- 
veyed across  the  Missouri  river  the  first  locomotives  used  on  the  road  after 
its  construction. 

Not  long  after  his  arrival  in  Atchison  Captam  ^ilorrow  l.egan  to 
accumulate  land,  and  in  1869  turned  his  attention  to  farming,  retiring  from 
the  steamboat  business  entirely  jn  1871.  He  accumulated  1,240  acres  of  rich 
bottom  lands  in  the  Missouri  river  bottoms  near  East  Atchison  which  has 
never  failed  to  produce  a  crop  and  is  very  valuable.  He  fonnerly  owned  a 
section  of  land  in  Osage  count)',  Kansas,  near  Lebo.  He  also  was  the  owner 
of  two  valuable  farms  on  the  Atchison  side  of  the  river,  320" acres  near  Jacks- 
boro,  Texas,  and  owned  considerable  real  estate  in  the  city,  all  of  which  has 
been  left  to  his  widow  in  trust  for  his  children  and  heirs.  He  was  very  suc- 
cessful as  a  wheat  grower,  and  in  this  way  gained  the  greater  part  of  his  work- 
ing capital.  He  erected  a  beautiful  home  called  "Enidan  Heights"  at  Eighth 
and  U  streets,  on  the  south  side  of  Atchison,  where  he  spent  his  declining 
years  in  peace  and  comfort.  About  1875  he  opened  a  general  store  in  East 
Atchison  which  he  conducted  until  1883.  Those  were  still  pioneer  days,  and 
the  settlers  in  the  vicinity  were  poor  and  sometimes  were  unable  to  pay  for 
the  goods  they  needed.  The  captain's  big  heart  and  generous  impulses  fre- 
quently led  him  to  extend  credit  to  patrons  whom  he  knew  would  not  be  able 
to  pay  for  their  purcliases,  and  it  was  a  favorite  expression  of  his  when  his 
clerk  would  report  to  him  that  a  poor  man  wished  credit,  "Gracious  to  good- 
ness, if  we  don't  let  him  have  the  stuff  he'll  starve  to  death."  The  captain 
sold  hundreds  of  dollars'  worth  of  goods  which  were  probably  never  paid  for, 
but  his  good  heart  would  not  permit  him  to  see  a  fellow  creature  in  want  for 
the  necessities  of  life.  This  trait  of  kindness  was  the  predominating  char- 
acteristic of  his  life  and  endeared  him  to  hundreds  of  people;  After  quitting 
the  mercantile  business  Captain  Morrow  devoted  himself  entirely  to  his  farm- 
ing interests  and  his  transfer  business  which  he  established  in  1888  with  liis 
partners,  later  becoming  the  sole  owner  of  the  business.  He  retired  entirely 
from  active  business  pursuits  and  his  farming  in   1910  and  spent  the  most 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  387 

of  his  time  working  around  the  gardens  of  his  fine  lionie  in  Atchison.  For 
years  it  was  his  custom  to  drive  back  and  forth  to  his  big  farm  on  the  Mis- 
souri side  and  he  was  gradually  persuaded  to  abandon  this  activity.  His  demise 
occurred  December  2,  19 15,  after  a  brief  illness,  beginning  with  an  attack  of 
la  grippe,  his  great  age  and  depleted  vitality  militating  against  his  recovery. 
James  Granville  Morrow  was  married  November  26,  1874,  to  Miss  Sarah 
J.  George,  and  this  happy  marriage  was  blessed  with  the  following  children : 
Delia,  born  November  11,  1875,  and  died  in  1904;  Mary  Etta,  born  in  Mis- 
souri March  17,  1880,  dying  October  2,  1880,  and  who  is  buried  in  Orearville 
cemetery,  Saline  county,  Missouri ;  James  Granville  George,  born  September 
16, -1878,  married  Ethel  Worrell,  and  is  the  father  of  four  children;  James 
Granville,  Jr.,  John  Worrell,  Frances  and  Robert  George:  Nadine,  wife  of 
John  Raymond  Woodliouse,  who  lives  with  Mrs.  Morrow,  of  Atchison,  and 
mother  of  John  Granville,  bom  December  16,  1914;  James  G.  Morrow  re- 
sides in  Buchanan  county,  Missouri,  and  has  charge  of  the  inunense  Morrow 
farm  in  the  Missouri  bottoms.  The  cliildren  of  Captain  and  Mrs.  Morrow 
have  all  been  well  educated  and  afforded  every  facility  for  mind  cultivation. 
]\Irs.  Nadine  Woodhouse  was  educated  m  Mount  St.  Scholastica  Academy 
and  the  College  Preparatory  School  of  Atchison,  after  which  she  completed 
her  studies  at  Central  College  of  ^lissouri.  Miss  Delia  Morrow  studied  in 
]\Iount  St.  Scholastica  Academy,  Midland  and  Central  colleges,  and  \\'ashing- 
ton  University,  at  St.  Louis,  and  was  a  bright  and  talented  young  ladv  prior 
to  her  demise.  James  Morrow,  the  son,  studied  in  the  Atchison  public  schools 
and  Midland  College.  The  mother  of  these  children,  Mrs.  Sarah  J.  (George "I 
Morrow,  was  born  March  30,  1853,  'i^^r  Orearville,  Saline  county,  Missouri, 
a  daughter  of  Dr.  James  Jameson  George,  a  native  of  Prince  William  county, 
\"irginia.  Dr.  George  was  born  in  Virginia  November  25,  1810,  a  son  of 
William  Henry  George,  a  soldier  in  the  W'ar  of  1812,  who  moved  from  Vir- 
ginia to  Hardin  county,  Kentucky,  in  1816  with  his  brothers,  Moses  and 
IJndsey  George,  wlio  settled  at  Shelbyville,  Ky.  The  mother  of  Dr.  George 
was  a  member  of  the  Jameson  family,  an  old  Virginia  family.  The  ancestry 
of  both  the  George  and  Jameson  families  goes  back  to  the  pre-Revolutionary 
days  of  the  Virginia  colony.  Dr.  J.  J.  George  was  a  graduate  of  the  Trans}^- 
vania  College  at  Bairdstown,  Ky.,  and  also  studied  at  Lexington,  Ky.  He 
was  married  in  184 1  at  Mt.  Sterling,  Ky.,  to  Mary  (Catlett)  Orear,  a  daugh- 
ter of  Robert  Catlett  Orear,  who  was  born  in  Mt.  Sterling.  Ky..  January  30, 
t8t4,  and  departed  this  life  March  27,  1876.  in  Johnson  county.  Missouri. 
Dr.  J.  J.  and  Mary  George  were  the  parents  of  the  following  children  :  Rob- 
ert died  in  June,  1905,  on  his  ranch  in  Coffey  counly.  Kan.sas;  Joel  S.,  who 


388  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

resides  at  Peace  River  Crossing;,  Alberta,  Canada ;  Mary  E.,  wife  of  J.  H. 
Russell,  died  June  28,  191 1;  Mrs.  Malinda  Morrison,  of  Tecumseh,  Okla. ; 
Benjamin  Franklin,  born  in  Saline  count)',  settled  in  Coffey  county,  Kansas, 
and  now  resides  in  Denver,  Colo.;  Mrs.  James  Granville  Morrow;  two  who 
died  in  infancy :  James  Nelson  contracted  fever  at  Central  College,  and  died 
October  26,  1875,  aged  twenty-one  years  and  twenty-nine  days;  Lee  Davis, 
a  ranchman,  of  Coffey  county.  Kansas.  Four  of  these  children  were  born 
in  Kentucky,  and  the  last  four  were  born  in  Missouri,  where  the  family  re- 
moved in  1850. 

Dr.  George  was  a  minister  of  the  Gospel  and  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  conference  in  Kentucky  from  1838  to  1839.  He  came  to  Missouri 
to  farm  and  preach  the  Gospel,  but  was  impressed  ven,-  early  in  his  western 
career  with  the  woeful  dearth  of  skilled  medical  care  for  the  sick  and  ailing 
of  the  backwoods  country,  and  was  frequently  called  to  the  bedside  of  people 
who  were  supposed  to  be  dying,  and  whom  he  realized  could  be  easily  saved 
with  some  medical  attention.  Fired  with  zeal  to  assist  an  unfortunate  and 
suffering  people,  he  conceived  the  worthy  idea  of  studying  medicine,  so  that 
he  coitld  be  of  material  assistance  to  his  people  other  tlian  in  a  religious  sense, 
He  returned  to  Kentucky  and  entered  the  Medican  College  at  Lexington.  After 
completing  his  course  he  returned  to  Saline  county,  Missouri,  and  engaged 
in  the  practice  of  his  profession  until  old  age  came  upon  him.  He  then  re- 
moved to  Cass  county,  Missouri,  and  became  a  local  minister.  His  was  a 
long  and  useful  life,  every  matured  year  of  whicli  was  given  in  behalf  of  his 
fellowmen.  unselfishly  and  devotedly.  He  was  one  of  the  noted  missionaries 
of  the  early  days  in  Missouri  and  extended  the  word  of  tlie  Gospel  to  the 
remotest  settlements.  He  organized  churches  and  Sunday  schools  where  they 
seemed  needed  most  and  his  work  called  him  to  preach  the  \\^ord  in  log  houses 
and  the  most  primitive  habitations  of  man.  Dr.  George  was  deeply  in  love 
with  his  great  work,  and  loved  the  people,  and  worked  tirelessly  for  their 
well  being  in  a  religious  and  practical  way.  He  departed  this  life  August  4, 
1875.  The  last  public  utterance  which  he  made  was  when  he  spoke  to  a 
Sunday  school  assemblage  in  Coffey  county,  Kansas,  in  the  village  of  Key 
West.  His  end  was  peaceful  and  tranquil,  and  the  departure  of  this  good 
man's  soul  to  the  realms  beyond  mortal  kin  marked  the  passing  of  one  of 
the  truly  great  men  of  the  western  country  whose  work  will  go  on  and  on 
forever.  Dr.  George  and  Captain  Morrow  became  great  friends  in  the  early 
si.xties. 

On  Thanksgiving  day  of  191 5,  just  the  day  before  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mor- 
row's forty-first  wedding  anniversary,  the  captain's  last  illness  began  which 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  389 

resulted  in  his  passing  away.  His  burial  occurred  on  December  4  from  Trin- 
ity Episcopal  Cliurch,  Rev.  Otis  E.  Gray  officiating,  with  the  Masonic  lodge 
of  Atchison  conducting  burial  service  at  the  grave.  He  was  for  many  years 
a  Mason  and  was  greatly  interested  in  the  Masonic  fraternity,  rarelv  being 
absent  from  the  lodge  meetings,  his  last  spoken  regret  having  Ijeen  that  he 
would  be  unable  to  attend  the  ceremonies  held  at  the  laying  of  the  corner- 
stone of  the  new  Masonic  Temple  in  Atchison.  The  last  five  years  of  Captain 
Morrow's  life  were  perhaps  the  most  satisfactory  and  the  happiest  of  his  ex- 
istence. His  years  of  retirement,  although  few  as  compared  with  that  of  most 
men.  were  spent  almost  entirely  at  his  beautiful  hnme,  witli  occasional  visits 
to  his  farm  lands.  He  was  loath  to  retire,  and  did  so  only  at  the  urgent 
insistence  of  his  devoted  wife,  and  for  quite  a  long  time  after  he  was  eighty 
years  of  age  he  would  insist  on  driving  across  the  river  to  his  farm.  He 
took  the  greatest  pleasure  with  his  grandchildren,  and  especiallv  with  his 
namesake.  In  his  later  years  he  became  a  specialist  in  gardening  and  fruit 
growing  merely  for  his  own  satisfaction  and  would  frequently  sui-prise  his 
family  with  some  very  choice  and  rare  fruits  grown  in  his  gardens  and 
orchards.  From  his  orchard  of  peach  trees  he  gathered  over  400  bushels  of 
peaches  in  one  season,  and  also  set  out  an  apple  orcliard  which  lie  attended 
assiduously.  He  became  a  disciple  of  the  famous  Luther  Burbank  and  was 
a  member  of  the  Luther  BurJjank  corporation.  Through  the  exercise  of  his 
skill  as  a  fruit  grower  he  produced  several  kinds  of  rare  berries  and  was 
continually  experimenting  in  small  fruits  and  vegetable  growing.  It  was 
fitting  that  the  life  of  Captain  Morrow  should  close  in  such  a  manner  and  that 
during  his  last  years  he  was  permitted  to  indulge  himself  in  his  favorite  pur- 
suits, surrounded  with  the  loving  and  watchful  career  of  his  devoted  wife,  who 
was  always  his  confidant  and  adviser,  and  to  whom  he  went  in  time  of  stress 
or  trouble  for  comfort  and  advice.  His  was  a  life  well  spent  and  his  memory 
will  live  long  in  the  hearts  and  minds  of  those  who  knew  him  best. 


ORLANDO  C.  SCOVILLE. 


In  the  northeast  part  of  Benton  township,  in  a  comfortable  farm  home  on 
section  11.  range  18,  there  resides  the  oldest  pioneer  settler  of  that  section  of 
of  the  county,  the  review  of  whose  career  takes  one  back  to  the  days  of  the 
Civil  war  when  he  shouldered  a  musket  in  defense  of  the  Union,  and  to  the 
early  days  of  Kansas  history  when  the  long  freight  trains  hauled  by  oxen  and 


390  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

mules  were  leaving  Atchison  for  the  far  West.  We  are  reminded  of  the 
Indian  troul)les  wliich  beset  the  hardy  freigliters  as  they  convoyed  their  treas- 
ures across  the  wiile  reaches  of  jirairie  and  mountain.  In  all  these  tilings  Or- 
lando C.  Scoville,  Union  veteran,  old-time  .freighter,  and  ]iioneer  farmer,  par- 
ticijated.  and  it  is  meet  that  the  story  of  his  life  and  adventurous  career  l)e 
recorded  for  the  entertainment  of  succeeding  generations  of  men  and  women 
in  order  that  they  might  know  how  a  wilderness  was  redeemed  and  what 
manner  of  men  tlieir  forefathers  were  and  whence  tliey  came. 

Orlando  C.  Scoville  was  born  February  4.  1846,  in  Cook  county.  Illinois, 
on  a  farm  located  just  twenty-two  miles  from  the  city  of  Chicago.  His  fatlicr 
was  William  Scoville.  born  in  1820.  at  Watertown.  X.  Y..  a  son  of  Al)ijah 
Scoville,  a  native  of  Connecticut,  and  a  scion  of  an  nld  Xcw  Engl.uid  family. 
Abijah  Scoville  was  a  carpenter  by  trade  and  his  art  was  transmitted  to  his 
descendants.  William  Scoville  received  a  good  education  in  his  native  State, 
and  taught  school  in  New  York  when  a  young  man  seventeen  years  old.  As 
early  as  1842  he  came  west,  to  Cook  county,  Illinois,  and  owned  a  farm  in  that 
county  which  he  cultivated  until  1865  when  he  came  to  Atchison,  Kan.,  where 
he  first  engaged  in  the  handling  of  live  stock.  Later  he  was  in  the  lumber 
business  with  a  Mr.  McCoy,  who  later  sold  out  to  Henry  T.  Smith,  and  he  and 
Smith  conducted  a  wagon  and  lumber  business  on  Utah  a\enue,  just  east  of 
the  old  Episcopal  church.  l)etween  Fourth  and  Fifth  streets.  William  eventu- 
ally sold  out  his  business  and  moved  to  a  farm  in  Benton  townsiiip.  south  of 
where  his  son,  O.  C.  lives,  and  there  died  in  December,  1891.  Previous  to 
removing  to  his  farm  he  was  foreman  of  the  Hixon  Lumber  Company's  inter- 
ests in  .-\tchison.  The  mother  of  Orlando  C.  was  Lucinda  Lasher,  whom 
William  Scoville  married  in  New  'S'ork,  and  who  removed  to  Arrington  after 
her  husband's  death.  an<i  there  died  in  November.  i89_^.  at  tlic  age  of  sev- 
enty-five years.  William  and  Lucinda  Scoville  were  the  parents  of  seven 
children,  two  of  whom  died  in  infancy:  Imogene,  wife  of  A.  W'.  Mulligan,  of 
Blue  Rapids,  Kan.;  Orlando  C. :  luilalie.  died  in  Atchison  in  1866,  and  is 
buried  in  Oak  Mill  cemetery:  I'reeman.  a  r:iilroad  engineer  for  man\-  years, 
and  who  died  at  .Arrington.  in  1911  :  (iiles,  a  successful  law  practitioner,  lo- 
cated in  Chicago,  and  who  studied  law  under  the  late  Senator  John  J.  Ingalls. 

O.  C.  Scoville  was  reared  to  young  manhood  on  the  farm  in  Cook  county, 
Illinois,  and  when  eighteen  years  of  age  enlisted  (  1864)  in  Company  P>,  One 
Hundred  and  Thirty-second  regiment,  Illinois  infantry.  He  served  for  six 
months  in  the  Army  of  the  Tennessee,  under  (ieneral  Tliomas.  and  took  part 
in  the  several  hard-fought  battles,  among  them  being  the  l)attle  and  siege  of 
Atlanta.     His  command  started  on  the  march  with  .Sliernian.  to  the  sea.  but 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  391 

were  turned  back  bv  department  orders.  After  his  war  service  expired  he 
came  to  Atchison  and  joined  the  family.  His  first  occupation  in  Atchison  was 
the  operating-  of  a  wagon  shop,  just  across  tlie  street  from  the  Blair  Mill,  and 
it  is  a  matter  of  history  that  his  shop  was  used  as  the  first  depot  of  the  Central 
Branch  railroad,  then  building-.  He  ran  the  wagon  shop  for  two  years  and 
then  made  two  trips  across  the  continent  in  the  capacity  of  freighter  and  con- 
voying a  herd  of  cattle.  In  1867  he  was  one  of  the  freighters  in  charge  of 
the  first  train  sent  over  the  Smoky  Hill  mute  for  Butterfield  to  Denver.  The 
live  stock  was  run  off  by  the  Indians  during  this  trip,  and  Butterfield  came 
out  and  found  them  after  four  weeks'  search ;  his  next  trip  was  to  Salt  Lake 
City.  In  1868,  he  with  others,  drove  a  herd  of  milch  cows  which  had  been 
sold  by  McCoy  to  a  man  named  Murray,  and  consigned  to  him  in  California. 
This  trip  required  eighteen  months  to  consummate,  and  they  were  forced  to 
winter  in  the  Antelope  valley  on  Walker  river.  After  taking  the  cattle  to 
their  destination  he  returned  across  the  n-iountains  to  Reno,  Nev.,  and  there 
boarded  the  train  for  the  rest  of  the  journe}-  home,  Reno  at  that  time  being 
the  western  terminus  f)f  the  railway.  During  1869  he  worked  for  one  \-ear 
in  the  engineering  corps  of  tlie.  Santa  Fe  railroad,  and  in  that  winter  his  father 
bought  his  present  farm  in  Benton  township.  In  the  fall  of  1872  he  moved  to 
the  farm  where  he  has  resided  continuously  for  the  past  forty -three  years.  In 
1893  he  bou.ght  the  farm  formerly  owned  by  the  family  and  has  increased 
his  acrea,ge  until  he  and  his  son  are  tlie  owners  of  400  acres  of  land,  the  latter 
owning  180  acres,  u])(in  wliich  formerlv  stood  three  sets  of  farm  buildings, 
one  of  wliich  was  destroyed  b}-  fire  in  April,  1915.  His  present  residence  was 
erected  in  1893. 

Mr.  Scoville  was  niarricd  in  AtcJ-iison  May  8.  1S73,  to  \'irginia  Williams, 
born  in  Greenbrier  countv,  X'irginia.  in  1854,  and  a  daugiiter  of  Alexander 
Williams.  Her  father  died  when  she  was  very  young  and  she  came  with  her 
mother  and  stepfather  to  Missouri  in  the  early  ])ionecr  days  when  her  mother 
died  and  she  was  ado])ted  by  Mrs.  Miller,  a  music  teacher,  of  Atchison,  Kan. 
Three  children  were  born  to  this  union,  namely:  Katie  died  in  infruicy:  Will- 
iam C,  born  .\ugust  10,  1875,  married  Myrtle  Lollar,  and  has  two  children, 
Earl,  bom  December  13,  1911,  and  Alice,  born  I\Iay  16,  1914.  William  C.  is 
the  only  living  son  of  Orlando  C.  Scoville.  Mrs.  Scoville  died  in  October, 
1913- 

This  sturdy  pioneer  has  been  a  Republican  ever  since  he  cast  his  first 
vote,  and  is  one  of  the  true  blue  variety  who  prides  himself  on  bein,g  a  "stand- 
patter," who  believes  thorou.ghly  in  the  priiiciples  of  iiis  party  and  will  never 
desert  the  standard  of  Republicanism.     He  Ins  uc\x-v  held   office  and  has 


39-2  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

never  been  a  seeker  after  political  preferment;  has  never  been  a  party  to  a  law 
suit,  never  served  on  a  jury,  and  has  been  called  only  once  in  his  lifetime  to 
the  witness  stand.  He  has  endeavored  at  all  times  to  live  at  jjeace  with  all 
mankind  and  has  succeeded  to  such  an  extent  that  at  a  ripe  old  age,  this  pioneer 
settler  of  Atchison  county  is  living  in  peace  and  comfort  in  the  home  wliich  he 
created  out  of  a  wilderness. 

^Ir.  Scoville  cast  his  first  vote  for  x\braham  Lincoln  in  St.  Louis,  in  1864. 


JOHX  JAMES  INGALLS. 

John  James  Ingalls,  author,  lawyer,  and  United  States  Senator,  was  born 
in  ^liddleton,  ^lass.,  December  29,  1833.  a  son  of  Elias  T.  and  Eliza  (Chase) 
Ingalls.  He  was  descended  from  Edmond  Ingalls,  who,  with  his  brotlier. 
Francis,  founded  the  town  of  L}nn,  Mass.,  in  1628.  His  father  was  a  first 
cousin  of  Mehitable  Ingalls,  the  grandmother  of  the  late  President  Garfield. 
His  mother  was  a  descendant  of  Aquilla  Chase,  who  settled  in  Xew  Hamp- 
shire in  1630.  Chief  Justice  Chase  was  of  tliis  family.  After  going  through 
the  public  schools  Ingalls  attended  Williams  College,  at  W'illiamstown,  Mass., 
graduating  in  1855.  He  then  studied  law  and  was  admitted  to  tlie  l)ar  in 
1857.  The  next  year  he  came  to  Kansas  and  in  1859  was  a  member  of  ilie 
\\'yandotte  constitutional  convention.  In  i860  he  was  secretary  of  the  ter- 
ritorial council  and  was  also  secretary  of  the  first  State  senate,  in  1861.  The 
next  year  he  was  elected  State  senator  from  Atchison  county.  In  tliat  year, 
and  again  in  1864,  he  was  nominated  for  lieutenant-governor  on  the  anti- 
Lane  ticket.  During  the  Civil  war  he  served  as  judge  advocate  on  the  staff 
of  Gen.  George  W.  Deitzlcr  with  the  rank  of  lieutenant-colonel.  In  1863  Mr. 
Ingalls  married  Miss  Anna  Louisa  Chesebrougli,  a  descendant  of  William 
Cliesebrough,  who  came  to  this  country  witli  tiov.  Winthrop  in  1630.  Her 
father,  Ellsworth  Chesebrough,  was  a  New  York  importer  who  came  to 
Atchison,  Kan.,  in  1859,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death,  in  i860,  was  an  elector 
on  the  Lincoln  ticket.  Of  this  union  eleven  children  were  born,  six  of  wliom 
were  li\ing  at  tlie  time  of  Mr.  Ingalls'  death,  viz:  Ellsworth,  Ethel,  Ralph, 
Sheffield,  Marion  and  Muriel. 

In  1873,  "Opportunity."  of  which  Mr.  Ingalls  wrote  in  his  declining  years, 
knocked  at  his  door.  He  was  made  a  candidate  for  United  States  senator  at 
a  private  caucus  one  night  and  was  elected  by  the  legislature  the  next  day. 
His  career  at  Wlashington,  covering  a  period  of  eighteen  years,  was  one  of 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  393 

great  brilliancy.  He  quickly  acf|uired  distinction,  and  Speaker  Reed  remarked 
before  lie  bad  learned  the  name  of  tbe  new  senator :  "Any  man  who  can  state 
a  proposition  as  that  senator  does  is  a  threat  man."  .\s  a  parliamentaririn  he 
was  unsurpassed.  Senator  Harris,  a  Democrat  from  iciinessee,  said:  "Mr 
In^alls  will  go  down  upon  the  records  as  the  greatest  presiding  officer  in 
the  history  of  the  senate."  His  speeches  made  liim  famous.  He  was  the 
master  of  sarcasm  and  satire,  as  well  as  of  eulogistic  oratory.  I  lis  address 
on  John  Brown,  a  speech  of  blistering  satire;  llie  <ine  debvered  in  .\tcbison 
after  iiis  \indication  in  the  senate;  and  his  eulogies  of  Senator  llill  and  Sen- 
ator  Wilson  are  classic  master])ieces,  seldom  if  ever  excelled  in  oratory.  Sen- 
ator Ingalls  was  a  strict  partisan,  an  invincible  champion  of  any  cause,  and 
a  bitter  and  persevering  opponent.  During  his  tln-ce  terms  in  the  senate  his 
greatest  efforts  were  in  the  athocacy  of  tbe  constitutional  rights  of  the  free- 
dom of  the  South  and  the  rights  of  the  veterans  of  tbe  Ci\'il  war.  When  a 
wave  of  Populism  came  over  Kansas  it  found  iiim  practiralK-  unpre])ared. 
He  had  given  little  attention  to  the  money  question  and  ibc  tariff,  and  it  was 
these  things  which  were  clamoring  for  solution.  He  was  defeated  by  the 
Populists  for  senator  in  189 1.  Mr.  Ingalls  said  many  times  that  he  valued 
a  seat  in  tbe  senate  above  anv  other  honor  in  the  gift  of  the  .\merican  jjcojile. 
As  an  author  Mr.  Ingalls  won  his  rejjutation  first  by  a  numl)er  of  articles 
appearing  in  the  old  Kansas  Ma;^azinc,  among  which  were  "Cal-l'"ish  .Aris- 
tocracy" and  "Blue  Grass."  His  poem,  "Opportunity,"  is  worthy  to  be 
classed  with  the  greatest  in  tlie  bjigbsh  language,  ;nul  it  niri\  \et  outlive  his 
reputation  as  an  orator  and  statesman  and  be  his  lasting  monument,  .\fter 
leaving  the  senate  Mr.  Ingalls  retired  from  active  life,  traveled  for  his  herdt-b, 
and  died  in  New  Mexico,  Augu.st  16,  1900.  In  January,  1905,  a  statue  of  him 
was  installed  in  Statuary  Hall  at  \Va.shington  with  fitting  ceremonies,  being 
the  first  statue  to  be  contributed  by  Kansas,  although  Mr.  Ingalls  during  his 
lifetime  had  urged  u])on  the  State  to  place  one  of  John  I'.rown  in  this  hall. 


SIDNEY  MARTIN. 


A  publication  of  this  nature  e.xercises  its  most  important  function  when 
it  takes  cognizance  of  the  life  and  labors  of  those  citizens  who  attained  prom- 
inence and  prosperity  through  their  own  well  directed  efforts  and 
who  were  of  material  value  in  furthering  the  advancement  and  development 
of  the  commonwealth.     Sidney  Martin  came  to   .Atchison  county  in    1856 


394  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

when  a  boy  of  eleven.  He  endured  the  hardsliips  common  to  the  resident 
of  Kansas  previous  to  and  during  the  Civil  war  period.  He  made  several 
trips  between  Atchisc^n  and  Denver  as  a  freighter;  drove  over  some  400 
miles  of  country  infested  with  Indians  and  narrowly  escaped  death 
at  their  hands.  He  Ixiught  the  first  section  of  land  that  was  sold  in  the  Kick- 
apoo  reservation  and  became  one  of  the  most  successful  farmers  and  .stock 
breeders  in  northeastern  Kansas.  He  was  actively  identified  with  the  develop- 
ment of  this  section  of  the  State  and  attained  prominence  and  influence  as 
a  citizen. 

Sidney  Martin  was  a  native  of  Kentucky,  born  in  Estill  county  on  Novem- 
ber I,  1846.  a  son  of  Jackson  H.  and  Polly  (  W'lalters)  Martin.  lli>  ancestors, 
paternal  and  maternal,  were  among  the  first  to  settle  in  the  \^irginia  colony, 
coming  from  England  in  1607.  His  father,  Jackson  H.  Martin,  best  known 
to  the  residents  of  Atchison  county  as  "Uncle  Jack"'  Martin,  was  also  a 
Kentuckian,  bom  in  Estill  county  on  January  15.  1812,  a  son  of  Robert  and 
Mary  (  Harris)  Martin,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Virginia.  Robert 
Martin  served  in  the  \\''ar  of  1812  and  was  a  commissioned  officer.  The 
epaulets  from  his  uniform  were  in  the  possession  of  the  family  until  a  few 
years  ago.  Subsequent  to  this  service  he  removed  to  Kentucky  and  was  one 
of  Daniel  Boone's  companions  and  was  with  him  during  many  Indian  fights. 
He  was  one  of  the  pioneer  settlers  of  Estill  county. 

Jackson  H.  Martin,  or  "Uncle  Jack,"  as  he  was  commonly  called,  was 
reared  in  Estill  county,  married  there,  and  in  1855  brought  his  family  to 
Buchanan  county,  Missouri,  where  he  lived  one  year.  In  the  s])ring  of  1856 
he  came  to  Kansas  and  settled  at  Mormon's  Grove.  The  place  derived  its 
name  through  Ijeing  a  fonner  Mormon  emigrant  settlement.  It  was  al)Out 
five  miles  from  .\tchi.son.  "Uncle  Jack"  and  his  family  occupied  the  Mormon 
cabin  until  he  could  build  one  of  his  own.  He  preempted  a  quarter  section 
of  land  at  this  point  and  engaged  in  farming.  .\  native  of  Kentucky,  a  Dem- 
ocrat as  well,  he  naturally  became  involved  in  the  turmoil  of  events  preceding 
the  Civil  war.  For  the  protection  of  himself  and  family,  he  built  a  double 
wall  of  stone  and  earth  around  his  dwelling.  This  caused  it  to  be  called  Ft. 
Martin.  The  place  was  attacked  one  night  by  Jayhawkers  who  were  after 
horses.  The  attacking  party  were  driven  off  without  booty  and  several  of 
their  numlier  were  wounded.  "Uncle  Jack"  continued  to  reside  at  Ft.  Martin 
until  1878.  when  he  became  a  resident  of  Effingham.  He  built  the  Martin 
Hotel  and  conducted  it  for  a  number  of  years.  He  was  a  success  as  a  host, 
his  hotel  was  famous  for  its  cookery  and  hospitalitv  and  Effingham  the 
gainer  by  his  coming.     His  death  occurred  in  April.   1902.  at  the  age  of 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  395 

ninety  years.  He  had  lived  an  eventful  life,  had  watched  Kansas  grow  from 
a  sparsely  settled,  faction-torn  border  State  to  one  of  the  most  prosperous 
agricultural  commonwealths  of  the  Union.  He  had  met  many  of  the  most 
famous  men  of  her  formative  period,  and  was  a  personal  friend  of  John  A. 
MaYtin.  Paddy  Brown,  Governor  Glide  and  Charles  Robinson.  His  wife, 
Polly  Walters,  wliom  he  married  in  Estill  Springs.  Ky.,  died  in  April. 
1895.  They  were  the  parents  of  four  children :  Ann  Elizabeth,  the  wife  of 
William  Hight,  of  Fremont  county.  Colorado:  Sidney,  the  subject  of  this 
review:  Mary  \\'.,  widow  of  Gilliert  Keithline.  of  Atchison  county,  and  Sally, 
widow  of  Henry  Woodard.  Twins  died  in  infancy.  Martha  died  at  the  age 
of  sixteen  years.  Sally  f Martin)  \\^oodard  was  born  in  Estill  county,  Ken- 
tucky, in  1852.  and  came  with  her  parents  to  Kansas  in  1856.  She  was 
reared  on  the  old  Martin  farm  in  Atchison  county,  and  in  1869  married  Henry 
Woodard.  who  was  born  in  Evansville.  Ind.,  in  1844.  He  was  a  son  of 
Philander  Henn*-  Woodard,  who  came  to  Atchison  in  the  early  sixties  and 
engaged  in  the  milling  business.  After  liis  marriage  Henrj-  Woodard  settled 
on  a  farm  in  Jackson  county,  where  he  remained  until  1874.  when  he  located 
in  Effingham  and  engaged  in  the  mercantile  business.  He  followed  this  line 
of  occupation  until  a  few  years  Ijefore  his  death  which  occurred  May  30, 
1914.  He  is  survived  by  his  widow  and  the  following  children:  Philander 
Henry,  Jack  Martin,  Gilbert  Campbell,  Dorothy,  wife  of  Elmer  Percival.  of 
Sheridan  county,  Kansas :  Helen  Lee,  wife  of  Rolla  Taliaferro :  and  Sally 
Bernice,  a  student  in  the  Atchison  Business  College. 

Sidney  Martin  acquired  his  education  in  the  schools  of  Atchison,  and 
later  completed  a  course  in  the  Platte  City  (Missouri)  Academy.  He  was 
reared  on  his  father's  farm,  near  Atchison,  and  assisted  in  its  carrying  on 
until  about  sixteen  years  of  age.  He  then  secured  employment  with  Mr. 
Teuschau.  a  pioneer  French  trader  and  freighter,  who  had  an  Indian  wife. 
He  was  also  with  the  Scotch  freighter,  Kisskadden,  on  several  trips.  The 
latter  recommended  him  as  a  capable  guide  and  driver  to  G.  T.  Smith,  who 
wished  to  secure  the  services  of  some  one  who  could  take  his  wife  and  baby, 
and  the  aged  wife  of  his  partner,  from  Atchison  to  Denver  in  1864,  where 
Smith  owned  a  hardware  store.  Although  but  sixteen  years  of  age,  young 
Martin  secured  the  job.  This  was  in  1864,  a  time  when  the  Indians  were 
on  the  war  path  and  Smith's  wagon  'with  young  Martin  as  driver,  started 
alone,  but  joined  a  freighting  outfit  numbering  some  forty  wagons  and 
dri\ers.  Just  before  the\-  reached  Ft.  Kcamev  at  Big  Sandv.  thev  met  flee- 
ing Blue  Ri\er  ranchmen,  who  were  huriwing  to  the  nearest  settlement,  and 
who  told  them  the  Indians  were  on  the  war  path.     They  stayed  all  night  at 


396  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

tlie  home  of  a  settler  and  heard  the  following  day  that  Indians  had  mur- 
dered the  settler's  family  and  burned  their  house.  The  wife  of  Smith's  part- 
ner was  insistent  on  a  proper  observance  of  tlie  Sabbath  day,  and  while 
in  tlie  Indian  country  caused  Mrs.  Smith  to  order  that  their  wagon  remain 
in  camp  over  Sunday.  The  wagon  train  left  them  behind  and  the  Lord's 
day  was  properly  kept  by  the  women,  although  they  were  warned  by  Martin 
that  it  was  dangerous  to  leave  the  protection  of  the  train.  As  related  by 
Martin  "that  was  the  longest  day  I  ever  spent."  About  midnight  he  fed 
and  harnessed  the  team  and  started  on  with  the  intention  of  joining  the  train 
of  eleven  men  and  wagons  which  had  preceded  them.  At  sunrise'  they 
reached  a  lone  ranch  and  its  owner,  who  was  postmaster,  told  Martin  the 
wagons  were  just  ahead,  over  the  first  hill.  Here  he  mailed  a  letter  to  his 
mother.  On  arriving  at  the  hill  top  Martin  was  able  to  see  the  valley  where 
the  train  had  camped.  The  wagons  were  in  flames,  had  been  robbed  of  their 
contents,  a  large  part  of  which  was  whiskey.  Two  women  were  taken  cap- 
■  tives  and  the  eleven  freighters  had  been  killed  and  scalped  by  Indians.  The 
savages  had  indulged  in  the  cajitured  whiskey  and  were  so  thoroughly  stupe- 
fied that  they  were  incapable  of  riding  a  horse  and  also  failed  to  follow  the 
wagon  which  Martin  drove.  He  wheeled  his  team  and  dro\e  them  at  full 
speed  to  the  nearest  ranch  and  found  the  buildings  burned.  They  drove  on  to 
the  next  ranch  where  they  secured  protection,  a  company  of  soldiers  arriving 
there  the  same  day.  The  officer  in  command  was  drunk  and  refused  to  at- 
tack the  red-skins  that  night  when  victory  would  have  been  easy.  When 
the  company  reached  the  scene  of  the  massacre  the  following  day,  the  Indians 
were  not  to  be  seen.  Martin's  next  stop  was  at  another  ranch  and  here  Mr. 
Smith  joined  the  wagon,  having  rushed  forward  in  the  belief  that  Martin 
had  been  killed  and  the  women  captured  by  the  savages.  On  parting  from 
his  charges  Martin  was  given  a  plain  band  gold  ring  by  Mrs.  Smith  with 
her  blessing.  He  made  several  other  trips  across  the  plains,  the  last  one  with 
his  father,  "Uncle  Jack"  ]\Iartin.  which  took  them  to  Montana,  \\hen  the 
Kickapoo  Indian  reservation  was  thrown  open  to  purchase,  Sidney  Martin 
bought  the  first  section  that  was  sold  and  several  years  later  he  bought  the 
last,  becoming  the  owner  of  560  acres  in  one  body.  He  entered  actively  into 
the  developing  of  his  raw  land  and  brought  it  up  to  a  highly  productive  state. 
He  Ijecame  widely  and  favorably  known  as  a  breeder  of  Shorthorn  cattle, 
and  from  time  to  time  purchased  additional  acreage  until  his  holdings  in 
land  were  extensive,  owning  at  one  time  747  acres,  at  the  time  of  his  demise. 
He  took  an  active  part  in  political  affairs  of  his  section,  and,  wiiile  disin- 
clined to  accept  office,  was  called  upon  frequently  for  counsel  and  advice.    He 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  397 

was  a  man  of  keen  perceptions,  knew  men  and  the  motives  which  actuated 
them,  and  was  a  student  thorouohly  tamihar  with  the  questions  of  the  day.  He 
numbered  among-  his  close  personal  friends,  Governor  Glick.  His  death 
occurred  on  January  3,  1904. 

Mr.  Martin  married  on  February  20,  1868,  Miss  Maiy  Elizabeth  White, 
a  daughter  of  George  B..  born  May  10,  181 5,  and  Mary  Ehzabcth  (Lindsay) 
White,  bom  December  14,  1820,  the  former  a  native  of  \\^oodford  county, 
Kentucky,  and  the  latter  of  Carroll  county.  They  were  married  January  25, 
1839.  She  died  September  25,  i860,  while  the  family  was  residing  in  Mis- 
souri. After  tlie  death  of  his  wife,  Mr.  Wliite  came  to  Atchison  and  engaged 
in  the  grain  business.  With  S.  R.  Washer  lie  built  tlie  first  elevator  in  the 
city  of  Atchison.  He  died  in  November,  1900.  Mrs.  Martin  was  born  on 
May  15,  1848,  while  her  parents  were  living  in  Missouri.  On  the  maternal 
side  she  is  descended  from  tlie  Blackburn  family,  members  of  which  fought 
with  the  Continental  troops  in  the  war  for  independence.  After  the  death  of 
her  husband,  Mrs.  Martin  became  a  resident  of  tlie  cit}-  of  Atchison,  where 
she  has  since  resided. 


ROBERT  M.  THOMAS. 


In  e\ery  community  we  find  that  tliere  are  some  individuals  who  seem 
naturally  endowed  with  the  ability  to  go  ahead  and  do  things  and  take  a  place 
of  leadership  among  their  associates.  Robert  M.  Thomas  is  one  of  those  who 
possess  the  natural  endowments,  peculiar  to  leadership  and  the  ability  to  make 
things  go  witii  which  he  is  connected.  A  successful  fanner,  a  good  citizen  and 
business  man,  makes  an  excellent  coni1)ination,  and  Mr.  Thomas  lias  made  his 
mark  in  his  community  as  a  progressive  and  enterprising  citizen. 

Robert  M.  Thomas  was  born  in  Buchanan  county,  Missouri,  February  2, 
1868,  a  son  of  Moses  and  Katie  1  Critchfield)  Thomas,  who  were  born  and 
partly  reared  in  old  Kentuck\-.  The  ])arents  of  both  were  early  settlers  of 
Buchanan  county.  Moses  was  the  son  of  Robert  Thomas,  and  the  father  of 
his  wife  was  Martin  Critchfield.  They  were  Southern  born,  and  were  de- 
scendants of  old  Southern  families.  Moses  Thomas  was  born  in  1843,  and 
still  resides  in  Buciianan  county;  his  wife,  Katie,  was  born  in  1850,  and  is  still 
living.  The  Thomas  family  has  a  farm  of  140  acres  in  Buchanan  county, 
upon  which  was  reared  a  large  family  of  eleven  children,  nine  of  whom  are 
Hving:    Robert  M. ;  John,  deceased;  Walter,  living  in  California;  Forrest,  re- 


398  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

siding  in  St.  Joseph,  Mo. ;  Harriet  and  Cecil,  at  home;  Olhe,  deceased ;  Louise, 
Margaret,  Cora  and  Ellen,  at  home  with  their  parents. 

R.  M.  Thomas  received  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  his  native 
State  and  assisted  his  father  in  the  operating  of  the  home  farm  until  1892, 
wiien  he  married  and  farmed  for  three  years  in  Buchanan  county,  Missouri, 
and  then  worked  his  farm  in  Platte  county,  JNIissouri,  for  four  years.  His 
first  purchase  of  land  was  in  1899  when  he  invested  in  a  farm  of  120  acres 
in  Buchanan  county,  which  he  sold  three  years  later  at  a  profit  over  the  original 
purchase  price.  In  1902  he  bought  another  farm,  and  in  1903  located  two  and 
one-half  miles  northwest  of  Effingham  in  Benton  township.  This  farm  com- 
prises 160  acres  and  is  now  one  of  the  best  improved  places  in  the  neighbor- 
hood. Mr.  Thomas  did  so  well  in  Atchison  county  that  he  was  enaliled  to 
buy  another  farm  of  160  acres  in  1912.  This  fami  is  located  in  Grasshopper 
town.ship,  about  three  miles  north  of  Muscotah.  Upon  th^  organization  of  the 
Farmers'  Mercantile  Company  in  June.  191 3,  in  which  Mr.  Thomas 'took  an 
active  part,  he  assumed  the  managership  of  the  same  and  attends  to  his 
business  during  the  day,  while  still  making  his  iiome  at  the  farm.  This  ]ilan 
gives  him  an  excellent  opportunity  to  oversee  his  farming  operations  at  all 
times. 

Mr.  Thomas  was  married  in  1892  to  Katie  Stanton,  of  Platte  county, 
Missouri,  a  daughter  of  William  and  Cynthia  (Hall)  Stanton,  natives  of 
Platte  county,  and  of  Eastern  origin.  To  this  union  the  following  children 
have  been  born :  William,  married  Pearl,  daughter  of  Thomas  O.  Gault,  and 
is  managing  his  father's  farm,  two  miles  north  of  Muscotah  ;  Clara,  a  graduate 
of  tlie  Atchison  County  High  School,  and  a  teacher  in  the  public  schools; 
Margaret,  Ollie  and  Jessie,  students  in  the  county  high  school ;  Elva.  Emma, 
Robert  M..  and  Daisy,  attending  the  district  school  near  their  home. 

Mr.  Thomas  is  a  Democrat  in  politics  and  has  filled  the  office  of  trustee 
of  Benton  township  one  term.  He  and  his  family  are  members  of  the  Ciiris- 
tian  church.    He  is  fraternally  connected  with  the  Odd  Fellows  lodge. 

The  Farmers'  Mercantile  Association,  of  which  Mr.  Thomas  is  the  man- 
ager, was  organized  in  June  of  1913  for  the  purpose  of  handling  grain,  coal, 
feed  and  seeds.  The  capital  stock  of  the  concern  is  Sio.ooo.  of  wliich  $6,800 
is  fully  paid  up.  The  officers  of  the  association  were:  President.  C.  .\.  Talia- 
ferro; vice-president,  Stewart  Hef flefinger ;  secretary  and  manager,  R.  M. 
Thomas;  treasurer.  C.  M.  Snyder.  The  directors  are:  C.  A.  Taliaferro.  S. 
Hefflefinger,  Charles  M.  Snyder.  John  E.  Sullivan.  R.  M.  Thomas,  E.  H. 
Cawley.  W.  M.  Sutter.  R.  B.  Hawk,  Reuben  Hargrove.  The  j^resent  offi- 
cers are  the  same  witli  the  exception  that  Reuben  Hargrove  is  now  serving 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  399 

as  the  vice-president,  and  Fred  Wyatt  was  elected  to  fill  the  vacancy  in  the 
board  of  directors,  caused  by  the  demise  of  C.  A.  Taliaferro  and  l''d\vard 
High  succeeded  \V.  M.  Sutter.  Tlie  concern  has  a  grain  e]e\ator  with  a 
capacity  of  8,000  bushels.  Tlie  largest  shipment  of  grain  made  in  any  one 
year  has  exceeded  115,000  bushels. 


WILLIAM   McADAM. 


William  ^IcAdam.  retired  farmer,  of  Effingham,  Kan.,  was  born  Feb- 
ruray  6,  18O1,  in  Sterlingshire,  Scotland,  and  is  a  son  of  James  and  Helen 
(  Macnee)  McAdam,  who,  witli  their  children  emigrated  from  their  native 
country  in  1882  and  settled  on  a  farm  near  Effingham  in  Atchison  county, 
Kansas.  Tliey  reared  a  family  of  five  cliildren,  of  whom  William  is  the  old- 
est, the  others  lieing  as  follows:  Mrs.  Jane  Drummond,  of  Ellenville,  Kan.; 
George,  of  Holton,  Kan. :  Mrs.  Nellie  Drummond,  resithng  in  Cottonwood 
Falls,  Kan. ;  and  James,  living  at  Holton,  Kan.  The  father  of  these  chil- 
dren was  born  in  1820,  and  died  in  1885,  just  three  years  after  coming  to 
America.  He  was  a  hard-working,  industrious  farmer.  The  mother  was 
horn  in  1839  and  departed  this  life  in  May,  1899. 

William  McAdam  was  twenty-one  years  of  age  when  the  family  came 
to  Atchison  county  and  for  tiiree  years  after  his  arrival  here  lie  assisted  liis 
parents  in  the  operation  of  the  home  farm.  He  then  worked  out  for  one 
year  and  began  renting  land  on  liis  own  account,  renting  twelve  years  in 
all,  five  of  which  were  in  Jackson  county,  Kansas.  His  first  purchase  of 
land  was  a  tract  of  ninety-six  acres  in  Jackson  county,  which  he  improved 
and  resided  upon  until  1907,  when  he  moved  to  Effingham,  where  lie  and 
his  family  reside  in  one  of  the  most  attractive  homes  in  the  city,  located  on 
a  tract  of  ten  acres.  Air.  McAdam  is  now  the  owner  of  160  acres  of  good 
land  south  of  Effingliam,  over  whicl:  he  has  supervision. 

He  was  married  in  1888  to  Miss  Augusta  Sutter,  a  daughter  of  Fred- 
erick Sutter,  now  deceased,  who  was  one  of  the  earliest  settlers  in  Atch- 
ison county,  and  who  became  one  of  the  wealthy  land  owners  of  the  county. 
(See  sketch  of  Fred  Sutter.)  Two  children  have  been  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
McAdam,  Fannie  and  Mabel,  both  of  whom  are  at  home  with  their  parents. 
The  mother  of  these  cliildren  was  born  in  Atchison  county  in  1861. 

Mr.  McAdam  is  an  independent  Democrat,  who  votes  as  his  conscience 


400  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

dictates,  and  prefers  to  support  the  man  rather  than  any  one  political  party 
or  creed,  believing  in  this  manner  that  better  government  will  result.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  and  is  fraternally  connected  with  the 
Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons. 


CLAUDIUS   DeMONT  WALKER. 

The  citizen  who  loves  his  city  to  the  extent  that  he  is  willing  to  devote  his 
ene'-gies  toward  making  it  a  better  abiding  place  for  his  fellow  men,  and  tioes 
his  duty  in  a  public  capacity,  regardless  of  criticism  or  adverse  comnie^.ts,  is 
a  man  worth  while.  He  whose  name  heads  this  review  is  such  an  individual. 
As  mayor  of  Atcliison,  C.  D.  Walker  made  a  record  which  will  outlive  the 
present  generation ;  as  an  attorney  he  has  achieved  a  signal  success  and  ranks 
high  in  the  legal  fraternity  of  the  State  of  Kansas ;  as  a  religious  worker  he 
has  accomplished  much  good  of  a  lasting  and  enduring  quality  for  the  com- 
munity in  which  he  lives.  Born  of  Kansas  pioneer  parents,  his  training  and 
education  were  such  as  to  prepare  him  for  the  career  which  has  made  him  dis- 
tinguished among  his  fellow  men  :  and  he  has  proven  that  a  wholesome  example 
set  by  noble  parents  is  the  best  incentive  that  a  man  can  have  to  guide  him 
through  life. 

C.  D.  Wrilker  was  born  ^larch  29,  1851.  at  (ireenville.  Pa.,  a  si>n  of  Har- 
vey and  Anna  M.  Walker,  tlic  former  a  native  of  Pennsylvania  and  the  latter 
a  native  of  Ireland.  Harvey  Walker,  tlie  father,  was  born  in  1S20  and  was 
a  son  of  Harvey  Walker,  a  native  of  the  Keystone  State,  who  married  at 
Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  Miss  Mary  Ann  Carr,  who  was  born  at  Mile  End,  England. 
The  grandfather  of  C.  D.  Walker  was  a  wagon  and  carriage  maker  by  trade 
and  operated  a  shop  in  Greenville  for  many  years.  Tlie  history  of  the  Walkers 
in  America  begins  with  three  brothers  who  emigrated  from  the  north  of  Ire- 
land in  colonial  days.  One  of  whom,  Samuel  Walker,  located  near  Rochester, 
X.  ^'..  one.  .\ndrew  Walker,  settled  in  Virginia,  and  one,  the  great-grandfather 
of  C.  D.  Walker,  settled  in  Pennsylvania.  Being  north  Ireland  people  it  is 
practically  certain  that  the  Walker  family  is  of  Scotch  descent,  their  ancestors 
having  emigrated  from  the  ancestral  home  of  the  family  to  the  north  of  Ire- 
land a  few  centuries  ago  when  the  migration  of  the  protestant  people  from  the 
Isle  of  Britain  to  escape  religious  persecution  occurred.  Harvey  Walker 
learned  his  father's  trade  of  wagon  and  carriage  making,  but  worked  but  little 
at  the  business.     Imbued  with  the  desire  to  better  his  fortunes  in  the  great 


^^c^^^y^^^- 


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.''■V  .■'*'^<>«*Ci^'M    ii?-5>-   /^~ 


^o^^-^^^^ 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  4OI 

West,  he  left  the  old  home  of  the  family  in  about  1854  and  migrated  to  Oneida, 
111.,  near  which  town  he  purchased  a  homestead.     After  farming  for  a  few 
years  he  sold  out  and  started  overland  to  the  new  State  of  Kansas,  which  at 
that  time  was  attracting  adventurers  from  all  parts  of  the  country.     The  family 
possessions  were  loaded  upon  wagons  drawn  by  horses,  and  in  due  time  the 
Walkers  arrived  at  Ft.  Scott  in  Bourbon  county,  Kansas,  their  destination. 
During  tine  vears  '57- 58-"59.  the  senior  Walker  traded  with  the  Indians,  and 
eventually  located  on  a  homestead,  twelve  miles  northwest  of  Ft.  Scott.     Har- 
vev  Walker  was  a  stanch  Methndist  of  the  uncompromising  type  and  was  un- 
alterably opposed  to  the  institution  of  slavery.     He  fearlessly  and  freely  voiced 
his  convictions  at  every  opportunity,  and  his  out-spoken  tendencies  frequently 
brought  trouble  upon  him  from  the  slavery  advocates,  who  had  settled  in  the 
neighborhood  in  considerable  numbers.     He  was  always  introducing  new  in- 
novations in  farming  methods  and  machinery.     It  is  a  matter  of  history  that 
he  owned  and  used  the  first  rake  harvester  brought  to  that  part  of  the  country. 
The  slavery  advocates  and  border  ruffians  annoyed  him  considerably.     They 
stole  his  horses,  broke  up  his  wagons  and  farming  implements  and  so  pro- 
nounced were  the  threats  of  the  slavery  men  that  Mr.  \\'alker  was  forced  to 
spend  most  of  his  time  in  Ft.  Scott  away  from  his  family.     He  was  greatly  in- 
terested in  the  success  of  the  anti-slavery  propagandists  and  used  great  in- 
fluence in  determining  the  ultimate  destiny  in  Kansas  becoming  a  free  State. 
When  the  war  broke  out  he  decided  to  move  north.     In  the  spring  of  1861  he 
arrived  in  the  city  of  Atchison,  which  at  that  time  was  a  small  village,  and  was 
induced  by  Capt.  Asa  Barnes  to  locate  in  Atchison  county,  where  he  remained 
about  a  year.     He  afterwards  purchased  and  settled  on  a  tract  of  land  adjoin- 
ing t!ie  town  of  Winchester,  Jefferson  county,  Kansas.     Here  he  located  liis 
permanent  Kansas  home,  and  developed  a  fine  farm.     Here  he  raised  a  large 
family,  and  gave  his  children  the  best  education  the  school  facilities  at  that 
time  afforded.     Harvey  Walker  was  married  December  24,   1848,  to  Anna 
Mariah  Nelson,  who  bore  him  the  following  children,  namely:  Crandall  C, 
an  importer  of  thoroughbred  horses,  Sioux  City,   Iowa ;  Claudius  D.,  with 
whose  career  this  review  is  directly  concerned:  Marion  D..  a  farmer  and  fruit 
grower,  living  near  Midland  College,  Atchison  county;  Manin  L..  a  banker 
of  Oklahoma  City,  Okla. ;  Ellis  Lytle.  living  in  Washington  State :  Schuyler 
R..  a  farmer  of  Stillwater  Okla. ;  Ilarvey  Mitcliell,  an  importer  of  thi(rough1)rcd 
horses  of  Oklahoma  City ;  William  Nelson,  a  farmer  of  Stillwater.  Okla. :  Ro- 
land Ferris,  who  died  in  infancy:  Orlina  L..  widow  of  Willirm  McKenney.  de- 
ceased, a  hardware  merchant  of  Winchester,  Kan.,  and  Anna  M.,  wife  of 
William  B.  Stevenson,  a  Methodist  minister.     The  mother  of  the  foregoing 
26 


402  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

children  was  born  in  north  Ireland,  September  24.  1824.  a  daugliter  of  James 
and  Elizal)eth  (  i-arris)  Xelson.  James  Nelson  was  agent  for  an  luiglish 
estate  in  Ireland,  and  was  the  son  of  William  Nelson  and  Catherine  ( Stewart) 
Nelson.  His  wife,  Elizabeth  Farris,  was  the  daughter  of  Robert  and  Jane 
Farris,  all  of  English  descent.  Anna  Alariah  Nelson  came  to  America  when 
eight  )^ears  old  with  a  brcjther,  and  went  to  live  with  an  aunt  in  Greenville,  Pa., 
while  her  family  settled  in  Bayfield,  Canada.  She  was  educated  in  the  schools 
at  Greenville  and  afterwards  became  a  teacher  in  the  public  school  where  she 
was  wooed  and  married  by  Harvey  Walker.  Harvey  Walker  and  his  noble 
wife  were  sturdy  God-fearing  Christians,  and  the  family  prayers  were  a  part 
of  the  regular  regime  of  the  religious  creed  followed  by  tliem  through  life. 
They  were  ardent  Methodists  who  believed  in  living  faithfully  according  to  the 
precepts  of  their  religion,  and  the  examples  set  l)y  their  upright  and  consistent 
conduct  throughout  thtir  long  lives  left  an  indelible  imprint  upon  the  lives 
of  their  children,  w ho  ha\e  endea\ored  to  follow  in  the  footsteps  of  tlieir  ])'ir- 
ents.  Claudius  DeMont  attended  the  district  school  at  Winchester,  and  when 
eighteen  years  of  age  left  home  to  enter  Baker  University  at  Baldwin,  Kan. 
After  two  years  of  liard  work  in  Baker  University  he  entered  tiie  agncultund 
college  at  Manhattan,  which  at  that  time  was  a  college  controlled  by  the  Meth- 
odists and  had  the  best  facilities  of  any  college  of  the  State  of  Kansas.  Here 
he  spent  four  years  and  should  have  graduated  in  the  class  of  1873,  but  on 
account  of  ill  health  w'as  compelled  to  leave  school  before  the  end  of  the  term. 
In  the  fall  of  1876  Mr.  Walker  matriculated  in  the  law  dei)artment  of  the 
University  of  Michigan  at  Ann  Arbor.  During  the. year  previous  to  this,  he 
liad  studied  law  in  the  office  of  iloyce  &  Bo_\-d  in  Cincinnati.  Oliin.  ar.d  upon 
his  matriculation  at  .Ann  .\rbor  entered  the  junior  class  of  the  university,  lie 
graduated  from  the  law  department  at  Ann  Arbor  in  the  class  of  1878,  and 
immediately  located  in  Atchison,  where  he  began  the  practice  of  his  profession. 
From  the  very  beginning  his  professional  career  was  a  success.  In  February, 
1882,  he  formed  a  partnership  witli  Judge  Gilbert,  which  continued  until  Gil- 
bert's election  to  the  district  bench  in  the  fall  of  1887.  Since  that  time  Mr. 
\\'alkcr  has  practiced  his  profession  alone  for  thirty-four  consecutive  years, 
which  has  been  filled  with  gratifying  success.  The  district  records  of  Atchi- 
son county  show  that  for  many  years  Mr.  Walker  was  interested  in  virtually 
all  of  the  im])ortant  cases  pending.  For  many  years  he  was  attorney  for  the 
First  National  Bank  of  Atchi.son,  Kan.,  together  with  many  other  large  insti- 
tutions of  the  city. 

During  his  long  successful  legal  career,  Mr.  \\'alker  has  not  neglected  the 
material  side  of  his  affairs  and  early  invested  his  money  in  loans  and  real 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  4O3 

estate.  His  investments  were  so  judiciously  made  that  lie  has  become  one  of 
the  largest  land  owners  of  Kansas,  and  is  rated  as  one  of  Atchison's  wealthiest 
citizens.  His  total  holdings  in  Atchison  county  will  exceed  1,700  acres  of 
farm  lands,  and  he  also  owns  other  lands  in  Texas  and  western  Kansas. 

The  political  and  civic  career  of  Mr.  Walker  has  been  a  noteworthy  one 
and  portrays  tlie  nigged  honesty  and  public  spirited  feeling  wliich  have  actu- 
ated him  during  liis  wliole  life.  He  was  first  appointed  to  the  office  o\  county 
auditor  by  Judge  Gilbert  in  1888,  and  served  for  two  years;  and  was  elected 
to  the  office  of  county  attorney  in  1891,  and  served  in  this  capacity  until  1894. 
His  service  as  county  attorney  included  the  most  strenuous  years  of  his  life, 
inasmuch  as  the  court  docket  was  continually  crowded  during  his  entire  in- 
cumbency. This  was  the  time  that  Coxey's  army  of  unemployed  was  making 
its  journey  from  this  part  of  the  country  toward  W'ashington  and  on  its  way 
committed  all  kinds  of  small  crimes,  and  many  arrests  were  made  daily.  It 
was  i\Ir.  \\'alker's  duty  to  prosecute  these  numberless  cases  as  they  came  up 
for  trial  which  overwhelmed  him.  He  has  served  as  a  member  of  the  city 
council  of  Atcliison  several  terms,  and  was  ma}-or  for  two  years,  191 1  to  1913. 
Mr.  Walker's  administration  of  the  city's  affairs  during  his  incuml;enc_\-  as  tlie 
chief  executive  is  considered  to  have  been  the  best  that  Atchison  ever  had 
in  a  constructive  and  law-abiding  sense.  Several  miles  of  street  paving  was 
accomplished  and  many  bad  streets  were  repaved  thoroughly  and  well.  Tlie 
first  concrete  paving  in  the  city  was  laid  on  Division  street  and  done  in  the  l^est 
manner  possible.  The  city  purcliased  tlie  finest  fire  apparatus  ever  brought 
to  a  northeast  Kansas  city.  The  \\'est  Atchison  fire  station  was  built.  Three 
large  sewer  districts  were  created  and  the  sewers  installed.  One  of  these  was 
the  intercepting  sewer  in  White  Clay  creek.  For  many  years  the  city  of  Atchi- 
son suffered  from  the  filth  and  stench  of  While  Clav  creek  until 
the  same  became  intolerable.  The  remedy  had  been  tliought  impossible,  but 
on  Mr.  Walker's  election  he  conceived  the  plan  of  installing  an  intercepting 
sewer  whicli  has  proved  a  great  success,  and  a  benefit  to  the  city. 

The  electric  liglit  rate  was  reduced  from  15  to  10  cents  per  kilowatt,  tlius 
saving  to  the  consumer  thousands  of  dollars  annually.  The  street  lighting 
was  changed  from  the  half  night  to  tlie  all  night  moon  li.ght  schedule,  with 
many  new  liglits  added  and  without  a  dollar's  increase  in  expenses.  The  city 
was  freed  from  joints  and  gambling  places  and  houses  of  ill  repute  within  the 
first  few  months  after  Mr.  Walker  went  into  office  and  remained  so  during 
his  entire  term.  As  mayor  he  first  raised  the  question  of  requiring  the  mills 
and  otlier  large  institutions  located  alon.g  railroads,  and  the  railroads  enter- 
ing the  city  to  light  their  own  premises  and  yards. 

Mr.  A\'alker  was  the  promoter  and  organizer  of  the  first  independent 


404  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

telephone  company  in  Ihc  city,  which  company  succeeded  in  putting  the  Bell 
Telephone  Company  out  of  business  for  the  time  being,  and  until  the  Home 
company  was  sold  to  the  Bell  company  in  191 1,  and  a  consolidation  effected. 

Mr.  Walker  is  a  Republican  and  has  always  taken  a  more  or  less  active 
part  in  his  party's  affairs.  He  was  at  one  time  a  candidate  for  Congress  from. 
the  First  Congressional  district  of  the  State  of  Kansas,  at  the  time  the  three- 
cornered  fight  for  the  nomination  between  Ex-Governor  Bailey.  Charles  Cur- 
tis and  C.  D.  W'alker  was  waged,  and  a  deadlock  ensued  which  lasted  for  more 
than  one  week. 

His  famil}  life  has  been  an  ideal  one,  and  in  keeping  with  the  career  of 
the  man  himself.  The  marriage  of  Mr.  \\"alker  and  Miss  Lizzie  E.  Auld  took 
place  June  7,  1881,  at  Atchison,  Kan.  One  daughter  has  blessed  this  union, 
Isabelle,  wife  of  Louis  D.  Brockett.  a  son  of  B.  L.  Brockett,  a  leading  lumber 
merchant  of  Atchison.  Mr.  Brockett  has  charge  of  the  loan  business  estab- 
lished by  Mr.  Walker.  Mrs.  Lizzie  Auld  Walker  was  born  in  Brownsville, 
Pa.,  a  daughter  of  William  W.  and  Isabelle  Mullen  Auld.  natives  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, of  Scotch-Irish  ancestry.  The  Auld  family  is  one  of  the  oldest  of 
American  families.  Its  members  are  related  closely  w  ith  the  Carrolls  of  Car- 
rollton.  \'a.,  whose  ancestors  came  from  north  of  Ireland  and  were  originallx 
of  Scotch  ancestry.  William  \\'.  .\uld  migrated  from  Pennsylvani.n  to  .\tclii- 
son,  Kan.,  in,  1872,  and  was  a  member  of  the  milling  firm  of  Blair  &  Auld, 
from  that  time  until  his  death  in  1895.  Mr.  Walker  has  been  a  member  of 
the  Masonic  fraternity  for  over  thirty  years,  and  has  taken  a  regular  course  of 
Masonry,  being  a  Knight  Templar.  He  is  fraternally  affiliated  with  the 
Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks,  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  the  Modern 
Woodmen.  Knights  and  Ladies  of  Security,  the  Ancient  Order  of  L'nited 
Workmen,  and  tlie  Royal  .Arcanum.  It  is  only  natural  th'tt  a  man  reared  in 
a  religious  atmosphere,  as  he  has  been,  should  take  an  active  and  influential 
part  in  church  and  religious  work.  Mr.  Walker  has  been  a  member  of  the 
official  board  of  tlie  First  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  of  .Vtchison.  since  1880. 
and  lias  been  a  liberal  and  cheerful  supporter  of  this  denomination.  At  pres- 
ent he  is  chairman  of  the  building  committee  which  has  cliarge  of  the  erection 
of  the  new  building  planned  by  the  church  for  the  ensuing  year.  Since  1889 
he  has  served  as  a  member  of  the  board  of  trustees  of  Baker  LTniversity,  of 
Baldwin,  Kan.  In  1908  he  was  a  delegate  to  the  National  conference  of  the 
Methodist  denomination  at  Baltimore.  Successful  as  a  lawyer,  having 
achieved  substantial  competence  in  his  behalf,  made  history  as  a  public  official, 
followed  the  teachings  of  his  Christian  parents  as  regards  an  up-right  life 
and  doing  his  duty  in  a  religious  sense,  sums  up  the  life  career  of  this  useful 
Atchison  citizen. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  405 

ALVA  CURTIS  TRUEBLOOD. 

Alva  Curtis  Trueblood,  a  former  Atchison  merchant  and  city  official 
and  Union  veteran,  now  deceased,  was  born  in  Salem,  Washington  county, 
Indiana,  in  1838.  a  son  of  Dr.  Joshua  and  Zelpha  (Arnold)  Trueblood,  natives 
of  South  Carolina,  who  emigrated  from  their  native  State  to  Indiana  in  the 
early  pioneer  days  when  the  Indians  were  still  camping  on  the  streams  and 
roaming  the  forests  of  the  Hoosier  State.  The  parents  of  A.  C.  Trueblood 
settled  in  Salem  and  he  was  there  reared  to  manhood,  receiving  his  educa- 
tion in  the  district  schools  and  the  Seminary  at  Battle  Creek,  Mich.,  where  he 
was  graduated.  After  his  graduation  in  the  classical  course  at  Battle  Creek, 
he  returned  to  his  home  town  of  Salem  and  embarked  in  the  newspaper  busi- 
ness, purchasing  the  Salem-  Times,  which  he  edited  until  the  outbreak  of  the 
Civil  war.  He  enlisted  at  the  first  call  for  troops  issued  by  President  Lin- 
coln and  was  mustered  in  as  a  member  of  Company  H,  Thirteen  regiment, 
Indiana  infantry,  under  Captain  S_ales,  who  was  later  promoted  to  the  rank 
of  colonel,  private  Trueblood  being  successively  promoted  to  a  second  lieuten- 
ancy and  then  to  first  lieutenant  of  his  company.  Later,  he  was  commis- 
sioned a  captain  and  remained  Captain  Trueblood  until  the  close  of  the  war. 
He  saw  much  active  service  during  the  great  rebellion  and  was  under  fire 
with  his  regiment  at  the  veiy  first  battle  in  which  it  was  engaged,  at  Green 
Brier  Mountain,  W.  Va.  Captain  Trueblood  fought  in  thirty-six  terrific 
battles  during  his  term  of  service,  and  was  engaged  in  the  nine  days'  battle 
at  Cold  Harbor  under  General  Grant.  Captain  Trueblood  often  gave  a  vivid 
and  heart-rending  description  of  the  terrific  slaughter  of  human  lives  which 
took  place  at  this  great  battle,  and  told  of  how  a  person  could  walk  for  miles 
on  the  dead  bodies  with  which  the  field  was  strewn.  His  time  of  enlistment 
expired  while  the  battle  of  Cold  Harbor  was  in  progress,  and  he  then  re- 
turned to  his  home,  where  he  was  married  December  29,  1864,  to  Hattie 
Allen. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Trueblood  resided  in  Salem.  Ind..  until  after  the  close  of 
the  war  when  he  entered  the  mercantile  liusiness  in  Salem  and  was  very  suc- 
cessful. His  health  failing  him  it  was  deemed  advi.sable  that  they  seek  a 
new  home  in  the  West.  During  his  business  career  he  had  invested  in  .\tch- 
ison  county  land,  and  they  came  to  this  county  in  1880,  settling  on  their  farm 
in  the  spring  of  that  year.  They  remained  on  the  farm  but  a  short  time, 
however,  until  Mr.  Trueblood  regained  his  health,  in  a  measure,  and  then 
removed  to  Atchison,  where  he  embarked  in  the  queensware  business,  which 
he  conducted  for  about  three  years.    He  was  then  elected  city  clerk  and  held 


406  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

this  office  for  about  ten  years.  Captain  Trueblodd  died  April  16.  1904. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Trueblood  have  reared  the  following  children:  Albert,  now  en- 
gaged in  the  newspaper  business  at  Sacramento,  Cal. ;  Victor  T.,  manager  of 
the  ^'all  Xoys  News  Company,  of  Kansas  City.  Mo. ;  Paul  T.,  a  traveling 
salesman,  residing  in  Grand  Island.  Neb. :  Owen  T.,  of  Kansas  City,  an  ex- 
press messenger  of  the  Missouri  Pacific  railroad;  Nellie,  a  graduate  of  Mid- 
land College,  and  a  teacher  in  the  Ingalls  school;  Norvel  died  in  1867.  at  the 
age  of  four  years.  The  mother  of  these  children  was  horn  in  March,  1840, 
a  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Annis  (Brinkley)  Allen,  both  natives  of  West 
Virginia,  and  pioneer  settlers  of  \^'ashi^gton  county.  Indiana.  She  was 
educated  in  the  common  schools  of  her  native  county  and  attended  the  Salem 
Female  College.  Thomas  .Mien,  father  of  Mrs.  Tiaicblood.  was  proprietor 
of  a  cotton  and  woolen  manufactory  at  Salem,  and  was  forced  to  pay  Gen. 
John  ^hiirgan  and  his  raiders  the  sum  of  $1,000  to  prevent  the  burning  of  his 
mill,  when  Morgan  and  his  troops  made  their  memorable  raid  and  burned  the 
depot  at  Salem  and  raided  the  stores.  Thomas  Allen  and  wife  were  the  par- 
ents of  eight  children,  six  sons  and  two  daughters.  Three  of  the  sons  were 
Union  soldiers,  William  Allen,  the  twin  brother  of  Mrs.  Trueblood,  serving 
in  the  same  regiment  with  Captain  Trueblood. 

Mr.  Truelilood  was  an  efficient  and  capable  city  official  during  his 
many  years  of  service  in  the  city  clerk's  office  and  had  many  warm  friends 
in  Atchison.  He  was  allied  with  the  Repulilican  party  and  was  prominent 
in  the  affairs  of  his  party.  He  was  well  known  in  Masonic  circles  and  was 
high  in  the  councils  of  the  Masonic  lodge,  being  master  of  Washington  Lixl.ge. 
No.  5.  of  Atchison.  Kan.,  for  several  years,  and  was  a  leading  member  of 
the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  both  of  which  liodies  officiated  at  the  cere- 
monies held  when  his  bodv  was  laid  awav  for  the  long  rest. 


WILUAM  T.  CLEM. 


William  J.  Clem,  deceased  tanner  and  horticulturist,  of  Shaimon  town- 
ship, was  born  June  9.  1851.  in  Randolph  crmnty.  Virginia,  a  son  of  Aaron 
Clem,  who  immigrated  to  Kansas  in  1863  and  settled  on  Independence  creek, 
near  the  Doniphan-. \tchison  county  line.  On  the  farm,  which  his  father 
owned  in  this  jjioncer  settlement  of  Kansas.  William  was  reared  to  young 
manhood,  and  married,  after  whicli  he  lived  on  a  farm  in  the  southern  part 
of  Doniphan  county  for  four  vears.  then  uK^ved  to  the  Mvers  farm,  which 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  407 

he  and  his  wife  purchased  some  years  later  and  cuhivated  until  March  of 
iS(;8.  In  this  year  he  purchased  the  fine  farm  which  is  now  owned  by  his 
widow  and  immediately  began  improving  it.  This  farm  consists  of  sixty 
acres  and  lays  within  a  few  miles  of  Atchison  in  a  ncMthwesterly  direction. 
Its  acreage  is  divided  as  follows :  Twenty  acres  of  apples  and  small  fruits, 
and  forty  acres  of  farm  land  and  pasture.  Realizing  that  it  was  necessary 
to  follow  intensive  farming  on  a  sixty-acre  farm,  Mr.  Clem  set  out  an 
orchard  of  350  trees,  which  have  been  bearing  prolificaily  for  several 
years.  An  attractive  farm  residence,  set  in  a  fine  lawn  in  whicli  shrub- 
bery and  flower  beds  please  the  eye,  together  with  a  good  barn  and  silo, 
greets  the  eye  as  the}-  stand  out  on  a  rise  of  land.  Mr.  Clem  was  a  very  in- 
dustrious farmer,  a  good  citizen,  and  a  kind  father  sind  hu.sband,  and  will 
long  be  remembered  by  those  who  knew  him  best  and  were  aware  of  his  many 
excellent  qualities.  He  departed  this  life  on  May  26.  1906.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Baptist  church  and  a  Democrat  in  politics. 

\\'.  J.  Clem,  and  Laura  E.  Myers,  his  widow,  were  married  June  16, 
1879,  and  to  this  union  were  born  children,  as  follows:  Mrs.  Effie  Randolph, 
of  Atchison,  who  is  the  mother  of  two  children,  Elizabeth  and  Bernice;  Mrs. 
Clara  \\'altz.  of  Shannon  township,  and  mother  of  one  child.  Virginia 
Frances:  Mrs.  .Addie  Underwood,  residing  on  a  farm  in  Shannon  township, 
who  has  one  child,  Spencer  Eugene:  Mrs.  Laura  Demmel,  living  near  Rush- 
ville.  Mo.,  and  mother  of  one  son,  Raymond:  Albert,  married  Ella  Turner, 
and  Edgar,  at  home:  Mrs.  Lissa  Marie  Altauf,  of  south  Tenth  street,  .\tch- 
ison :  I'rances  and  Jessie,  at  home.  Mrs.  Laura  E.  (Myers)  Clem  was  born 
June  9,  1859,  in  Buchanan  county,  Missouri,  a  daughter  of  .\ugustus  and 
Hulda  (Snyder)  Myers,  natives  of  Germany  and  Indiana,  respectively. 
Augustus  Myers  was  born  in  1825  and  died  October  6,  1909.  His  parents 
with  their  family  immigrated  to  this  country  from  Germany  in  1831. 
.\ugustus  was  reared  on  a  farm,  south  of  St.  Joseph,  and  was  there  mar- 
ried. His  wife,  Ilulda.  was  born  in  1831  aufl  died  Octolier  8,  1907.  She 
came  with  her  parents  to  Buchanan  county,  Missouri,  in  1841.  There  were 
nine  children  in  the  Myers  family,  namely:  Hiram  K.,  deceased:  Edward 
S.,  deceased:  William  H.,  living  in  Doniphan  county  ]\Irs.  Laura  E.  Clem, 
with  whom  this  re\iew  is  directly  concerned:  Winslow,  of  Gower.  Mo.; 
Charles  \\'.,  of  Lancaster  township,  this  county;  Mrs.  Dora  .\ugusta  Saeger, 
of  Ouincy,  111.:  Mrs.  Malinda  Frances  L'nderwond.  of  Shannon  township: 
and  Ray  Evans,  of  Seattle.  Wash.  The  Myers  family  came  to  .Atchison 
county  in  .\ugust  of  1875,  living  in  Atchison  until  February,  1876,  and  set- 
tled  on   a   farm   in   Shannon   township,    which   he   purchased    from   .\ndrew 


408  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

Evans,  living  on  their  place  near  Good  Intent,  until  March  of  1891,  when 
the  old  couple  sold  their  farm  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Clem,  and  retired  to  a  home 
in  Atchison,  where  they  died.  Augustus  Myers  was  a  soldier  in  the  Union 
army  and  served  for  a  few  months  under  Captain  Snyder,  an  uncle  of 
Mrs.  Clem. 

Mrs.  Clem  and  her  children  are  all  members  of  the  Ch.ristian  church  and 
take  an  active  part  in  the  social  and  religious  affairs  carried  on  by  the  large 
membership  of  this  flourishing  denomination.  She  and  her  sturdy  sons 
carry  on  the  farming  operations  in  a  creditable  and  profitable  manner  and 
are  happy  and  contented.  The  boys  are  greatly  interested  in  athletics  and 
were  an  important  part  of  the  winning  church  baseball  team  during  the 
season  of  1915.  A  happier  nor  more  contented  family  can  not  be  found  in 
•Atchison  county.  Mrs.  Clem  is  a  capable  and  intelligent  woman  who  did 
not  hesitate  to  take  over  the  management  of  the  farm  upon  her  husband's 
demise  and  has  made  a  success  of  the   undertaking. 


TARED  COPELAND  FOX. 


The  late  Jared  Copeland  Fox  was  one  of  Atchison's  ablest  citizens,  pub- 
lic spirited,  a  successful  financier  and  a  familiar  figure  in  the  leading  circles 
of  the  city  for  many  years.  Merchant,  banker,  scholar,  a  kind  husband  and 
father,  his  demise  left  a  void  which  can  never  be  filled.  Coming  of  a  dis- 
tinguished family,  born  October  30,  1841,  in  Chili,  N.  Y.,  his  life  bears  out 
the  oft  repeated  assertion  that  lineage  and  birth  have  something  to  do  with 
shaping  a  man's  destiny,  and  influencing  his  career.  His  parents  were  Jared 
Ware  and  Mercy  Chapman  (Copeland)  Fox.  Jared  Ware  Fox  was  a  son 
of  Alanson  and  Elizabeth  (Ware)  Fox.  His  maternal  grandfather  was  Jona- 
than Copeland,  who  married  a  Miss  Wells  at  Charlton,  Mass.,  who  was  a  di- 
rect descendant  of  Ruth,  a  daughter  of  John  and  Priscilla  Alden.  On  April 
2,  1816,  Jonathan  Copeland  w^as  commissioned  a  captain  in  the  luilitia  and 
adjutant  on  the  governor's  staff  of  Massachusetts  in  1816.  In  i8iq  he  was 
appointed  a  brigadier  commander  of  the  State  militia,  .\fter  his  marriage  he 
removed  to  New  York  and  was  there  a  colonel  in  the  State  militia  of  New 
York.  He  held  five  different  commissions  in  Massachusetts  and  New  York. 
The  Fox  family  is  of  English  descent  and  originally  settled  in  Connecticut. 
The  maiden  name  of  the  wife  of  Col.  Jonathan  Copeland  was  Rebecca  Ed- 
wards and  she  was  a  connection  of  the  family  of  which  Rev.  Jonatlian  Ed- 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  409 

wards  was  a  member.  Colonel  Copeland  had  three  children :  Alerc}',  Eliza- 
beth and  the  Rev.  Jonathan  Copeland,  a  Congregational  minister  of  Xew 
York,  who  conducted  an  academy  in  that  city  and  one  of  whose  pupils  was 
Philip  Armour  of  beef  packing  fame.  Jonathan  was  born  October  i6,  1786, 
died  in  1858  in  Xew  York;  Rebecca  was  horn  in  1790,  died  h'eljruary  6,  1863, 
in  Kansas. 

Alanson  Fo.x,  grandfather  of  Jared  C,  removed  from  Connecticut  to  a 
farm  near  Sherburne.  N.  Y.,  and  here  Jared  Ware  was  born  December  5.  18 10. 
Rev.  Jared  Ware  Fox  was  educated  for  the  ministry,  studying  four  years  in 
Oneida  Institute  and  one  )ear  in  a  seminary  in  New  York  City,  and  for 
fifty  years  preached  the  Gospel  according  to  the  Congregational  faith.  In 
the  earlv  days  he  was  sent  to  Kansas  by  his  church  to  establish  and  organize 
churches  in  the  new  towns  and  cities  Iniilding  up  on  the  broad  prairies.  He 
formed  a  church  at  Burlingame  and  Ridgeway,  Kan.,  making  his  home  at 
the  latter  place  and  preaching  throughout  the  country  serving  churches  at 
Kunwaka,  Waveland,  Valley  Brook  and  one  year  at  Lawrence.  He  spent 
one  year  in  Topeka  in  charge  of  a  church  in  the  capital  city.  He  was  a  strong 
abolitionist  and  was  in  his  natural  element  when  he  first  came  to  Kansas  in 
i860,  the  vear  of  tlie  "great  drought."  He  took  an  acti\'e  part  in  the  relief 
work  in  Kansas  at  that  time  and  sent  his  son,  Jared  C,  then  but  eighteen 
years  of  age,  back  to  Galesburg,  111.,  where  an  old  friend  of  the  family  re- 
sided, to  gather  potatoes  and  produce  for  the  sustenance  of  the  drought  suf- 
fers. He  died  March  2.  1898,  leaving  the  following  children:  Charles  G.,  on 
the  old  homestead  at  Ridgeway,  Kan.;  Jared  C. ;  Irving  Dwight.  deceased; 
Herlx;rt  Everett,  of  California;  Herman  Elliot,  Davenport,  Iowa.  'Ihe  mother 
of  these  children.  Mercy  C.  (Copeland)'  Fox,  was  born  b'ebruary  16,  ]8i().  and 
died  April  11,  1893. 

Jared  C.  Fox  recei\ed  an  academic  education  in  Xew  \'i"rk  and  accom- 
])anied  his  parents  to  Kansas.  At  the  age  of  nineteen  years  he  was  first 
employed  in  a  general  store  conducted  by  Crosby  Brothers  at  Valley  h'alls, 
Kan.,  at  a  salary-  of  $1 50  ])er  year  and  his  board.  He  yearned  for  a  larger  field 
and  came  to  Atchison  in  1862,  entering  the  employ  of  William  Smith,  who 
owned  a  dry  goods  store.  During  a  part  of  the  Civil  war  he  ser\ed  as  clerk 
in  the  commissary  department  at  Rolla,  Mo.,  under  Major  Grimes  for  two 
years.  After  the  close  of  the  war  he  was  deputy  county  treasurer  under  Sam 
C.  King,  and  upon  Mr.  King's  resignatK)n  frf)m  the  county  treasurersliip,  he 
was  appointed  to  serve  for  six  montiis  finishing  out  Mr.  King's  unex])ired 
term.  He  then  served  as  deputy  United  Stales  marshal  under  Charles  Whit- 
ing.    For  some  years  previous  to  embarking  in   the  drug  business  he  was 


410  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

associated  in  tlie  real  estate  business  with  H.  Clay  Park,  former  postmaster 
of  Atchison  and  editor  of  Tlic  Patriot,  and  now  one  of  the  editors  of  the  St. 
Joseph  News.  In  1869  Mr.  Fox  made  the  business  \enture  whicli  was  tlie 
turning  point  of  his  fortunes  and  launched  iiim  on  the  high  road  to  financial 
success.  He  entered  into  partnershi]>  witli  W.  C.  McPike.  S.  C.  King  and 
Frank  Allen  in  the  wholesale  drug  business.  Later  Mr.  Fox  and  Mr.  McPikc 
became  the  sole  owuers  of  the  business,  Mr.  Fdx  disposing  of  his  interest  to 
T.  M.  Walker  and  tlie  firm  removed  to  Kansas  City,  where  it  is  still  doing 
business  under  the  name  of  the  McPike  Drug  Co.  Mr.  Fox  became  interested 
in  banking  and  at  the  time  of  his  death  was  vice-president  of  the  Atchison 
Savings  Bank,  the  oldest  State  l)ank  in  Kansas.  He  conducted  a  loan  busi- 
ness as  his  financial  resources  increased  in  strength  and  he  became  one  of 
Atchison's  wealthy  citizens. 

On  December  22,  1868,  Mr.  Fox  was  married  to  a  charming  southern 
lady.  Miss  Virginia  Alexina  Tortat.  This  union  was  blessed  by  the  birth 
of  five  children  as  follows:  Tared  Copeland,  Jr.,  manager  of  the  Howard 
Manufacturing  Co..  of  Atchison,  and  father  of  eight  children,  Virginia  Par- 
ker, Marjorie  Parker,  Tared  Copeland,  J'-.  Parker,  .-\iuelia  Joanna,  Lawton, 
Editli  and  William  Horan ;  Edith  Fox  Jackson,  wife  of  Judge  W.  A.  Jackson, 
and  mother  of  two  children,  Jared  Fox  and  Fdmund  X'alentine  :  Henry  Irving, 
wholesale  druggist  at  Wichita.  Kan.,  and  father  of  Everett  Cranson.  Florence, 
Mary  Anne  and  Sarah  Virginia  Fox:  William  Tortat,  assistant  cashier  in  the 
Atchison  Savings  Bank,  and  father  of  one  daughter,  Mary :  Florence,  at  home 
with  her  mother.  The  mother  of  these  children,  Mrs.  Virginia  Fox.  was  born 
at  Eufaula.  Ala.,  December  20,  1847,  a  daughter  of  Henri  Sylvest  and  Xancy 
(Decker)  Tortat.  Henri  S.  Tortat  was  born  in  October,  181 1.  in  France. 
He  was  destined  to  be  a  clergyman  by  his  ])arents.  but,  having  no  intention  to 
enter  the  i)riesthood,  took  i)art  in  the  three  days'  re\-olution  against  Charles 
X.  He  left  home  and  joined  an  uncle  who  was  an  officer  in  the  i'rench  army 
of  occupation  in  Algiers  in  1833.  He  came  to  America  in  1836  when  a 
young  man  and  was  married  at  Wiscassett,  Me.,  to  X;mcy  Decker,  whom  he 
met  at  Boston,  Mass.  After  his  marriage  he  took  his  bride  to  Charleston, 
S.  C,  and  thence  to  Eufaula,  .Ala.,  and  conducted  a  merchandise  store  there 
until  he  was  induced  to  join  a  colony  of  southern  people  who  were  going  to 
Kan.sas  in  May,  1857.  When  he  came  to  Kansas  he  first  took  up  a  home- 
stead claim  and  then  purchased  a  bakery  at  Tecumseh,  Shawnee  county,  but 
died  July  6,  1858,  before  he  could  get  fairly  settled  in  the  new  country.  Seven 
children  were  liorn  to  and  reared  by  Henri  and  Xancy  Tortat :  Henri  .\lexis. 
deceased;  Mrs.  Amelia  Caroline  Barrv,  deceased;  Mrs.  T-  C.  Fox;  lean  Paul. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  4II 

deceased;  Augusta  makes  her  Iiome  with  Mrs.  P'ox ;  W'iUiam  Marshall.  I'ea- 
bodv.   Mass.:  Mary  died  at  the  home  of  Mrs.   Fox.      Six  years  after   Mr. 

-  -  •  ' 

Tortat's  demise,  the  mother  and  cliildren  removed  to  Atchison,  where  she 
died  December  20.  1864. 

In  his  younger  days  Mr.  Fox  was  a  Republican,  but  later  became  a  Demo- 
crat and  was  a  strong  Cleveland  adherent.  He  was  a  supporter  of  President 
Theodore  Roosevelt  during  his  first  administration.  He  was  a  stanch  sup- 
porter of  W'oodrow  Wilson  when  \\'ilson  was  a  candidate  for  the  Presidency, 
but  was  generally  broad  minded  in  his  political  views.  He  was  a  member  of 
\\'ashington  lodge.  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons.  Knights  Templar, 
a  Mystic  Shriner  and  an  Odd  Fellow ;  he  was  reared  in  the  Congregational 
church  atmosphere  but  after  marriage  chose  to  attend  the  Episcopalian  church 
with  his  wife.  His  death  occurred  August  23,  1914,  when  a  strong  and  noble 
character  passed  to  the  great  beyond.  Mr.  Fox  was  blessed  with  a  singularly 
happ)-  temperament  which  manifested  itself  even  on  his  bed  of  illness;  he  w^as 
always  good  humored  and  had  a  strong  sense  of  humor  which,  combined 
with  a  kindly  disposition,  made  him  a  prime  favorite  with  his  friends  and 
acquaintances.  He  was  a  great  reader,  an  expert  accountant,  possessed  a 
strong  memon-  and  was  a  S  Shakespearean  scholar,  quoting  frum  Shakespeare 
while  lying  on  his  couch  awaiting  the  last  summons,  and  also  quoting  the 
Twentv-first  Psalm  on  his  last  day  on  earth.  He  served  the  city  as  a  mem- 
ber of  the  city  council  and  was  president  of  the  school  board  for  a  term,  being 
of  material  assistance  in  handling  their  financial  affairs,  because  of  his  genius 
in  this  direction. 


JAMES  EMERY  PENNINGTON. 

The  Western  Adi-ocate,  Mankato,  Kan.,  in  an  issue  of  July,  1899,  has 
this  to  say  in  part  regarding  one  of  the  most  remarkable  family  reunions  ever 
held  in  Kansas  or  anywhere  in  the  countn,':  "Without  doubt  the  most  re- 
markable family  reunion  ever  held  in  Jewell  county  has  been  for  the  past  week 
at  Burr  Oak  and  among  the  various  members  of  the  family  in  that  vicinity. 
It  is  the  reunion  of  the  eleven  children,  together  with  many  of  the  sixty-four 
grand  children  of  the  late  James  Pennington  and  Susan  \\'isdom  Pennington. 
The  Pennington  family  is  a  Southern  family,  the  elder  Pennington  being  a 
native  of  Tennessee,  and  his  wife  of  Xorth  Carolina.  All  of  the  eleven  chil- 
dren, however,  with  the  exception  of  the  oldest  son,  were  born  and  raised  in 
Missouri.     The    Pennington '  family   is   remarkable   in    that    iJiere   were   just 


412  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

eleven  children  and  they  are  all  living  and  enjoying-  good  liealth.  although  the 
youngest  is  now  fifty  years  of  age,  the  eldest  being  a  little  past  seventy.  These 
family  reunions,  which  are  an  annual  event,  prove  that  the  family  tree,  nour- 
ished by  the  good  old  warm  Southern  blood,  is  still  bearing  the  fruits  of  hos- 
pitality and  good  cheer.  Once  a  year  they  get  together,  parents,  children  and 
grand  children,  and  the  ties  of  family,  of  kinship,  and  affection  are  drawn  a 
little  closer.  Hearts  are  cheered,  lives  are  brightened  and  days  are  length- 
ened." Speaking  of  the  gathering  on  Saturday  of  the  reunion  week,  the 
Western  Advocate  goes  on  to  say :  "On  this  day  a  company  of  one  hundred 
gathered  around  the  banquet  board,  and  the  eleven  brothers  and  sisters  were 
weighed  and  their  combined  weight  found  to  be  1.832  pounds,  an  average  of 
166  pounds  each." 

The  father  of  this  remarkable  family  was  James  Pennington,  a  native  of 
Tennessee,  born  in  that  State  in  1822,  and  was  there  married  to  Susan  Wis- 
dom. They  migrated  to  Missouri  in  the  early  thirties  and  settled  in  Nodaway 
county,  developing  a  fine  farm  until  the  discovery  of  gold  in  California.  James 
then  set  out  across  the  plains  and  mountains  to  the  gold  fields  of  the  New  El- 
dorado in  quest  of  fortune.  W'hile  in  California  he  became  a  freighter  and 
transported  flour  and  provisions  to  tlie  mining  camps  afoot.  He- would  carry 
a  fifty  pound  sack  of  flour  a  distance  of  sixteen  miles  and  was  paid  at  the  rate 
of  $50  per  sack  for  transportation,  the  flour  costing  $50  per  sack  at  the  point 
of  purchase  and  being  valued  at  $100  when  it  was  taken  to  its  destination  by 
the  carrier.  James,  Sr.,  remained  in  California  until  1851  and  then  returned 
to  his  home  and  family  in  Missouri,  where  he  lived  the  remainder  of  his  days, 
dying-  in  1878,  in  Platte  county.  James  and  Susan  Pennington  were  the 
parents  of  eleven  children  as  follows:  William  W'..  born  in  1837,  died  Feb- 
ruary, 1913,  at  Lebanon,  Kan. ;  John  Thomas,  California,  born  in  1839;  Mrs. 
Telitha  Thorp,  Marysville.  Mo.,  born  in  1841  ;  Mrs.  Julia  Deiiney,  Benedict, 
Kan.,  born  in  1842;  Mrs.  Clementine  Conner,  Santa  Ana,  Cal.,  born  in 
1844,  a  widow;  Mrs.  Nancy  Miller,  California.  l)orn  in  1845,  a  widow;  James 
Emery,  with  whom  this  review  is  directly  concerned;  Mrs.  Sarali  Robertson, 
Elk  City,  Okla.,  born  in  1849;  Mrs.  Mary  Robertson,  Burr  Oak.  Kan.,  born 
in  1853;  Mrs.  Cynthia  Jane  Judy,  Burr  Oak,  born  in  1855;  Mrs.  Rocksinah 
Graves,  Burr  Oak,  Kan.,  born  in  1857. 

James  Emery  Pennington,  retired  farmer  of  Potter,  Kan.,  was  born  on  a 
farm  in  Nodaway  county,  Missouri,  October  30,  1847.  He  was  reared  on 
the  farm  in  Missouri  until  seventeen  years  of  age,  and  he  then  left  home  and 
crossed  the  plains.  The  occasion  of  his  going  was  because  of  the  fact  that 
two  brothers  and  tliree  brothers-in-law  had  alreadv  enlisted  in  the  I'nion  armv 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  413 

for  service  in  the  Civil  war,  and  the  fatlier  feU  tliat  he  conld  not  spare  his 
son,  James  E..  so  it  was  agreed  between  father  and  son  that  the  boy  should  go 
west  for  a  time.  He  made  his  way  across  the  Missouri  to  Ft.  Leavenworth 
and  there  joined  an  overland  freight  train  which  was  bound  for  Salt  Lake 
City,  L'tah.  At  that  time  all  the  freight  and  merchandise  west  of  the  Mis- 
souri river  was  transported  in  wagons,  drawn  liy  horses,  mules  or  oxen. 
These  wagons  were  loaded  with  from  six  to  twelve  thousand  pounds  of  mer- 
chandise and  were  drawn  by  teams  ranging  in  numbers  from  twelve  to  twenty- 
four  animals.  From  twenty  to  forty  men,  wagons  and  teams  constituted 
what  was  then  known  as  a  "freight  train."  The  train  to  which  young  Pen- 
nington attached  himself  consisted  of  forty  wagons,  forty  teamsters,  two 
wagon  masters,  four  assistants,  two  night  herders,  and  two  extras,  in  all,  fifty 
men,  four  hundred  and  ninety  oxen  and  a  few  horses  for  herding  purposes. 
Being  a  farmer  boy  and  having  a  working  knowledge  of  animals,  young 
Pennington  soon  made  himself  indispensable  to  the  outfit  and  received  the 
name  of  "Our  Boy"  from  the  other  men  in  charge  of  the  train.  The  train 
proceeded  its  long  way  over  the  plains  of  Kansas  and  followed  the  valley  of 
the  South  Platte  to  the  Rockies  without  mishap,  other  than  a  few  Indian  skirm- 
ishes. In  October  of  1864,  "Our  Boy"  stood  on  the  crest  of  the  Rockies  with 
one  foot  on  the  Atlantic  and  one  foot  on  the  Pacific  slope.  \\'inter  soon  came 
on  and  stock  perished  and  they  arrived  at  tlieir  destination  in  the  dead  of 
severe  winter.  Young  Pennington  spent  the  winter  in  the  home  of  a  Mor- 
mon family,  consisting  of  a  Mormon  and  his  seven  wives.  From  Utah  he 
went  north  into  Idaho  and  Montana,  and  in  that  region  took  up  his  favorite 
pursuit  of  freighting,  which  he  followed  for  four  years.  His  operations  were 
mainly  from  Ft.  Benton,  the  head  of  navigation  on  tlie  Missouri  river,  to 
which  point  the  river  steamers  carried  the  freight  destined  for  the  mining 
camps  of  the  mountain  regions.  He,  with  others,  transported  the  first  quartz 
mill  to  the  mining  camp,  later  widely  known  as  Butte  City,  Mont.  He  re- 
turned home  in  1869  and  lived  there  for  three  years,  coming  to  Kansas  in 
1872.  He  had  saved  some  capital  which  he  brought  with  him  to  Atchison 
county,  and  invested  tliis  money  in  a  iierd  of  cattle  which  he  grazed  upon  the 
free  ranges,  in  this  manner  getting  his  first  real  start  in  life,  and  which  was 
the  beginning  of  his  later  prosperity.  After  his  marriage  in  1872  to  Elizabeth 
Snoddy,  he  and  his  wife  settled  on  the  home  farm  of  the  Snoddy's,  and  at  the 
end  of  one  year  the  father  of  Mrs.  Pennington  deeded  the  young  couple  eighty 
acres  of  land  which  became  the  nucleus  of  their  present  acreage.  This  land 
is  four  miles  east  and  one-half  mile  south  of  Potter,  Leavenworth  county, 
and  the  farm  has  been  increased  to  320  acres  of  well  improved  land.     Mr. 


414  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

Pennington  removed  to  Potter  in  the  spring  of  1916,  from  the  farm  in  Leav- 
enworth county,  and  has  recently  completed  a  fine,  modern,  ten-room  residence 
which  will  serve  as  his  future  domicile  during  the  remainder  of  his  davs. 

James  E.  Pennington  was  married  Fehruary  i.  1872,  to  Elizabeth,  daugh- 
ter of  Thomas  and  Margaret  (Brown)  Snoddy,  the  former  a  native  of  Tennes- 
see, and  the  latter  a  native  of  Missouri.  Thomas  Snoddy  first  came  to  Kan- 
sas in  1854,  and  preempted  the  farm  which  he  improved  and  where  Ins  children 
were  reared.  He  was  a  Mexican  war  veteran  and  the  Govcnnncnt  gave  him 
for  his  ser\nces  a  grant  of  land  in  northwestern  Missouri,  which  he  sold  for 
$1,600,  and  wiili  the  proceeds  of  the  sale  built  his  home  on  his  preemption  in 
Kansas.  The  upper  part  of  the  house  was  used  as  headquarters  for  the 
Kickapuo  ]\Iasonic  lodge  for  many  years.  Thomas  Sn<idd\'  was  Iwrn  August 
27,  1825.  and  died  October  8.  1909.  His  remains  were  interred  in  the 
Round  Prairie  cemetery.  A  remarkable  fact  about  the  Snoddx'  house  is,  that 
the  roof  existed  without  repairs  for  over  fifty-five  years  and  at  the  time  of  its 
repair  by  Mr.  Pennington,  the  excellence  of  the  material  which  went  into  the 
building  of  the  house  excited  newspaper  comment.  Mrs.  P^ennington  was 
born  on  September  25,  1856.  and  lived  her  wlmle  life  on  the  farm  wliicli  her 
father  preempted. 

The  following  children  were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  James  Emery  Penning- 
ton :  Rebecca,  wife  of  William  Ehart.  of  Atchison  county,  Kansas;  Bessena, 
wife  of  Joseph  James,  of  Atchison  county,  a  farmer  and  horse  and  mule 
dealer;  Roxie,  wife  of  John  Goff,  of  Potter,  Kan.,  a  thresher  and  farmer; 
Thomas  \V.,  living  on  the  home  farm;  Frank  1'.,  a  lumber  merchant,  of  Burr 
Oak,  Kan.,  who  was  associated  with  liis  father  in  tlie  grain  business  in  Potter, 
in  1906;  George,  a  farmer  living  in  Leavenwortli  county:  Mamie,  a  student 
in  the  Potter  High  School. 

]\Ir.  Pennington,  with  others  in  his  neighborliood.  organized  and  placed 
in  operation  the  Farmers'  Elevator  Company,  of  which  he  was  president. 
This  concern  built  the  Potter  grain  elevator  and  later  sold  it  to  H.  A.  Ode. 
He  has  long  been  identified  with  the  Democratic -party,  but  lias  never  sought 
political  preferment  of  any  kind.  At  the  time  of  the  organization  of  the  Pot- 
ter High  School  district,  Mr.  I'ennington  was  one  of  the  prime  movers  in  the 
building  of  the  new  high  school  building.  Perhaps  the  best  known  trait  of 
this  grand  old  pioneer  is  liis  inherent  liospitality,  wliich  has  made  him  famous 
and  one  of  the  best  loved  men  in  his  section  of  the  State.  Concerning  a  great 
Christmas  celebration  held  at  the  Pennington  home  in  191  [,  llie  Atchison 
Globe,  of  December  27,  191 1,  saj's: 

"J-  E.  Penninglcjn,  a  well  known  farmer  of  the  Round  Prairie  neighbor- 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  415 

liood,  south  of  town,  always  provides  a  Wig  entertaiiimeni  fur  his  immediate 
friends  and  relatives  ever\-  Christmas,  and  spares  no  pains  or  expense  to  make 
these  annual  affairs  highly  enjoyahle.  Idie  late  holiday  was  no  exception  to 
the  rule.  On  ilonda}-  quite  a  crowd  oathered  at  Mr.  Pennington's  home,  as 
usual,  and  spent  a  day  of  merrinicnl.  .\  big  Christmas  tree  loaded  with  al- 
most everything  conceivable  in  the  way  of  holiday  gifts,  was  provided  by  Mr. 
Pennington ;  a  big  dinner  was  also  served,  and  in  the  afternoon  the  men  in- 
dulged in  a  hunt.  A  long  wire  was  stretched  across  a  field,  with  a  horse 
hitched  to  each  end  of  it.  The  wire  was  thus  dragged  across  the  field  and  in 
this  manner  all  of  the  rabbits  were  scared  up.  The  men  followed  behind  the 
wire  and  shot  the  rabbits  as  they  jumped  out.  hour  jack  rabbits  were  scared 
up  and  one  of  them  killed ;  also  many  cottontails.  It  is  said  that  Mr.  Penning- 
ton expended  nearly  $200  on  this  affair.  He  is  a  very  prosperous  farmer  and 
is  noted  for  his  hospitality." 


DR.   EARL  A.   GILMORE. 


Dr.  Earl  A.  Gilmore,  veterinary  surgeon,  of  Effmgham,  Kan.,  was  born 
September  27,  1887,  at  Ames,  Iowa,  a  son  of  W'illiam  J.  and  Jerusha'  (Nor- 
ton) Gilmore.  His  father  was  born  in  1850,  in  New  "S'ork  State,  and  when 
an  infant  accompanied  his  father,  George  Gilmore.  to  Iowa.  His  mother 
was  born  at  Zearing,  Iowa,  November  10,  1855.  and  died  March  7,  1898. 
William  J.  was  reared  on  the  pioneer  farm  in  Iowa,  and  was  able  when  a 
young  man  to  take  advantage  of  the  opportunity  to  amass  wealth  in  the  new 
and  rich  State,  which  was  being  developed  during  his  day  and  lifetime.  He 
was  married  September  5,  1869.  He  became  one  of  Iowa's  most  prosperous 
farmers,  and  in  his  later  days,  when  he  retired  from  active  farm  work,  he 
traveled  extensively  throughout  the  country,  visiting  many  points  in  the  West, 
and  the  Philippine  Islands.  On  February  i,  191 5,  while  aboard  a  Missouri 
Pacific  train  en  route  to  Kansas  City,  the  train  was  wrecked,  and  he  was 
injured  to  such  an  extent  that  he  was  laid  up  in  the  hospital  at  Kansas  City 
for  several  weeks,  and  then  returned  to  his  home  at  Ames.  Iowa.  There 
were  ten  children  in  the  Gilmore  family :  Mrs.  Uretta  Stevens,  of  Star  City, 
Mich. ;  Mrs.  Maria  Pellersells,  of  Grand  Rapids,  Wis. :  Maines  Gilmore,  now 
in  Alaska ;  Charles,  of  Greeley,  Colo. ;  George,  living  in  Iowa ;  William,  a 
college  professor  at  Winnipeg,  Canada;  Earl  A.,  the  subject  of  this  review; 
Mrs.  Eva  Burton,  of  Ames,  Iowa;  Ella,  deceased;  one  child  died  in  infancy. 
The  mother  of  these  children  was  a  daughter  of  Isaac  Gilmore,  a  native  of 


4l6  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

Ireland.  The  Gilmore  family  is  also  of  Irish  descent,  all  four  of  Dr.  Gil- 
more's  grandparents  having  emigrated  from  the  Emerald  isle. 

Earl  A.  Gilmore  was  educated  in  the  Nevada  (Iowa)  High  School,  and 
studied  at  Drake  University  for  one  year;  the  Iowa  State  College  at  Ames 
for  two  and  one-half  years;  then  studied  for  two  years  in  the  Kansas  City 
Veterinary  College,  graduating  April  i6,  1912.  His  funds  being  exhausted, 
when  he  decided  to  become  a  veterinary  surgeon,  he  found  it  necessary-  to 
work  his  way  through  his  final  college  course,  by  doing  reportorial  work 
on  the  staff  of  the  Kansas  City  Star.  Upon  his  graduation  he  immediately 
located  in  Effingham  and  has  built  up  an  extensive  practice  in  his  profession, 
covering  a  territor}'  of  twelve  miles,  north  and  south,  and  nine  miles,  east 
and  west. 

Dr.  Gilmore  is  a  member  of  the  Missouri  Valley  Veterinary  Association, 
and  the  National  veterinary  fraternity,  the  Kansas  City  chapter  of  the  Delta 
Alpha  Psi.  He  is  a  Republican  in  politics  and  is  fraternallv  affiliated  with 
the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  lodge  and  the  Knights  and  Ladies  of 
Security.  Dr.  Gilmore  takes  a  keen  and  active  interest  in  the  civic  welfare  of 
Effingham  and  is  usually  found  in  the  forefront  of  undertakings  which  are 
intended  to  promote  the  best  interests  of  the  city. 


ALFRED  JONATHAN  HARWI. 

In  writing  the  history  of  a  city  and  county  such  as  Atchison,  the  reviewer 
very  naturally  finds  that  among  the  large  number  of  men  who  have  had  much 
to  do  with  the  up-building  of  the  community,  and  who  can  be  counted  among 
the  really  successful  men  of  the  period  covered,  there  are  few  who  stand  out 
preeminently  among  their  fellows,  and  whose  individuality  looms  far  above 
the  average,  and  who  are  noted  not  only  for  their  individual  accomplishments 
on  their  own  behalf,  but  who  have  performed  deeds  which  have  endeared 
their  memory  to  posterity  for  generations  to  come.  In  this  respect  we  must 
consider  the  late  Alfred  Jonathan  Hanvi.  founder  of  the  great  A.  J.  Harwi 
Hardware  Company,  millionaire,  statesman,  and  philanthropist,  of  Atchison. 
Mr.  Harwi  will  long  be  remembered  as  one  of  the  leading  figures  in  the  busi- 
ness world  of  Atchison.  He  was  a  pioneer  in  the  establishment  of  the  great 
wholesale  houses  which  have  made  Atchison  famous  over  the  western  country. 
Beginning  his  career  a  poor  man,  endowed  with  financial  and  business  ability 
of  a  high  order,  blessed  with  a  keen  foresight  into  the  future,  having  con- 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  417 

fidence  in  the  ultimate  development  of  the  countn^^  tireless  and  industrious  in 
all  his  undertakings,  he  achieved  a  truly  remarkable  success,  and  through  it 
all  he  was  a  man  among  men,  who  never  lost  the  respect  and  regard  of  his 
fellow  men  because  of  his  great  success  in  the  realms  of  business  and  finance. 

Alfred  Jonathan  Harwi  was  born  at  Ritterville,  Lehigh  county,  Pennsyl- 
vania. Januarv  21,  1847,  the  eldest  of  four  sons,  born  to  Michael  and  Lucretia 
Harwi.  One  of  the  children  died  in  infancy,  and  the  others,  Edwin  C.  and 
W.  H.,  followed  Alfred  J.  to  Atcliison  and  became  associated  with  him  in  the 
hardware  business  which  he  had  established.  Edwin  C.  died  September  4, 
1903.  and  W'ilsnn  H.  Harwi  died  May  30.  191 1.  A  sister  died  in  Pennsyl- 
vania when  hut  a  cliild.  Micliael  Harwi  followed  the  trade  of  carpenter  in 
heavy  cunstruction  work  during  his  life,  and  was  engaged  in  the  Iniilding  of 
canal  locks  in  the  days  when  tlie  construction  of  internal  waterways  was  in 
vogue.  He  was  also  a  farmer,  and  at  the  time  of  iiis  death  was  engaged  in 
quarying  and  contracting  for  slate.  His  sons  having  all  come  to  the  West,  he 
made  preparations  to  join  them  here  in  Atchison,  but  on  the  point  of  his  de- 
parture on  October  8,  18S2,  lie  was  taken  ill  and  died.  His  widow.  Lucretia 
Harwi.  then  came  to  Atchison  and  resided  here  with  lier  children  until  her 
demise,  in  November.  1904. 

A.  J.  Harwi  received  his  education  in  the  schools  of  his  native  State, 
attending  the  district  school  of  his  neighborhood  until  ten  years  of  age,  then 
becoming  a  student  at  a  Moravian  school  in  Bethlehem,  which  was  located 
four  miles  from  his  home  and  required  him  to  walk  the  distance  across  a 
mountain  both  morning  and  evening.  After  spending  two  years  in  diligent 
study  in  this  institution  he  entered  a  general  store  at  Bethlehem  for  the  pur- 
pose of  acquiring  business  experience.  However,  while  learning  the  art  of 
barter  and  trade  over  the  counters  of  the  general  store  he  did  not  neglect  the 
cultivation  of  his  mind.  He  read,  listened  and  learned,  and  in  his  spare  time 
continued  his  studies  until  his  mind  was  broadened  and  he  became  a  man  of 
advanced  tliought,  learnefl  to  read  and  judge  his  fellow  men.  and  acquire 
?.  refinement  and  polish  which  in  later  years  assisted  him'  in  his  undertakings 
and  enabled  him  to  command  the  respect  of  his  fellows.  His  ambition  was  to 
eventually  engage  in  business  for  himself,  and  he  saved  his  money  to  this  end, 
and  in  1868,  when  he  was  twenty-one  j'ears  of  age,  he  became  a  partner  in  the 
furniture  business  with  J.  B.  Zimmele,  but  sold  out  two  years  later  and  heark- 
ened to  the  advice  of  Horace  Greeley,  who  said :  "Go  west,  young  man,  go 
west,  and  grow  up  with  the  country."  AYhile  at  Bethlehem  Mr.  Harwi  mar- 
ried Cora  Wheeler,  with  whose  father  he  became  associated  in  the  hardware 
and  implement  business  at  Butler,  Mo.     When  this  partnership  was  dissolved 

27 


4l8  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

a  few  years  later,  Mr.  Harwi  went  to  Cedar  Rapids,  Iowa,  and  for  a  few 
months  was  a  clerk  in  a  hardware  store.  In  the  year  1875  ^^  came  to  Atchi- 
son equipped  with  considerable  commercial  experience,  but  having  little  cap- 
ital. Hf  and  C.  H.  Dearborn  began  a  retail  liardware  I'.usiness  in  a  small 
way  in  the  building  at  408  Commercial  street.  The  concern  prospered 
from  the  start  and  its  success  was  undoubtedly  due  to  Mr.  Harwi's  intelligence 
and  common-sense  business  methods  and  his  wonderful  capacity  for  hard  and 
unremitting  work.  This  hardware  business  soon  became  one  of  the  leading 
local  jjusiness  enterprises  of  the  rapidly  growing  city  of  Atchison.  Like 
other  men  who  have  been  successful  in  life,  Mr.  Harwi  was  visionary,  but  his 
vision  did  not  take  on  the  dream-like  character.  It  was  practical  and  foresaw 
the  inevitable  development  of  the  western  country  and  an  increased  demand 
for  all  kinds  of  products  as  the  country  became  more  and  more  settled.  He 
l)elieved  in  common  witli  others  of  the  period  that  Atchison  was  destined  fu 
become  the  gateway  and  the  distributing  jjoint  for  a  large  section  (^f  territory. 
Acting  upon  this  sound,  practical  belief  in  the  early  eighties  when  the  retail 
business  had  assumed  large  proportions  and  necessitated  expansion  in  other 
ways,  he  conceived  the  idea  of  engaging  in  the  jobbing  business.  He  did  so, 
and  again  his  wonderful  business  acumen  and  ability  came  into  play,  with  the 
result  that  the  A.  J.  Harwi  Hardware  Company  is  known  throughout  the 
West  and  middle  West,  and  has  done  a  noteworthy  part  in  making  Atchison 
famous  as  a  wholesale  center.  The  result  of  its  founder's  vision  and  industr}- 
is  one  of  the  great  wholesale  houses  of  the  West,  represented  by  about  twenty 
traveling  salesmen  covering  four  States,  while  over  fifty  local  employes  are 
engaged  to  handle  the  vast  amount  of  office  work  and  the  great  warehouse 
and  shipping  details  incident  to  such  an  important  commercial  institution  as 
the  A.  J.  Harwi  Hardware  Company  has  developed  into  within  thirty-five 
years.  Their  commodious  fom^-story  office  and  warehouse  building,  located 
on  the  comer  of  Commercial  and  Ninth  streets,  is  one  of  the  handsome  modern 
business  houses  of  Atchison.  One  can  begin  to  realize  the  scope  and  extent 
of  this  business  when  he  stops  to  think  that  it  requires  75,000  feet  of  floor 
space  to  afford  ample  warehouse  facilities.  In  1889  the  A.  J.  HarAvi  Hard- 
ware Company  was  incorporated  with  a  capital  stock  of  $100,000. 

Mr.  Harwi  was  three  times  married.  His  first  wife,  Cora  Wheeler, 
whom  he  married  in  Bethlehem,  left  one  daughter,  Mrs.  E,  P.  Ripley,  of 
Boston.  His  second  marriage  was  with  Eliza1-)eth  Whitehead,  of  Atchison, 
in  1873,  to  which  union  two  children  were  born:  Mrs.  H.  P.  Shedd,  of  Ben- 
sonhurst.  Long  Island,  and  Frank  E.,  president  of  the  A.  J.  Harwi  Hardware 
Company.    The  mother  of  these  children  died  October  14,  1907.    Mr.  Harwi's 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  4x9 

third  marriage  occurred  June  3,  1909,  to  Mrs.  Mary  E.  Holland,  who  sur- 
vives him.  Mr.  Harwi  passed  away  September  5,  1910.  During  his  later 
years  the  stress  of  business  and  the  ceaseless  activity  which  had  been  his  lot 
during  life  began  to  tell  upon  him,  and  for  over  twenty-five  years  prior  to  his 
demise  he  was  a  sufferer  from  locomotor  ataxia.  The  things  which  he 
accomplished  necessarily  demanded  that  he  be  a  hard  and  tireless  worker, 
but  he  never  spared  himself,  and  at  a  time  when  he  should  have  begun  to  con- 
serve his  bodily  strength  he  worked  the  hardest,  with  the  result  that  his  span 
of  life  was  shortened  under  what  it  might  have  been. 

It  is  not  .alone  through  the  magnificent  mercantile  concern  which  Mr 
Harwi  conceived  and  built  up  that  he  is  known,  but  he  was  a  public  spirited 
gentleman  who  contributed  generously  to  charitv  and  philanthropic  work. 
Although  he  accumulated  wealth  outside  of  his  business  to  exceed  a  half  mil- 
lion dollars  and  loaned  out  considerable  money  on  mortgages,  he  was  never 
known  to  have  taken  advantage  of  a  debtor  and  to  foreclose  a  mortgage. 
Although  he  was  a  member  of  the  Congregational  church,  he  was  a  trustee  of 
Midland  College,  Atchison,  and  established  and  endowed  the  Harwi  scholar- 
ship prizes,  which  have  been  of  inestimable  benefit  to  many  young  students. 
He  was  one  of  the  trustees  of  the  Atchison  County  High  School  at  Effingham, 
and  was  also  a  warm  advocate  of  providing  well  for  the  education  of  the 
youth  of  the  community.  Mr.  Harwi  was  elected  State  senator  from 
the  Atchison  district  in  1884,  but  did  not  allow  his  duties  as  legis- 
lator to  interfere  with  his  business  affairs,  it  being  his  custom  while  the  legis- 
lature was  in  session  to  spend  the  day  in  the  legislative  halls  at  Topeka, 
return  home  and  spend  the  greater  part  of  the  night  in  the  supervision  of  the 
business.  His  ability  as  a  legislator  came  naturally  into  the  limelight,  and 
there  was  talk  of  running  him  as  the  party's  candidate  for  governor  of  the 
State,  but  this  talk  met  with  little  encouragement  from  Mr.  Harwi,  inasmuch 
as  he  was  \vrnp])e(]  u])  heart  and  soul  in  the  re-organized  Harwi  Hardware 
Company  at  the  time,  the  project  demanding  all  of  his  time  and  energy. 


FRANK  EDWIN  HARWI. 


Frank  Edwin  Harwi,  president  of  the  A.  J.  Harwi  Hardware  Company, 
is  one  of  Atchison's  live  young  citizens  who  is  following  in  the  footsteps  of 
his  highly  successful  father.  Mr.  Harwi  is  in  charge  of  the  extensive  whole- 
sale hardware  concern  founded  and  built  up  by  his'  father,   A.  J.   Harwi. 


420  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

Frank  E.  Harwi  was  born  October  ii,  1884,  in  Atchison.  He  received  his 
education  in  the  pubhc  schools  of  his  native  city  and  in  the  Andover  Prepara- 
tory School  at  Andover,  Mass.  He  matriculated  as  a  freshman  at  Yale  Uni- 
versity, but  was  called  home  by  the  illness  of  his  father,  and  he  became  his 
father's  assistant  for  the  ensuing  year.  In  1905  he  entered  the  sophomore 
class  of  Kansas  University,  but  gave  up  his  college  course  in  1906  to  enter  his 
father'  hardware  etablishment,  and  upon  his  father's  demise  took  over  the 
active  management  of  the  concern  and  became  president  of  the  A.  J.  Harwi 
Hardware  Company. 

.Mr.  f laru  i  was  married  September  30,  1908,  to  Miss  Morence  Ca'n, 
a  daughter  of  John  M.  and  Lucy  Cain.  To  this  union  two  children  have  been 
born:  Alfred  J.,  born  August  22,  1909,  and  Lucy  E.,  born  January  12,  1912. 
John  M.  Cain,  father  of  Mrs.  Harwi,  was  born  July  30,  1839,  at  Castletown. 
Isle  of  Man.  He  was  educated  in  the  select  schools  of  liis  native  island,  Icirned 
the  carpenter's  trade  and  emigrated  from  the  Isle  of  Man  in  1836,  locating  in 
Kansas,  where  he  was  successively  farmer,  soldier,  merchant  and  banker. 
He  was  a  volunteer  soldier  in  the  compan}'  organized  by  A.  S.  Speck  and  Asa 
Barnes,  and  was  accepted  for  service  in  1862.  enlisting  in  Capt.  P.  H.  Mc- 
Namara's  company,  of  which  he  became  sergeant,  and  upon  the  organization 
of  the  regiments  of  colored  troops  he  was  appointed  first  lieutenant  of  a  com- 
pany in  the  Eighty-third  regiment,  colored  infantn*-.  He  was  aftenvards  com- 
missioned a  captain  and  did  splendid  service  throughout  the  Civil  war.  After 
the  close  of  t!ie  war  he  farmed  in  Atchison  county,  became  a  merchant,  and 
was  connected  with  the  old  Atcliison  State  Bank.  He  died  in  1897.  !Mr. 
Cain  was  married  May  15,  1879,  to  Lucy  Neerman,  a  daughter  of  Frank  and 
Tsaliella  fRust)  Neerman.  The  following  children  were  born  of  this  mar- 
riage :  Eva,  wife  of  Foster  Branson,  of  River  Forest,  111. :  Ralph  R..  a  banker, 
at  .\da,  Okla. ;  Florence,  wife  of  Frank  E.  Harwi ;  John  Milton,  with  the  A.  J. 
Harwi  Hardware  Company :  ^\"iiliam  O..  an  attorney  in  .\tchison.  and  .\lfred 
Neerman,  deceased. 

Mr.  Harwi  is  an  independent  in  politics.  He  was  one  of  the  organizers 
of  the  Atchison  Commercial  Club  and  served  as  president  of  this  thriving 
organization  in  1913,  and  is  at  present  a  member  of  its  board  of  directors. 
He  is  a  member  of  tlie  board  of  tnistees  of  Midland  Colle.ge  and  is  a  member 
of  the  Atchison  city  board  of  education.  He  has  likewise  loeen  one  of  the 
trustees  of  the  .Atchison  city  hi)S])ital  since  its  estalilisliment.  \\Miile  tlie 
responsibilities  connected  with  the  conduct  of  the  great  business  establishment 
thrust  upon  his  slioulders  at  the  demise  of  his  father  Iiave  been  such  as  would 
probably  daunt  the  young  man  of  average  ability,  Mr.  Hanvi  has  shown  that 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  42  I 

he  fully  measures  up  to  the  requirements  of  his  important  position  in  the 
mercantile  world  and  has  made  a  reputation  on  his  own  individual  account 
as  a  business  head  of  decided  executive  ability  of  a  high  order. 


JOSEPH  TROMPETER. 

\\  hen  Joseph  Trumpeter  dejiarted  this  life  Effingham  lost  one  of  its 
best  and  most-  highl_\-  respected  citizens  and  his  famil\-  suffered  the  lost  of  a 
kind  and  industrious  husband  and  father,  whose  sole  ambition  in  life  was  to 
provide  well  for  his  kindred  and  those  dependent  upon  him  for  a  livelihood, 
and  to  accomplish  his  purpose  in  the  most  honorable  and  upright  manner 
possible.  To  him  fell  the  task  nf  erecting-  the  first  countv  high  school  build- 
ing in  Effingham,  and  many  of  the  most  pretentious  dwellings  of  the  city  were 
built  by  him.  He  was  one  of  the  wideh-  known  and  successful  contractors 
of  the  county,  whose  operations  extended  over  a  wide  stretch  of  territory,  and 
whose  work  was  always  strictly  up  to  a  certain  high  standard  and  honestly 
perfomied. 

Air.  Trompeter  was  Ijorn  June  15,  1857,  in  Prussia,  Germany,  and  when 
ten  years  of  age  he  accompanied  his  parents  to  America.  His  father  was 
Maurice  Trompeter.  who  settled  on  a  farm  in  Illinois  and  who  went  from  Illi- 
nois to  Te.xas,  but  after  a  short  residence  in  that  State  returned  to  Illinois, 
where  he  passed  the  remainder  of  his  days.  Joseph  was  reared  to  young 
manhood  in  Illinois  and  there  married  Hannah  Sowers.  He  also  went  to 
Te.xas  and  removed  fnim  there  to  Horton,  Kan.  His  father  l)ef<ire  him  was 
a  carpenter  and  Joseph  learned  his  trade  and  followed  it,  becoming  a  con- 
tractor and  builder  when  a  young  man.  He  erected  several  court  houses  in 
Te.xas,  and  built  several  school  buildings  and  church  edifices  in  Kansas.  His 
first  wife  died  in  Horton,  Kan.,  eight  children  being  born  to  this  union,  of 
whom  two  are  living,  namely:  Mrs.  Tina  Demmer,  of  Effingham,  l\.an. ;  Airs. 
Bertha  Wallace,  also  residing  in  Effingham.  Air.  Tr(_)mpeter  removed  to 
Effingham,  and  at  once  engaged  in  building  and  contracting  on  an  extensive 
scale.  He  erected  all  the  buildings  on  the  main  street  of  the  town,  on  the 
north  side  of  the  street,  running  from  the  Fanners  and  Merchants  Bank  build- 
ing to  the  news])aper  office,  at  the  end  of  the  block.  Fie  also  built  the  greater 
part  of  the  finer  residences  in  ICffinghrun  and  it  is  due  to  his  handiwork  and 
taste  that  the  city  presents  such  an  attractive  api)earance  to  the  visitor.  In 
the  spring  of  1912  he  and  the  family  moyed  to  his  farm  of  160  acres  south- 


422  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

east  of  Effiiii^hani  on  wliich  with  his  nwn  liands  A[r.  Trumpeter  erected  a 
handsome  farm  dwening  and  fitted  it  with  all  modem  improvements,  adding 
an  attractive  barn  at  the  same  time.  He  did  not  live  to  enjoy  the  comforts 
of  his  new  home  long^,  however,  as  illness  brought  on  i^y  overwork,  caused  him 
to  take  to  his  ]>ed  and  liis  demise  occurred  August  19,  191 5. 

His  second  marriage  was  with  Louise  Richter,  on  November  8.  1892,  at 
Effingham.  Four  children  were  born  of  this  marriage,  namely:  Amelia, 
John.  James  and  Mary,  all  of  whom  are  at  home  with  tlieir  mother.  Mrs. 
Trompeter  was  born  in  Austria,  in  1874,  a  daughter  of  Juhn.  born  September 
2,  1852,  and  Amelia  (Wohletz)  Richter,  born  May  31,  1849.  The  Richters 
are  of  German  birth  and  immigrated  to  America  in  1882,  first  residing  in 
Atchison  and  then  coming  to  Effingham.  For  twenty-eight  \ears  Mr.  Rich- 
ter was  employed  in  railroad  work  on  the  Central  Branch  of  the  Missouri 
Pacific  railroad.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Richter  now  make  their  home  with  their 
daughter,  Mrs.  Trompeter,  and  assist  in  the  farming  operations.  The  Richter 
children  are  as  follows:  Mrs.  Joseph  Trompeter:  Domineck.  conducting  a 
meat  market  in  Effingham:  Leapold,  li\'ing  at  Tacoma,  \\'ash.,  also  a  builder 
and  contractor;  Mrs.  Amelia  Hansen,  residing  in  Texas:  Mrs.  Anna  Royer, 
Tacoma,  Wash.     There  are  eleven  grand  cliildren  in  the  Richter  family. 

Mr.  Trompeter  was  affiliated  with  tlie  Democratic  part}-,  but  was  never 
a  seeker  after  political  ])referment.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Catholic  church, 
and  was  fraternally  connected  with  the  Knights  of  Columbus  and  the  Modem 
Woodmen.  Throughout  his  life  he  was  an  industrious  and  hardworking  citi- 
zen who  did  his  duty  as  he  sa\\-  it  and  lived  an  upright  and  honest  life.  He 
was  prominently  identified  with  the  civic  life  of  Effingham  and  was  highly 
respected  for  his  many  excellent  qualities. 


JOSEPH  N.  ARTHUR. 

Joseph  X.  Arthur,  automobile  salesman  and  garage  proprietor,  of  Ef- 
fingham, Kan.,  is  one  of  the  progressive  and  enterjjrising  business  men  of 
the  second  citv  of  Atchison  county.  Signal  success  has  attended  liis  efforts 
during  the  years  he  has  been  a  resident  of  Atchison  county.  He  eml)arked 
in  the  automobile  business  and  established  a  garage  in  Effingham,  despite 
the  fact  that  predictions  were  madti  that  the  venture  would  not  be  a  success, 
and  Mr.  Arthur  as  a  result  is  the  recognized  pioneer  automobile  man  of 
his  part  of  the  county.  Since  taking  the  agency  for  tlie  l-'ord  cars  in  1912, 
he  has  sold  over  iialf  the  total  of  Ford  cars  sold  in  the  countv  and  vicinitv. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  423 

Mr.  -Vrthur  first  started  in  business  in  1910  and  established  a  small  garage 
in  the  rear  of  his  real  estate  office.  His  business  grew  to  such  an  extent 
that  larger  quarters  became  necessary,  and  in  19 13  he  erected  a  large  con- 
crete building,  forty  by  eighty  feet  in  extent,  in  which  is  incorporated  his 
office,  display  and  repair  rooms.  He  employs  a  skilled  mech;inic,  assistant 
and  driver.  Mr.  Arthur  handles  the  Dodge  Brothers,  the  Maxwell,  and 
Ford  automobiles. 

J.  N.  Arthur  was  born  June  3,  1869,  near  Corning,  .\dams  county,  Iowa, 
and  is  a  son  of  John  and  Martha  Arthur,  natives  of  Oh.io.  Both  parents 
were  reared  in  the  old  Buckeye  State,  and  were  early  pioneer  settlers  in 
Iowa,  coming  from  Bucyrus,  Ohio,  in  1855,  and  driving  overland  via  the  ox 
team  route,  with  all  their  movable  possessions  loaded  on  wagons  en  route 
from  St.  Joseph,  Mo.,  to  their  destination  in  Adams  county.  Iowa.  John 
Arthur  homesteaded  Government  land  in  Adams  county  and  preempted  along 
the  river  where  timber  and  water  were  plentiful.  He  prospered  as  the  years 
v.-ent  on  and  the  country  became  more  and  more  settled,  and  he  laecame  the 
owner  of  over  800  acres  of  excellent  Iowa  farm  lands.  He  resided  in  Adams 
county,   Iowa,  until  his  demise,  in   1907. 

John  Arthur  settled  on  the  banks  of  a  river  for  the  purpose  of  having 
timber,  fuel  and  water,  three  essentials  in  keeping  alive  in  the  then  sparsely 
settled  countrv  in  the  suulhwestern  part  of  Iowa.  He  built  a  log  cabin  of 
logs  hewn  from  trees  chopped  down  with  his  own  hands  and  chinked  the 
cracks  and  crevices  with  mud.  \\%en  he  preempted  his  first  tract  of  land 
in  Iowa  he  had  a  yoke  of  oxen,  $10  in  money  and  a  favorite  bull-dog,  things 
which  he  was  fond  of  telling  about  as  he  grew  older  and  more  prosperous. 
During  his  fifty-two  years  of  residence  in  Iowa  he  accumulated  800  acres 
of  land  and  had  money  loaned  out  to  the  amount  of  $10,000.  He  was  the 
father  of  eleven  children,  nine  of  whom  grew  to  maturity,  each  of  whom 
as  he  married  was  assisted  by  the  father  to  settle  on  a  farm  <if  his  own,  and 
all  have  prospered — an  enviable  record  for  a  pioneer  family  to  make. 

Joseph  N.,  with  whom  this  review  is  directly  concerned,  was  reared  on 
the  Iowa  farm,  and  knew  something  about  the  hardships  of  the  pioneer  days 
in  bis  boyhood.  He  attended  the  district  school  in  his  neighliorhood,  and 
followed  farming  until  he  engaged  in  the  implement  business  in  his  home 
county  for  some  years,  with  a  fair  degree  of  success.  He  left  his  native 
State  in  1904  and  came  to  Effingham,  Kan.,  purchasing  120  acres  of  land 
about  one  and  one-half  miles  distant  from  Effingham  in  Atchison  county. 
One  year  later  he  embarked  in  the  real  estate  business,  in  partnership  with 
B.  F.  Snyder.     This  partnership  lasted  for  two  years  and  then  Mr.  Arthur 


424  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

engaged  in  the  business  for  liimsclf.  He  also  l)egan  to  write  insurance,  and 
was  reasonably  successful  in  both  the  real  estate  and  insurance  business.  He 
erected  a  brick  building  for  his  office  quarters,  and.  when  automobile  owners 
multiplied  in  Effingham  and  vicinity  he  foresaw  the  need  of  a  repair  shop 
and  established  one  in  the  rear  of  his  real  estate  office.  He  soon  afterward 
rented  an  abandoned  garage  and  hired  a  mechanic  to  do  the  repair  work. 
It  was  not  long  until  larger  quarters  became  necessary,  and  he  built  as  told  in 
a  preceding  chapter.  In  July  of  191 5,  Mr.  Arthur  dis]X)sed  of  his  insurance 
business,  and  has  since  devoted  his  energies  entirelv  to  the  automobile 
business. 

He  was  married  in  1892  to  Lillie  M.  Ramsey,  daughter  of  Xewton  Ram- 
sey, a  pioneer  settler  of  Adams  county,  Iowa,  and  a  Union  veteran  of  the 
Civil  war.  Four  children  have  blessed  this  union :  Pearl,  aged  twenty-one 
years;  Jennie,  aged  eighteen  years,  and  a  teacher  of  music,  and  an  accom- 
plished musician ;  Le  Roy.  nine  years  of  age ;  Charles,  three  years  old.  Three 
children  are  deceased :  Chester  A.  died  at  the  age  of  eight  years ;  Alilton  died 
at  the  age  of  eighteen  months;  Blanche  died  at  the  age  of  nine  months. 

Mr.  Arthur  is  a  Republican  in  politics,  and  has  identified  himself  more 
or  less  with  the  civic  life  of  his  adopted  community,  and  is  considered  as  one 
of  Effingham's  best  boosters  and  live  wires.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  churcli,  cimtributes  to  the  support  of  the  same,  and  is  affil- 
iated with  the  Odd  Fellows  lodge  and  the  Knights  and  Ladies  of  Security. 


DOX  CARLOS  XE\\COMB. 

It  is  a  pleasure  for  the  biographer  to  write  a  story  of  the  life  of  a  man 
who  has  arrived  at  tiie  evening  of  life  and  be  able  to  record  something  really 
worth  while  for  the  benefit  of  posterity.  The  life  annals  of  a  man  who  ha.s 
succeeded  in  making  a  name  for  himself,  achieving  a  well  deserved  com- 
petence, and  lieen  of  some  use  to  his  community,  and  has  arrived  at  the  time  of 
life  when  he  can  look  back  over  the  vista  of  the  busy  years  that  have  passed, 
is  interesting  to  a  high  degree.  In  D.  C.  N^ewcomb,  pioneer  merchant  and 
patriarch,  of  Atchison,  we  find  embodied  that  spirit  of  the  West  which  en- 
abled men  to  build  up  this  great  country  and  to  achieve  things  of  importance 
in  the  business  and  civic  world.  Mr.  Newcomb  loves  his  home  city,  its  people 
and  prestige  and  is  proud  of  its  standing  among  the  cities  of  the  West.  He 
has  had  no  small  part  in  the  up-bm'lding  of  Atchison,  and  it  would  have  been 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  425 

better  in  the  days  gone  by  if  the  city  had  more  men  hke  him  to  assist  its 
growth.  Ever  ready  to  contribute  to  any  enterprise  which  might  help  the 
growth  of  the  city,  his  Hberality  and  boosting  prochvities  became  proverbial, 
and  it  has  oft  been  a  saying  of  his  that  Atchison  could  just  as  well  have  been 
a  city  of  fifty  or  sixty  thousand  inhabitants  as  to  be  its  present  size.  Such 
men  as  he  are  of  decided  benefit  to  any  community. 

D.  C.  Newcomb,  a  pioneer  merchant  of  Atchison,  perhaps  has  had  as 
much  to  do  with  the  commercial  development  of  Atchison  county  for  the  past 
half  century  as  any  other  man  within  its  borders.  When  Mr.  Newcomb  came 
to  Atchison  county  in  1858  it  was  a  difficult  matter  to  tell  wliellier  Atchison, 
or  its  rival  town,  Sumner,  was  to  be  the  chief  town  of  the  county.  Sumner 
w^as  a  thriving  frontier  town,  but  Mr.  Newcomb  picked  Atchison  as  the  win- 
ner and  time  has  demonstrated  that  his  judgment  was  sound.  D.  C.  New- 
comb was  born  in  \\'ashington  county,  \^ermont,  on  Friday,  July  13,  1836, 
and  is  a  son  of  Hosea  and  Harriet  (Bixby)  Newcomb,  the  former  a  native 
of  New  Hampshire  and  the  latter  a  native  of  Ro.xbury,  Mass.,  born  in  1805. 
Hosea  Newcomb  was  born  in  1803  and  came  from  a  prominent  New  England 
family  of  English  descent.  The  Newcomb  family  was  founded  in  New  Eng- 
land in  1635  by  Francis  Newcomb  and  his  wife,  who  came  from  England  and 
located  in  New  England  at  that  time.  It  is  recorded  that  they  made  the  voy- 
age on  a  sailing  vessel  named  "Planter."  Hosea  Newcomb,  the  father  of 
D.  C,  was  prominent  in  the  affairs  of  his  native  town,  Waitsfield,  Vt.,  where 
he  remained  until  1859,  when  he  came  to  Kansas,  settling  at  the  new  town  of 
Sumner,  now  extinct,  in  Atchison  county.  He  took  an  active  part  in  the  early- 
day  development  of  that  promising  frontier  town  and  served  as  postmaster 
there.  However,  he  returned  to  Vermont  in  1873.  where  he  died  in  1889, 
at  the  age  of  eighty-six,  and  his  wife  passed  away  March  17,  1903,  age  ninetv- 
seven  years,  eight  months  and  one  day. 

D.  C.  Newcomb  was  one  of  a  family  of  fi\e  children  and  is  now  the  only 
one  living,  except  a  sister.  Mrs.  Lydia  M.  Shephard,  of  Minneapolis.  A 
brother.  Dan  J.  Newcomb.  was  a  very  early  .settler  in  .\ichison  county,  com- 
ing here  some  time  before  D.  C.  arrived.  He  was  prominent  in  the  organiza- 
tion of  Atchison  county  and  was  the  first  register  of  deeds  of  ilic  countv. 
D.  C.  serving  as  his  deputy.  D.  C.  Newcomb  was  reared  in  the  town  of 
^^'■aitsfield,  Vt..  where  he  attended  the  public  schools  and  later  was  a  student 
at  Newlniry  Seminary.  Tn  early  life  he  clerked  in  a  store  at  Johnson.  Vt.,  and 
also  clerked  for  a  time  in  Montpelicr.  \'t.  Tn  1858  he  came  to  Atchison 
county  and  first  landed  at  Sumner,  but  immediately  went  to  Atchison,  and, 
although  the  latter  town  was  also  in  its  early  stages  of  development,  the  loca- 


426 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUXTV 


tion  impressed  Mr.  Newcomb  so  favorably  that  he  determined  to  locate  there. 
Soon  after  coming  here  he  was  appointed  depnty  register  of  deeds  and  served 
in  that  capacity  for  three  years.  He  then  engaged  in  clerking  in  a  store,  and 
in  1864  entered  into  partnership  with  Samuel  Gard,  who  had  been  a  fellow 
clerk  of  his,  and  they  organized  the  firm  of  Gard  &  Newcomb  and  engaged 
in  the  mercantile  business.  'Their  capital  was  limited,  perhaps  less  than  $2,500, 
but  they  were  two  industrious  young  men  and  had  a  reputation  for  honesty 
and  square  dealing,  which  was  an  important  asset.  Mr.  Newcomb  went  to 
New  York  and  bought  a  stock  of  goods  valued  at  about  $15,000,  mostly  on 


Residence  of  D.  C.  Newcomb.  Atchison.  Kan. 


credit,  and  at  the  end  of  the  first  year  they  iiad  paid  for  every  dollar's  worth 
of  goods  which  they  had  bought  in  the  meantime  and  had  a  stock  of  about 
$15,000  worth  on  hand.  The  partnership  arrangement  continued  about  four 
years,  when  Mr.  Newcoml)  purchased  his  partner's  interest,  who  desired  to 
dispose  of  his  business  on  account  of  failing  health.  Mr.  Newcomb  continued 
in  business  alone  and  conducted  the  great  Newcomb  department  store,  the 
business  of  which  developed  far  beyond  his  most  fanciful  dreams.  Mr.  New- 
coml) continued  in  the  mercantile  business  until  Tooq,  and  for  vears  was  the 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  427 

leading  merchant  of  Atchison.  He  sold  his  business  to  Ed  Lake,  who  has 
conducted  it  since  1905. 

Mr.  Newcomb  has  not  only  been  a  merchant  prince  in  northeastern  Kan- 
sas, but  has  been  identified  with  the  growth  and  development  of  Atchison 
from  many  standpoints.  He  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  First  National 
Bank  and  was  closely  identified  with  that  financial  institution  for  fifteen  years. 
He  served  successively  as  director,  vice-president  and  president,  but  when  he 
went  out  of  business  he  disposed  of  his  banking  interests. 

Mr.  Newcomb  was  united  in  marriage  in  1866  with  Miss  Anna  E., 
daughter  of  Capt.  George  W.  Bowman,  an  early-day  steamboat  captain,  but 
later  engaged  in  the  mercantile  business  at  Atchison.  He  was  a  native  of 
Brownsville,  Pa.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Newcomb  have  been  born  two  children : 
Hattie  May,  now  the  wife  of  Maj.  Harry  A.  Smith,  U.  S.  A.,  a  graduate  of 
West  Point  Military  Academy.  During  the  Spanish-American  war  he  held 
the  rank  of  major  in  the  Twenty-first  regiment,  Kansas  infantry,  and  is  now 
major  in  the  Twenty-eightli  regiment.  United  States  infantry,  doing  (hitv  mi 
the  Mexican  border.  To  Major  Smith  and  wife  have  been  born  two  children : 
Newcomb,  a  cadet  in  the  United  Stales  Military  Academy,  West  Point,  X.  'S'., 
and  William  .\.,  a  graduate  of  Shattick's  school,  Fairibault.  Minn.,  now  a 
student  in  the  University  of  Minnesota.  George  Edgar,  the  youngest  child 
born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Newcomb,  born  March  19,  1869,  died  March  25,  1909, 
aged  forty  years.  He  was  married  in  October,  1895,  to  Miss  Dorothy  Jones, 
a  native  of  Wisconsin,  and  three  children  were  bom  to  this  union :  Clara 
Forest,  D.  C.,  and  Charles  Jones.  Mr.  Newcomb  has  been  a  life-long  Repub- 
lican and  has  always  supported  the  policies  and  principles  of  that  party.  He 
has  had  many  flattering  inducements  to  enter  politics,  but  has  refused  to  ac- 
cept, preferring  to  follow  his  commercial  career  in  which  he  has  been  so  suc- 
cessful. Mr.  and  Mrs.  Newcomb  are  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church,  and  for  years  have  been  active  in  the  work  of  their  congregation  and 
both  have  lived  exemplary  Christian  lives.  Mr.  Newcomb  has  held  every  of- 
fice within  the  gift  of  the  church,  all  of  which  have  come  to  him  without 
solicitation.  In  fact,  every  preferment  has  come  to  him  unsolicited.  Tn  1896 
and  1900  he  was  elected  a  lay  delegate  to  the  general  conference  of  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  church  held  at  Omnha  in  1896  and  Chicago  in  1901. 


WILSON  R.  SMITH. 
Wilson  R.  Smith,  of  the  fimi  of  Snyder,  Smith  ^  Company,  Effingham, 
Kan.,  is  an  admirable  type  of  a  successful  business  man  who  has  lieen  a  res- 
ident of  Effingham  for  the  past  six  years,  and  has  so  identified  himself  with 


428  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

the  life  of  the  community  that  it  seems  to  the  average  citizen  that  }ilr.  Smith 
has  been  a  resident  of  the  city  and  county  all  of  his  natural  life.  The  firm, 
of  which  he  is  an  active  memlier,  handles  hardware,  implements,  grain,  coal 
and  feed,  and  is  composed  of  G.  M.  Snyder,  \\'.  R.  Smith  and  U.  B.  Sharp- 
less,  present  county  treasurer.  This  firm  was  organized  in  February  of 
19 1 5  and  took  over  the  business  of  Sharpless  &  Snyder.  The  concern  also 
operates  a  grain  elevator  of  10,000  bushel  capacity,  and  has  two  large  ware- 
houses and  coal-yards,  in  addition  to  the  business  room  on  Main  street. 

Mr.  Smith  is  a  Virginian  by  birth,  and  was  born  at  Salt  Sulphur  Springs, 
Monroe  county,  W.  Va.,  on  April  28,  1856.  He  is  a  son  of  Granville  and 
Caroline  (Clark )  Smith,  both  of  whom  were  born  and  reared  in  \'irginia,  and 
were  descended  from  colonial  ancestors.  A  direct  ancestor  of  Wilson  R.  was 
the  first  settled  in  Monroe  county,  and  headed  a  long  line  of  tillers  of  the 
soil,  the  parents  of  Wilson  R.  li\'ing  on  their  fann  in  Virginia  until  their 
deaths. 

Wilson  R.  left  his  ancestral  home  in  Virginia  in  April  of  1884  and 
journeyed  to  the  town  of  Craig,  Holt  county.  Missouri,  purchasing  a  farm  in 
the  neighborhood  of  Mounty  City,  which  he  culti\ated  with  considerable 
success  for  ten  years,  and  then  engaged  in  the  grain  and  stock  business  for 
a  period  of  nine  years.  He  resided  in  Holt  county  until  1909  and  then  came 
to  Effingham,  Kan.  His  first  venture  here  was  in  the  grain  and  elevator 
business,  which  he  conducted  for  a  period  of  four  years,  and  then  sold  out 
to  the  Farmers'  Elevator  Company.  In  February  of  1015.  he  purchased  an 
interest  in  the  business  in  which  he  is  now  engaged.  Continuous  success  has 
followed  Mr.  Smith's  efforts,  and  practically  every  luisiness  venture  in 
which  he  has  embarked  has  proved  to  be  uniformly  successful.  His  methods 
of  transacting  business  are  above  reproach  and  are  such  as  to  commend  him 
to  the  public  in  general. 

He  was  married  in  1885  to  Mrs.  Celia  C.  Zachary.  a  widow,  who  was 
the  mother  of  one  child,  Edith  Belle,  by  a  former  marriage.  Two  children 
have  blessed  this  marriage:  Alberta,  wife  of  Ross  Meador,  li\ing  on  a  farm, 
five  miles  southwest  of  Effingham;  Jennie,  wife  of  C.  A.  Hawk,  residing 
three  miles  north  of  Effingham  on  a  farm. 

Mr.  Smith  is  a  stanch  Republican  in  his  political  affiliations,  and  is  a 
member  of  the  Modern  Woodmen  and  the  Brotherhood  of  .\merican  Yeo- 
man. He  is  one  of  Effingham's  substantial  and  enterprising  citizens,  who 
is  ever  ready  to  assist  his  adopted  community  to  lietter  the  conditions  of 
things  in  general  and  readily  lends  a  hand  when  needed  to  assist  the  growth 
and  well  Ijeing  of  the  city. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  429 

GEORGE  E.  HEXDEE. 

Mr.  Hendee  is  an  automobile  salesman,  machinist  and  garage  proprietor, 
is  one  of  Atchison's  hustling  business  men  who  has  made  good  in  the  auto- 
mobile business.  Seven  years  in  the  motor  industry  in  Atchison  has  s.een  him 
advance  in  his  chosen  wurk  until  he  now  owns  the  largest  and  l)est  equipped 
garage  in  the  city,  and  has  a  plant  including  equipment  and  cars  in  stock  valued 
at  over  $15,000.  Mr.  Hendee  is  salesman  for  the  Regal,  Chalmers  and 
the  White  automobiles. 

He  was  born  on  a  farm  in  Lancaster  county,  Nebraska,  July  31,  1872, 
being  a  son  of  George  and  Loretta  (Kistler)  Hendee,  who  were  the  parents 
of  five  children :  William,  deceased :  ^Irs.  ^largaret  Bennethy,  of  Logansport, 
Ind. ;  George  E. ;  Delbert,  of  Logansport,  Ind.,  and  Leona,  at  home  with  her 
parents.  George  Hendee,  Sr.,  was  born  in  Canada,  in  1846,  removing  from 
his  native  country  to  Indiana  with  his  parents  when  a  boy.  He  was  reared 
to  young  manhood  in  Indiana  and  served  as  a  soldier  in  Company  G,  Twenty- 
first  regiment,  Indiana  infantry,  until  the  close  of  the  war,  in  1865.  After 
the  Civil  war  he  migrated  to  Lancaster  county,  Nebraska,  and  homesteaded 
on  160  acres  of  Government  land.  He  built  up  a  splendid  farm 
from  the  raw  and  unbroken  prairie  and  prospered  as  he  desen'ed,  living  on 
his  acreage  until  1891,  at  which  time  he  started  a  general  store  at  Panama, 
Neb.  He  retired  from  active  pursuits  in  1898  and  moved  to  Royal  Center, 
Ind.,  where  he  is  now  li\ing.  The  Hendee  family  is  of  French  origin,  and 
the  founders  of  the  family  first  settled  in  the  Dominion  of  Canada.  The 
mother  of  George  E.  was  born  in  Pennsylvania  in  1842,  a  daughter  of  Pennsyl- 
vania Dutch  parents. 

He  of  whom  this  review  is  written  was  reared  on  the  Nebraska  farm  and 
received  his  elementary  schooling  at  Panama  and  York,  that  State.  Early  in 
life  he  displayed  an  aptitude  for  machinery  and  determined  to  fit  himself 
to  become  an  expert  machinist.  Accordingly,  in  1895,  he  enrolled  as  student 
in  the  State  L'niversity  at  Lawrence,  and  pursued  the  machinist's  course,  hav- 
ing previously  studied  electrical  engineering  at  York,  Neb.  When  thirteen 
years  of  age,  George  started  out  to  make  his  own  way,  educate  himself  and 
at  the  same  time  earn  his  living.  While  a  student  in  the  York  Technical 
School,  he  worked  nights  in  the  electric  light  plant.  For  a  period  of  three 
years  he  was  a  fireman  on  the  Chicago,  P>urlington  &  Ouincy  railroad  and  the 
Santa  Fe  System,  being  promoted  to  the  post  of  railway  engineer  while  in  the 
employ  of  the  latter  system.  He  was  then  employed  by  the  General  Electric 
Company,  of  Chicago,  in  the  installation  of  and  erecting  mining  machinery. 


430  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

his  duties  requiring  him  to  travel  in  the  South  for  over  a  year.  He  was  em- 
ployed by  the  Chalmers  company  for  one  year  erecting  heavy  engines,  and  was 
employed  as  engineer  of  the  Pearsons'  Flouring  Mills  at  Lawrence,  Kan.,  for 
seven  years.  For  a  time  he  sen'ed  as  master  mechanic  at  the  Leavenworth 
coal  shaft  on  the  Government  grounds  at  Leavenworth,  Kan.  In  the  year 
1901  he  built  and  operated  a  machine  shop  at  Cripple  Creek,  Colo.,  but  his 
plant  was  destroyed  by  fire  in  1902.  He  then  moved  to  Grand  Junction,  Colo., 
where  he  worked  in  the  oil  fields  and  .was  round  house  foreman  for  the  rail- 
roads in  that  city  until  he  resigned  his  position  and  located  in  Denver,  Colo., 
where  he  worked  as  a  machinist  in  the  Missouri  Pacific  shops  until  he  took 
employment  as  engineer  on  the  Colorado  &  Southern  railway.  After  this 
he  was  employed  as  a  machinist  in  the  shops  of  the  Santa  Ve  railroad.  Imt 
resigned  this  place  to  become  foreman  in  the  plant  of  the  Locomotive 
Finished  Material  Foundry  in  Atchison.  Following  this  he  was  chief  engi- 
neer for  tlie  P>lair  Milling  Company,  resigning  to  take  employment  as  an  ex- 
pert machinist  with  the  Atchison  Motor  Company  until  190S.  In  that  year 
he  engaged  in  business,  and  has  made  a  name  for  liimself  in  the  motor  and 
business  world  of  Atchison.  Mr.  Hendee  is  looked  upon  as  one  of  the  rising 
and  successful  young  business  nien  of  Atchisim,  and  justly  deserves  all  of 
the  success  which  has  come  to  him. 

His  marriage  with  Laura  Hall,  of  Lawrence,  Kan.,  occurred  in  1902  and 
gave  him  a  faithful  helpmate  who  has  assisted  him  in  every  way  to  achieve  liis 
present  success.  Two  children  were  bom  of  this  marriage,  Velva  and  Ken- 
neth, both  deceased.  Mrs.  Hendee  was  born  in  .\ugust,  1879,  in  Wisconsin, 
a  daughter  of  John  and  Nettie  (Crow)  Hall.  nati\-es  of  Wiscmsin.  Slie  is 
a  well  educated  ladv  and  is  a  graduate  of  tlie  college  at  Piurlington,  Kan.  Mr. 
Hendee  is  an  independent  in  political  affairs,  and  is  fraternally  allied  with 
the  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Ixdlrnvs, 
and  the  Modem  Woodmen  of  America. 


WILLIAM  D.  KISTL[^.R. 


\\'illiam  D.  Kistler,  prosperous  farmer  of  Shannon  township,  is  descend- 
ant of  good  old  Pennsylvania  Dutch  stock,  and  has  lived  in  Atchison  county 
for  thirty-six  years.  He  came  to  tiiis  county  from  his  ancestral  home  in 
Pennsylvania,  in  moderate  circumstances,  if  not  actua]l\  ;i  ])oor  ni;ui,  ;uul  tlur- 
ing  that  time  has  accumulated  a  fine  fann  of  200  acres  which  ranks 
among  the  best  and  most  productive  farms  of  the  county.     The  little  shack 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  43 1 

in  which  he  and  his  faniil}-  lived  when  the}-  first  came  tn  Ivansas  has  been 
superseded  Iiy  a  handsome  and  comfortalile  residence  and  great  sliade  trees 
have  grown  up  around  it.  The  modest  "eighty"  in  which  Mr.  Kistler  invested 
all  of  his  small  capital  on  his  arrival  here  has  grown  steadily  with  substantial 
additions  from  time  to  time  as  lie  was  enabled  to  purchase  adjoining  tracts.  A 
large  red  barn  alike  shows  evidence  of  thrift  and  good  management  on  the 
part  of  the  proprietor. 

W.  D.  Kistler  was  born  in  Lehigh  county,  Pennsylvania,  December  5, 
1853,  a  son  of  Xathan  J.  and  Catharine  (  Dietrich)  Kistler,  both  of  whom  were 
born  in  the  adjoining  comUy  near  Lehigh  county.  Xathan  J.  Kistler  was 
born  April  6,  181 1,  and  died  September  11.  1878.  He  was  a  son  of  Jacob 
S.,  who  was  a  son  of  Samuel  Kistler,  whose  father,  John  George  Kistler,  emi- 
grated with  his  wife,  Dorothia,  from  Germany  and  settled  in  Pennsylvania 
early  in  the  eighteenth  century,  arriving  in  Philadelphia  Octoljer  5,  1737. 
Nathan  J.  Kistler  was  a  captain  of  State  militia  and  died  at  the  old  home  in 
Lehigh  county.  Two  brothers  of  W.  D.  and  a  sister  out  of  a  iamily  of  nine 
children  settled  in  the  West.  After  his  public  school  training  Mr.  Kistler 
attended  the  Kutztown,  Pennsyb.'inia,  Normal  School  and  ])repared  himself 
for  the  teaching  profession.  He  taught  school  in  his  native  State  for  four 
years,  after  which  he  clerked  in  a  general  store  for  four  years,  previous  to 
migrating  to  Kansas.  He  left  the  old  home  in  Pennsylvania  in  1879  and 
came  to  Atchison  county,  Kansas,  investing  in  an  eighty-acre  tract  in  Shannon 
township  which  he  graduallv  improved.  The  small  house  which  he  first 
erected  was  gradually  enlarged  as  the  needs  of  his  family  demanded  more 
room  and  his  means  permitted.  In  1883  he  erected  the  present  handsome 
home,  which  is  one  of  the  most  attractive  places  in  the  township.  Mr.  Kistler 
raises  cattle,  horses  and  hogs  and  feeds  his  grain  products  to  the  live  stock  on 
his  farm,  thus  managing  to  keep  up  the  fertility  of  his  acres  and  being  able 
to  market  his  farm  prorkicts  in  the  most  profitable  manner. 

He  was  married  in  1876  to  Ellen  Brobst,  who  was  born  in  Lehigh  county, 
Pennsylvania,  in  1853,  a  daughter  of  Daniel  and  Lydia  (Kimken)  Brobst,  of 
Lehigh  county,  and  whose  ancestry  came  from  Germany.  The)-  are  the  par- 
ents of  five  children :  Mrs.  Alice  Bunnell,  of  Lancaster  township,  this  county  : 
Anna,  wife  of  Samuel  Du  Bois,  also  of  Shannon  township;  Calvin,  a  farmer, 
residing  at  the  Du  Bois  home,  and  assisting  in  the  management  of  the  farm ; 
Bertha,  wife  of  James  Dooley,  residing  in  Shannon  township;  William,  at 
home,  married  Catharine  W'olters. 

Mr.  Kistler  is  a  Republican  in  politics,  but  he  has  never  been  an  office 


432  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

seeker,  or  sought  preferment  at  the  hands  of  his  fellow  citizens.  He  is 
affiliated  with  the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen.  He  and  the  members 
of  his  family  stand  well  among  their  neighbors  and  are  highly  esteemed  by  all 
who  know  them. 


ANDREW  KEITHLIXE. 


The  late  Andrew  Keithline  enjoyed  the  distinction  of  being  one  of  the 
oldest,  if  not  the  oldest  living  pioneer  resident  of  Atchison.  Fifty-six  years  of 
his  four  score  and  se\en  years  of  life  were  spent  in  Atchison  and  vicinity.  In 
the  fulness  of  his  years,  and  satisfied  in  the  reflections  concerning  a  long  and 
useful  Iif«  well  spent  he  lived  a  quiet,  retired  life  in  his  comfortable  home  at 
1 121  Santa  Fe  street  until  the  Death  Angel  called  him.  He  loved  to  meet 
his  many  friends  and  speak  reminiscently  of  the  days  when  Atchison  was  in 
the  embryo  stage,  and  of  the  stirring  scenes  during  the  da\s  when  Kansas  was 
in  the  throes  of  becoming  an  integral  part  of  the  great  American  Union.  He 
was  one  of  the  citx's  grand  old  men  who  was  universally  loved  and  respected 
by  all  who  knew  him.  He  came  of  that  sturdy  Pennsylvania  German  stock, 
noted  the  country  over  for  their  sterling  qualities  of  endurance  and  the  ability 
to  do  their  share  in  the  transformation  of  a  wilderness  to  a  land  of  homes 
and  plenty. 

Andrew  Keithline  was  born  on  a  farm  in  Luzerne  county,  Pennsylvania,  a 
son  of  John  and  Mar\-  (Xeyhart)  Keithline.  The  first  Keithline  to  come  to 
America  was  Colonel  Keithline,  who  figures  ])rominentlv  in  Rcv<ilutionarv  an- 
nals and  who  accompanied  liaron  De  Kali:  t<i  this  country  in  1775.  Andrew 
Keithline's  grandfather,  Joseph  Keithline,  was  liorn  in  Xorthhampton  county, 
Pennsylvania,  served  in  the  War  of  18 12,  and  died  in  1850.  He  was  a  tailor  by 
trade  and  contracted  to  make  buckskin  breeches  for  the  Ciovernment,  to  be  worn 
by  the  soldiers  during  the  war.  Josei)li's  children  wore  buckskin  breeches 
made  by  their  father.  John  Keithline,  the  father  of  Andrew,  operated  a 
wagon  shop  which  also  served  as  the  family  residence  for  some  years,  in  fact, 
Andrew  was  born  in  his  father's  wagon  shop.  He  pro.spered,  in  the  course  of 
time,  and  came  west  in  1863  and  invested  in  eighty  acres  of  land,  south  of 
.Atchison  and  later  owned  320  acres  west  of  .\tchison  on  the  Parallel  road. 
This  tract  was  partly  fenced  at  the  lime  of  purchase  and  cost  John  Keithline 
$25  per  acre.  He  made  his  home  tlicreon  and  was  joined  by  his  family  in 
1864.  The  mother  of  Andrew  died  in  1865  and  John  returned  to  the  old 
home  in  Pennsvlvania  where  he  died  in   1868.     Xine  children  were  born  to 


/   y\a^L_ 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  433 

John  Keithline  and  wile  :  Samuel,  Catliarine,  Andrew,  Julia,  Sarah,  Priscilla, 
John,  Peter  and  Maiy  E.  Of  these,  Samuel,  Sarah  and  Andrew  came  to 
Atchison  county. 

Andrew  left  the  parental  home  in  December  of  1857,  and  went  to  Michi- 
gan, remaining  until  1859,  when  he  came  to  Atchison,  where  he  resided  until 
the  fall  of  1864.  His  first  employment  was  with  the  firm  of  Walters  &  Ros- 
well,  who  conducted  a  general  store  and  wanted  a  clerk  familiar  with  the  Ger- 
man tongue.  For  the  two  years  previous  to  his  locating  in  Atchison  he  con- 
ducted a  cooperative  store  in  Michigan.  His  first  trip  to  the  Far  West  was 
taken  in  i860,  when  he  went  to  Denver  and  disposed  of  a  stock  of  goods  for 
his  firm.  He  made  another  trip  across  the  plains  later  than  this.  In  1864 
he  was  called  out  with  the  Kansas  State  militia  to  repel  the  Price  invasion. 
On  October  31,  1864,  he  moved  to  his  farm  west  of  Atchison,  and  remained 
there  tilling  his  acreage  until  September  i,  1898,  and  made  his  permanent 
home  in  Atchison  until  his  death.  His  fine  farm  consisted  originally  of  220 
acres  and  when  he  removed  to  Atchison  he  still  owned  190  acres  of  the  origi- 
nal farm.  Mr.  Keithline  bought  a  handsome  brick  residence  on  Santa  Fe 
street  and  b\'  wise  investments  and  carefuUv  husbanding  his  resources  accu- 
mulated a  comfortable  competence  for  the  support  of  his  decliinng  years.  He 
was  considered  a  well-to-do  citizen.  He  was  married  on  No\ember  5,  1854,  to 
Rose  Varner,  born  in  1832  in  Luzerne  county,  Pennsylvania,  a  daughter  of 
George  Varner,  whose  father  was  a  soldier  in  the  Revolution.  Two  children 
w-ere  born  to  this  well  respected  couple,  namely:  Gilbert,  born  in  1855,  died 
in  Jackson  county  in  the  spring  of  1915.  He  was  the  father  of  seven  children, 
Herschell,  Sydney,  Rose,  Emma,  Mary,  Andrew  and  l^aura.  Mrs.  Cora 
Warters,  a  daughter  of  Mr.  Keithline,  lives  in  Atchison.  She  is  the  mother 
of  four  children:  Bessie,  Andrew,  Cora  Willis  and  Lorene. 

Mr.  Keithline  was  one  of  the  original  Free  State  men  of  Kansas,  and 
was  indued  to  come  here  by  the  fact  that  men  in  favor  of  making  Kansas.a  free 
State  were  needed  in  the  Territory.  He  consistently  espoused  the  principles 
of  the  Republican  party,  taking  an  active  part  in  politics  during  his  younger 
days  and  served  for  two  years  as  justice  of  the  peace.  One  of  the  bright  spots 
in  his  memory  of  bygone  days  was  his  warm  iViendship  for  Senator  John  J. 
Ingalls,  which  friendship  was  reciprocated  by  the  illustrious  senator.  He  al- 
ways adhered  to  the  Lutheran  religious  tlenominalion.  which  was  the  faith 
of  his  fathers.  The  evening  of  life  must  come  to  us  all  and  happy  is  the  man 
who  can  calmly  wait  for  the  last  call  to  summon  him  to  his  just  reward  in  the 
world  to  come,  at  peace  with  all  niankinil  mid  cared   for  1)\-  cajiable  haiiils; 

28 


434  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

such  was  the  life  of  this  fine  old  gentleman  of  whom  it  has  been  a  pleasure 
to  write  this  brief  review. 

Andrew  Keithline  departed  this  life  December  14,  1915.  The  end  came 
peacefully,  as  he  had  wished.  The  worn-out  body  of  this  grand  old  patriarch 
ceased  to  be  able  to  hold  the  immortal  soul  of  one  of  the  grandest  and  best 
loved  men  of  the  early  pioneer  days  of  Atchison  county.  Mr.  Keithline  was 
a  good  and  honest  citizen  whose  upright  and  sturdy  character  will  long  prove 
an  inspiration  and  guidance  for  the  present  and  future  generations  of  Kansans 
who  niaj-'peruse  tliese  pages.  He  was  a  prominent  factor  in  the  building  up  of 
Atchison  county,  and  was  intimate  with  the  great  men  of  his  day  and  genera- 
tion. When  his  time  came  and  the  Angel  of  Death  called  him  to  the  long  rest 
he  was  content  to  go  and  had  no  regrets.  Death  had  no  terrors  for  him  as 
his  life  was  unspotted  and  clean,  and  in  keeping  with  the  attributes  of  the  man 
himself. 


ABRAM  STEVER. 


Abram  Stever,  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Benton  township,  Atchison 
county,  and  now  deceased,  was  born  November  3.  1837,  and  departed  this 
life  on  July  2~j,  1881.  He  was  born  in  Schoharie  county.  New  York,  a  son 
of  Abram  and  Nancy  Stever,  both  of  whom  were  born  and  reared  in  New 
York  State,  the  father  being  a  son  of  Gemian  parents,  who  were  founders 
of  the  family  in  this  country.  Two  brothers  emigrated  from  Germany,  one 
of  whom  settled  in  New  York  and  the  other  made  his  home  in  Ohio. 
Abram  was  reared  to  young  manhood  in  his  native  State  and  when  twenty 
years  of  age  migrated  to  the  new  State  of  Wisconsin,  then  in  process  of  set- 
tlement. He  became  a  farmer  in  Walworth  county  and  cleared  a  home 
from  the  timber.  Five  years  later  he  was  married,  and  in  1867  came  to 
Kansas,  driving  his  movable  possessions  across  the  country,  his  wife  and 
children  coming  by  train  to  St.  Joseph,  Mo.,  where  they  crossed  the  Mis- 
souri river  by  ferry.  The  first  location  of  the  family  was  in  Brown  county, 
Kansas,  where  they  lived  until  1874  and  then  came  to  Atchison  county,  where 
Mr.  Stever  purchased  160  acres  of  wild  prairie  land  in  Benton  township, 
i)ne  and  three-fourths  miles  northwest  of  Effingham.  He  improved  his  farm, 
erected  a  good  home  and  beautified  the  premises  with  fine  shade  trees  and 
shrubber)^  After  his  demise  in  1881,  Mrs.  Stever  made  her  home  on  the 
farm  until   1893,  when  she  removed  to  Effingham,  and  has  since  resided 


I 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  435 

here,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  years'  residence  in  Mankato,  Jewell  county, 
Kansas,  with  her  daughter,  maintaining  a  permanent  home  in  Effingham. 
Abram  Stever  was  married  December  24,  1862,  to  Sarah  Elecia  Bailey, 
of  Walworth  county,  Wisconsin.  To  this  union  have  been  born  the  fol- 
lowing children:  Leona  May,  died  at  the  age  of  fifteen  years;  Jennie  Bailey, 
died  at  the  age  of  thirteen ;  Joseph  Warren,  died  when  twenty-two  years  old ; 
Arthur  Carlton,  a  clothing  merchant  at  Wetmore,  Kan.,  who  married  Maud 
Hawk,  of  Effingham,  and  they  have  one  daughter,  Leona  May:  Carrie 
Adella  Stever,  at  home  with  her  mother,  a  graduate  of  the  county  high 
school,  and  taught  for  seven  years  in  the  Effingham  schools,  and  is  a  special- 
ist in  music,  having  graduated  from  Bethany  Conservatory  at  Lindsborg, 
Kan.,  in  1906.  She  pursued  a  post-graduate  course  at  Lindsborg  during 
winter  vacation,  and  studied  during  one  winter  under  William  H.  Sher- 
wood, America's  greatest  pianist.  She  was  for  five  years  a  successful  teacher 
of  music  at  Mankato,  Kan.  Returning  to  Effingham  in  1911,  she  became  mu- 
sic director  in  the  Atchison  County  High  School,  but  resigned  to  take  up  studio 
work  entirely:  Ray  Howard,  conducting  a  suitatorium  at  Frankfort,  Kan., 
married  Inez  McFarlan ;  Ralph  Roy  Stever,  a  teamster  at  Nevada,  Mo.,  mar- 
ried Treva  Spell,  and  has  had  four  children  :  Lloyd  Orr,  \\'arren  Clayton, 
Ralph  Vern,  Lola  Esther,  deceased ;  Ernest  Clayton,  a  graduate  of  the 
county  high  school,  proprietor  of  a  suitatorium  at  IMacon,  Mo.,  married 
Charlotte  Henderson,  and  has  one  child,  Roy  Estell ;  Frank  Abram  Stever, 
county  high  school  graduate,  located  on  the  family  estate  in  Benton  town- 
ship, married  Daisy  McFarlan,  and  is  the  father  of  three  children ;  Coral 
Xadine,  Geneva  Fa\-,  and  Mildred  Lorene.  Mrs.  Stever  was  born  January 
10,  1843,  on  a  farm  in  Walworth  county,  Wisconsin,  a  daughter  of  Joseph 
and  Sarah  (Perry)  Bailey,  natives  of  Maryland  and  Dundee,  III,  respec- 
tively. An  uncle,  Amos  Bailey,  was  one  of  the  first  surveyors  in  the  city 
of  Chicago,  and  run  the  first  line  in  what  is  now  the  city.  Joseph  Bailey 
was  one  of  the  first  settlers  in  Walworth  county,  Wisconsin,  at  a  time  when 
there  were  very  few  people  in  the  State  and  neighbors  were  twelve  miles 
distant  from  one  another.  It  was  a  common  custom  for  a  number  of  settlers 
to  band  together  and  market  their  produce  together  in  the  citv  of  Chicago. 
Amos  Bailey  was  the  owner  of  several  sections  of  land  near  Lake  Geneva, 
Wis.,  which  is  now  the  great  millionaires'  resort,  near  Chicago.  Joseph 
Bailey  was  twice  married,  his  second  wife  being  Mary  Catharine  Sipperly. 
It  is  also  worth  recording  that  a  brother  of  Abram  Stever,  named  Wash- 
ington Stever,  was  a  soldier  in  the  Union  army  and  fought  in  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac  from  the  beginning  to  the  end  of  the  war.     At  the  time  of  Mr. 


436  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

Stever's  death,  tlie  oldest  son  was  onh-  thirteen  years  of  age,  and  Mrs.  Stever 
was  left  \\ith  a  large  family,  the  youngest  of  whom  was  six  months  old. 
Aljram  Stever  was  a  Republican  in  his  political  affiliations,  but  will  best 
be  remembered  for  his  activity  in  behalf  of  the  organization  of  the  Pres- 
i)yterian  church  in  Effingham.  He  was  one  of  three  men  who  raised  the 
fund  to  ])ay  for  the  building  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  erected  in 
Effingham,  and  was  a  deacon  and  trustee,  having  been  one  of  the  only  two 
deacons  ever  installed  in  the  early  church.  He  was  active  in  church  work 
during  his  entire  life  and  was  a  thorougldy  honest,  religious  gentleman,  who 
carried  his  belief  into  his  daily  life  and  in  all  his  undertakings.  He  was 
a  good  husband,  a  kind  parent  and  an  excellent  citizen,  and  loved  by  every- 
one who  knew  him. 


REV.  Z.  S.  HASTINGS. 


Few  pioneer  citizens  of  Atchison  C( unity  have  lived  more  useful  or 
cleaner  lives  tlian  Rev.  Z.  S.  Hastings,  retired  minister  and  farmer,  of  Ef- 
fingham. Kan.  During  his  nearly  fifty  years  of  residence  in  Kansas  as  a 
farmer,  educator,  preacher,  and  statesman,  he  has  worked  continually  for  the 
well-being  of  his  neighbors  and  friends.  Without  fear  of  contradiction  it  can 
be  stated  that  Rev.  Hastings  has  jierformcd  a  greater  number  of  marriage 
ceremonies  and  officiated  at  the  funerals  of  more  deceased  residents  than 
any  minister  in  Atchison  county.  Des])itc  his  three  score  and  seventeen 
years  this  grand  old  patriarch  bears  his  age  lightly  and  takes  an  active  inter- 
est in  the  affairs  of  his  community. 

Rev.  Z.  S.  Hastings  was  born  March  15.  1838,  on  a  farm  near  Bed- 
ford, Lawrence  county,  Indiana,  a  son  of  Howell  and  Edith  (Edwards)  Hast- 
ings, natives  of  North  Carolina.  On  his  father's  side  the  family  is  of  Quaker 
origin  and  a  very  old  one  in  America.  Tlic  first  Hastings  having  been  a 
follower  of  W'illiam  Penn,  came  from  England  to  settle  in  the  Quaker  col- 
ony in  Pennsylvania.  A  descendant  of  the  first  American  Hastings,  Joshua 
by  name,  migrated  to  North  Carolina  and  there  founded  another  branch  of 
the  family.  Here  in  the  Southland,  Howell  Hastings  was  reared  and  married, 
and  with  his  wife  and  two  sons  migrated  to  Indiana  to  become  one  of  the  pio- 
neer settlers  of  the  Hoosier  State.  He  died  at  his  home  in  Indiana  Decem- 
ber 25,  1854,  leaving  seven  children:  Joshua  Thomas,  deceased;  William 
Henry,  John  Arthur,  Nancy  Elizabeth,  deceased;  Zachariah  Simpson,  with 
whom  this  review  is  concerned;  Cliarlotte  Ann,  deceased;  Rufus  Wiley,  liv- 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  437 

ing  in  Arkansas.  Of  tlie  foregoing,  Joshua  Thomris  and  ^\'illiam  Ilcnry 
fought  hi  the  Union  army  during  the  late  rebeUion  of  the  Southern  States ; 
Joshua  first  fought  in  the  Home  Guards  of  Missouri,  ami,  returning  to 
Indiana  he  raised  a  company  for  service  in  the  war,  after  fighting  under 
General  Lyons  at  the  battle  of  Springfield.  He  taught  school  for  a  time 
in  Missouri,  but  returned  to  Incliaiia.  He  died  in  Kentucky.  U'illiam  Heniy 
enlisted  in  a  Missouri  regiment. 

Z.  S.  Hastings  was  educated  in  the  common  schools  of  his  native  State, 
studied  in  Indianapolis,  and  also  pursued  a  course  at  Hiram  College,  in 
preparation  for  the  Christian  ministry.  In  1857  he  went  to  ^Missouri  and 
taught  school  for  five  years,  studying  in  the  meantime  while  teaching.  In 
1862  he  returned  to  his  native  State  and  began  preaching  the  Gospel  in  the 
Christian  denomination.  He  taught  and  preached  at  the  same  time  while 
preparing  himself  further  for  the  ministry.  His  first  experience  in  the  min- 
istry was  obtained  in  i860  while  in  Missouri.  In  1867  Mr.  Hastings  came 
to  Kansas,  resided  in  Leavenworth  county  for  one  year  and  in  1868  came 
to  Atchison  county  and  located  on  a  farm  near  Farmington.  He  taught  the 
Farmington  school  for  fi\-e  years  and  preached  in  the  vicinity  of  his  home 
during  this  time.  He  cultivated  his  farm  of  130  acres  and  preached  at  the 
Farmington  church  and  in  the  surrounding  country  for  a  period  of  twenty- 
five  vears.  In  1895  he  removed  to  Effingham  and  continued  preaching 
until  1003  when  he  retired  from  active  work  in  the  ministry.  Mr.  Hastings 
was  an  excellent  fanner  as  well  as  minister  and  made  a  success  of  his  farm- 
ing operations,  having  the  distinction  of  selling  an  eighty  acre  tract  of  farm 
'and,  the  first  for  Sico  an  acre  ever  .sold  in  the  county  uj)  to  that  time.  This 
farm  was  located  east  of  Effingham,  and  was  the  first  tract  near  the  town  to 
bring  the  price  of  $100  an  acre. 

He  was  married  on  June  28,  1870,  to  ]\Iiss  Rosetta  Cutler,  and  to 
this  union  have  been  born  seven  children:  Hariy  Howell,  an  electrical  en- 
gineer, located  at  St.  Louis,  and  who  was  educated  in  Holton  College  and 
Kansas  University;  Paul  Pardee,  assistant  freight  and  passenger  agent  of 
the  Santa  Fe  railroad,  with  headquarters  at  San  Francisco ;  Otho  Ono,  a 
graduate  of  the  Atchison  county  high  school,  taught  school  for  ten  years, 
ser\'ed  as  county  superintendent  of  Atchison  county  four  years,  and  grad- 
uated from  the  Atchison  Piusiness  College,  and  is  at  present  bookkeeper  for 
Urich's  planing  mill  at  Independence,  Kan.;  Wiley  Wyatt  died  in  infancy; 
Clara  Charlotte,  deceased,  formerly  a  teacher,  wife  of  Charles  Sprong.  of 
Potter,  Kan.;  Edith  Eliza,  deceased,  who  was  also  a  public  school  teacher; 
Miln  Milton,  a  journalist  and  author,  of  New  York  City.     Milo  graduated 


438  HISTORY  OF  v\TCIIISON  COUNTY 

from  the  .Vtcliison  county  high  school,  the  State  AgTicultural  College  at 
Manhattan,  and  pursued  a  post-graduate  course  in  the  State  university. 
The  mother  of  these  children  was  born  August  5,  1844,  in  Sandusky  Plain, 
Ohio,  a  daughter  of  the  Rev.  Pardee  Butler,  a  famous  figure  in  Kansas  his- 
tor\-,  and  who  was  an  outspoken  advocate  of  the  anti-slavery  principles  dur- 
ing the  struggle  which  made  Kansas  a  free  State.  He  was  so  frank  and 
fearless  in  the  expression  of  his  views  and  so  strenuous  in  the  support  of  the 
anti-slavery  doctrine  that  his  utterances  brought  him  frequently  in  contact 
with  the  pro-slavery  men  and  border  ruffians,  and  on  one  occasion 
when  in  .\tchison  he  was  captured  by  ruffians  and  sent  down  the 
Missouri  river  on  a  raft.  Complete  details  of  the  life  and  activ- 
ities of  Pardee  Butler  are  given  in  another  chajiter  in  this  volume.  ''Pardee 
Butler's  Own  Book,"  begun  during  the  latter  part  of  his  life,  and  finished 
and  published  by  Mrs.  Hastings,  tells  of  his  life  and  adventures  in  Kansas. 
Speaking  biographically,  Mr.  Butler  was  born  March  9,  1816,  and  died 
October  20,  1888.  He  first  saw  the  light  of  day  at  Skaneateles.  N.  Y.,  and 
immigrated  with  his  parents,  Pliincas  Butler  and  wife,  whn  came  tu  Ohio  in 
1818.  Phineas  Butler  was  born  in  New  York  State.  Pardee  Butler  was 
reared  to  young  manhood  in  Ohio  and  there  married  Sybil  Carlton,  of  Sul- 
livan, Ohio,  who  was  born  July  4,  1823,  and  died  August  7,  1898.  She  was 
a  daughter  of  Joseph  Carlton,  a  native  of  Massachusetts,  who  immigrated 
to  Ohio  in  an  early  day.  In  his  boyhood,  Pardee  herded  sheep  on  San- 
dusky Plain,  and  after  his  father's  death  resided  in  Sullivan,  Ohio,  In  1850 
he  removed  to  Iowa  and  settled  on  a  farm  in  Cedar  county,  where  he  lived 
for  fi\e  years.  While  a  resident  of  Iowa  he  preached  in  Illinois  for  two 
years.  In  May  of  1855  he  set  out  for  Atchison  county,  Kansas,  on  horse- 
back and  settled  on  a  farm  at  Farmington.  For  many  years  he  served  as  a 
Christian  minister  and  conducted  farming  operations.  He  had  a  remarkably 
retentive  memory,  which  enabled  him  to  memorize  the  whole  of  the  New 
Testament  while  herding  sheep  in  Ohio.  Rev.  Butler  was  the  first  State 
evangelist  of  the  Christian  denomination  to  visit  Iowa  and  was  also  the  first 
State  evangelist  to  take  up  the  work  of  his  church  in  1\ansas.  Practically 
all  of  his  traveling  while  engaged  in  missionary  work  was  accomplished  on 
horseback.  Night  coming-  on  he  would  picket  his  horse  in  a  grassv  spot  and 
use  his  saddle  for  a  pillow.  Pardee  Butler  was  one  of  the  notable  figures 
in  the  In'story  of  Kansas,  and  will  be  remembered  as  long  as  history  endures, 
as  a  brave,  useful  and  faithful  ])atriot,  and  minister,  whose  life  was  full  of 
good  deeds  and  who  always  stood  for  the  right.     He  was  the  father  of  seven 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  439 

children:  Mrs.  Rosetta  Hastings,  Clara  Louise,  Euj^ene  Pardee,  Maria 
Corintha,  all  of  whom  died  in  infancy;  Charles  Pardee  on  the  home  fann; 
Ernest,  died  in  infanc)^ ;  George,  living  at  White  City,  Kan. 

Rev.  Hastings  has  always  been  a  stehdfast  advocate  of  prohibition,  but 
has  generally  allied  himself  politically  with  the  Republican  party  principles. 
In  1876  he  was  selected  liy  the  Republican  party  in  the  county  as  their  can- 
didate for  the  legislature,  although  at  the  time  lie  was  an  avowed  Prohibition- 
ist, and  was  elected,  serving  in  the  Kansas  legislature  during  the  ensuing 
session.  For  eighteen  years  he  served  as  a  member  of  the  school  board  in 
his  home  district,  and  was  for  six  years  a  member  of  the  Atcliison  County 
High  School  Board.  He  believes  in  education  for  the  young  to  the  fullest 
and  is  heart  and  soul  in  favor  of  giving  young  men  and  women  every  op- 
portunity to  acquire  a  higher  education,  as  is  attested  by  the  splendid  train- 
ing which  he  was  enabled  to  give  each  of  his  own  offspring.  Rev.  Hastings 
has  baptized  hundreds  of  converts  during  his  ministerial  career  and  started 
them  onward  in  tlie  better  Hfe.     His  whole  life  has  been  dedicated  for  good. 


KNUD  G.  GIGSTAD. 


Knud  G.  Gigstad,  farmer  and  breeder  of  fine  cattle,  was  born  in  Nor- 
way September  28,  1856,  and  is  a  son  of  Gulick  and  Anna  Gigstad.  He  was 
one  of  seven  children  one  of  whom  is  now  dead.  Four  of  the  boys  and  one 
daughter  are  living  in  the  United  States.  The  father  was  a  native  of  Nor- 
way and  spent  his  life  in  that  country. 

Knud  G.  Gigstad  left  Norway  at  the  age  of  twenty  to  try  his  luck  in 
America.  He  came  without  funds  and  went  to  work  as  a  farm  hand  in  Brown 
county,  Kansas.  He  remained  at  that  place  two  years  and  then  rented  160 
acres  from  his  uncle,  Benedict  Mutson.  This  was  a  profitable  venture  and 
before  long  he  was  able  tc^  Iniy  eighty  acres  of  unimproved  land  in  section 
28,  Lancaster  township,  Atchison  county,  for  which  he  paid  $16.25  an  acre. 
Mr.  Gigstad  worked  hard  to  get  his  farm  in  workable  shape,  each  year  find- 
ing him  a  little  more  prosperous,  and  finally  he  added  320  acres  to  the  farm, 
besides  436  acres  of  rice  land  in  Liberty  county,  near  Houston,  Texas. 
Eighteen  years  ago  he  built  a  large  house  on  the  farm  and  has  since  erected 
a  large  liarn  and  other  substantial  buildings.  Mr.  Gigstad  is  a  lireeder  of 
Shorthorn  cattle  and  has  made  exhiliits  at  the  American  Royal  stock  show  in 
Kansas  City,  Mo.,  and  in  19 13  was  awarded  the  prize  as  grand  champion  of 


440  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

America  on  his  Shorthorns.  Tliis  is  a  high  iionor  and  is  ample  testimony  of 
tlie  quaHty  of  Mr.  Gigstad's  stock.  He  is  an  extensive  shipper  to  all  parts 
of  the  United  States.  His  reputation  as  a  breeder  is  firmly  established  among 
cattle  men  all  over  the  country.  He  is  almost  sure  oi  one  or  two  first  prizes 
whenever  he  enters  his  cattle  in  a  fair.  Mr.  Gigstad  also  has  a  fine  three 
acre  orchard.  He  is  a  hard  working  man  and  has  succeeded  despite  great 
handicaps,  and  his  financial  success  has  not  caused  him  to  neglect  the  wel- 
fare of  his  county,  as  he  has  always  been  active  in  supporting  measures  for 
the  good  of  Atchison  county. 

He  is  married  to  Lena  Olsen,  a  native  of  Atchison  county,  and  a  daughter 
of  Herrol  and  Julia  Olsen.  She  was  born  in  1866.  Her  parents  are  natives 
of  Norway  and  her  father  was  an  early  settler  of  Atchison  county.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Gigstad  have  eleven  children:  Anna  Flattre,  of  Lancaster  township; 
Mrs.  Julia  Henz,  of  Lancaster,  Kan. :  Harry,  Clara,  Gena.  Gilbert,  Alatilda, 
Lillian,  Gladis,  Carl,  Charles,  all  living  at  home.  Mr.  Gigstad  is  a  Repub- 
lican and  a  member  of  the  Lutheran  church. 


ALBERT  BARNES  HARVEY. 

The  memory  of  a  good  and  noble  man  lingers  long  after  his  demise  in 
the  hearts  and  minds  of  those  who  knew  him  best.  The  late  .Albert  Barnes 
Harvey,  of  Muscotah,  Kan.,  during  the  course  of  a  long  and  notable  career, 
covering  over  forty  years  in  Atchison  county,  accomplished  much  in  a  material 
sense  and  left  behind  him  an  unimpeachable  record  f(ir  integrity  and  upright 
living  which  will  long  endear  his  memory  to  his  former  mortal  associates. 
He  lived  in  the  days  when  men  were  more  closely  drawn  togetlier  in  the 
great  struggle  to  create  a  State  from  a  wilderness  of  prairie  and  unpeopled 
waste,  and  did  his  part  in  the  development  of  his  adopted  county,  of  which  he 
was  one  of  the  real  pioneers.  Soldier,  farmer,  banker  and  religious  worker 
who  lived  true  to  his  ideals  as  a  man  and  citizen,  he  walked  with  the  leaders 
of  the  great  State  which  he  assisted  in  up-building. 

Albert  Barnes  Harvey  was  born  May  12,  1841,  at  \\'illiamsix)rt.  Pa.,  a 
son  of  Samuel  and  Margaret  Harvey.  His  parents  went  from  their  native 
State  to  Illinois  in  the  early  days  of  the  settlement  of  that  State,  developing 
a  fine  farm  in  Henderson  county,  Illinois.  Samuel  Harvey  prospered  in  the 
State  of  his  adoption,  reared  a  fine  family,  and  in  his  later  days  retired  to  a 
comfortable  home  in  Monmouth,  111.,  removing  to  the  city  for  the  purpose 


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HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  44I 

primarily,  of  giving  his  ciiildren  the  advantages  afforded  tliere  for  oljtaining 
a  good  school  education.  He  died  at  the  home  of  his  son  in  1  lenderson 
county  after  a  long  and  useful  life.  The  suhject  of  this  review,  Alljcrt  Barnes, 
when  a  young  man  twenty  years  of  age,  hearkened  to  the  first  call  of  Presi- 
dent Lincoln  for  troops  with  which  to  cjuell  the  rebellion  of  the  Southern 
States  and  enlisted  in  Company  G,  Tenth  infantry,  regiment  of  Illinois  volun- 
teers, and  served  faithfully  throughout  the  Civil  war.  He  was  engaged  with 
his  regiment  in  many  great  battles,  such  as  Corinth,  Island  Number  Ten,  Mis- 
sionary Ridge,  Lookout  Mountain,  Chickamauga,  Siege  of  Vicksburg,  and 
Capture  of  Atlanta,  and  took  part  in  Sherman's  famous  march  from  Atlanta 
to  the  sea  and  the  subsequent  taking  of  Savannah.  He  marched  in  the  Grand 
Review  at  Washington,  D.  C,  and  was  mustered  out  of  the  service  July  12, 
1865.  He  then  returned  home  and  engaged  in  the  peaceful  pursuit  of  farm- 
ing until  1874,  when  he  came  to  Kansas  and  settled  on  a  farm  southwest  of 
Muscotah.  This  farm  was  only  partially  improved  at  the  time  of  his  pur- 
chase and  he  improved  and  cultivated  it  until  1880,  at  which  time  he  came  to 
Muscotah  and  engaged  in  the  hardware  business  in  partnershii)  with  A.  J. 
Harwi ;  later  he  was  in  partnership  with  F.  S.  Roberts,  who  was  succeeded 
by  \\".  C.  Allison.  In  i8yo  he  l;ecanie  associated  with  J.  H.  Calvert  in  the 
banking  business  at  Muscotah,  he  and  his  partner  purchasing  the  bank  founded 
by  George  Storch  and  changing  the  name  to  the  Muscotah  Exchange  Bank. 
This  bank  was  later  changed  to  the  Muscotah  State  Bank  and  is  one  of  the 
thriving  financial  concerns  of  Atchison  county,  now  incorporated  with  the 
Farmers  State  Bank.  [Mr.  Harvey  was  in  the  banking  business  for  twenty 
years  and  served  as  president  of  the  Muscotah  State  Bank,  and  was  success- 
ful in  his  business  ventures  to  such  an  extent  that  he  became  one  of  the  wealtliy 
citizens  of  the  county.  During  his  later  }ears  he  and  Mrs.  Harvey  enjoyed 
traveling  about  the  countr}-,  ihc  condition  of  his  health  becoming  such  that 
it  was  practically  necessar)-  fur  him  to  spend  his  winters  in  the  Southland. 
He  and  Mrs.  Harvey  spent  many  happy  days  in  visiting  the  battlefields  o{ 
the  South  over  which  his  regiment  had  fought  and  they  enjoyed  life  to  the 
utmost  during  those  later  years. 

-Mr.  Harvey  was  married  October  25,  1871,  at  Strongliurst,  111.,  to  INIiss 
Viola  Allison,  who  was  born  October  25,  1841,  in  ^\'ashington  count}',  Penn- 
sylvania, a  daughter  of  John  and  Margaret  (Carter)  Allison.  John  Allison 
was  born  in  Pennsxlvania  and  was  a  second  cousin  of  President  \\  illiam  Mc- 
Kinley,  whose  mother  was  an  Allison.  Margaret  Carter  Allison  was  born 
in  Scotland  and  accompanied  her  parents  to  this  country  when  twelve  years 
of  age,   where   they   settled   in   Henderson   count}',    Illinois.      I'mth   of   Mrs. 


442  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

Harvey's  parents  died  in  Illinciis,  and  a  brother,  John  C,  who  enlisted  in 
the  Union  army  at  the  age  of  seventeen  years,  died  at  Ft.  Donelson.  An 
older  brother,  Hugh,  also  served  in  the  L'nion  army,  and  a  half  brother,  W.  C. 
Allison,  now  of  Horton,  resided  in  Muscotah  for  many  years  and  was  one 
of  the  pioneer  business  men  of  the  city.  The  Allison  family  is  a  very  old  and 
numerous  one  of  Scotch  descent.  No  children  came  to  bless  this  happy  wed- 
ded life  of  Albert  H.  and  Viola  Harvey,  but  they  reared  two  adopted  daugh- 
ters, who  are  now  established  in  comfortable  homes  of  their  own.  namely : 
Lela,  wife  of  A.  P.  Bishop,  of  Topeka,  now  a  farmer  living  southwest  of 
Muscotah,  and  Lula,  wife  of  E.  H.  Purdy,  of  Kansas  City,  Mo.  Mrs.  Bishop 
lias  four  children  :  Albert.  George,  Dorothy  and  Ruth.  ]\[rs.  Harvey  spends 
the  spring  and  summer  seasons  in  her  beautiful  residence  in  Muscotah  and 
invariably  travels  in  the  South  during  tlie  winter.  Mr.  Harvey  retired  from 
active  banking  pursuits  in  1910. 

Mr.  Harvey  was  a  member  of  the  Congregational  church  at  Muscotah 
and  served  as  deacon  of  the  church  from  1898  until  his  demise,  on  Monday, 
July  22,  1912.  For  many  years  he  was  superintendent  of  the  Sunday  school 
and  was  very  fond  of  young  people,  nothing  giving  him  more  pleasure  than 
to  gather  about  him  a  group  of  intelligent  young  folks  with  whom  he  was 
always  at  his  best.  He  took  a  keen  interest  in  church  and  Sunday  school  work 
and  endeavored  to  follow  the  precepts  of  the  Greatest  of  All  Teachers  during 
all  the  days  of  his  long  and  useful  life.  He  was  ]irnininent  in  Masonic  and 
Odd  Fellows  lodge  circles  and  served  as  worshipful  master  of  the  Muscotah 
Masons  on  two  occasions.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the 
Republic.  He  was  a  Republican  in  politics  and  took  a  keen  interest  in  the 
political  and  civic  affairs  of  Atchison  count)',  serving  three  terms  as  a  member 
of  tlie  .\tchison  County  Higli  School  loard  and  a  term  as  mayor  of  his  home 
city.  Many  of  the  distinguished  men  of  Atchison  and  the  State  of  Kansas 
were  his  personal  friends,  among  them  being  the  late  Governor  George  W. 
Click,  with  wlioni  he  sjicnt  a  winter  in  l'"lorida,  Ex-Covernor  W.  j.  i'.ailey, 
and  the  late  Judge  Horace  M.  Jackson,  of  Atchison.  He  was,  withal,  a  home 
and  church  man  above  everything  else.  He  loved  his  home  and  his  family 
and  was  hospitable  to  the  core  of  his  being,  always  ready  to  entertain  friends 
or  even  strangers  at  his  board,  jolly  and  big-hearted,  always. 


MARTIN  KLEIN. 
.Martin  Klein,  living  a  retired  life  in  the  town  of  Potter,  Atchison  county, 
Kansas,  at  tlie  advanced  age  of  four  score  and  two  years,  is  one  of  the  oldest 
of  the  Kansas  pioneers,  who  for  over  sixty-one  years  of  his  long  life  has 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 


443 


lived  in  the  Sunflower  State,  and  has  seen  the  steam  railway  take  the  place 
of  the  overland  freight  trains,  hauled  by  oxen  and  mules,  and  has  witnessed 
the  automobile  superseding  the  farm  wagon  and  horse  and  buggy  as  a  means 
of  transportation.  On  his  lonely  claim  in  the' north  part  of  Leavenworth 
county,  near  Potter,  he  could  see  the  great  trains  passing  along  the  Ft.  Riley 
road  from  Leavenworth  to  Salt  Lake;  he  remembers  the  dread  visitation  of 
the  grasshoppers  in  the  seventies,  wlien  the  "hoppers"  came  in  dense  clouds, 
ate  up  all  the  growing  crops  and  left  devastation  and  desolation  in  their 
wake.  Martin  Klein  is  one  of  the  best  known  of  the  old-timers  in  this  sec- 
tion of  Kansas  and  took  an  active  part  in  the  slavery  contest  which  was  bit- 
terly waged  on  Kansas  soil,  and  nearly  gave  his  life  in  defense  of  his  prin- 
ciples, later  to  shoulder  a  musket  in  defense  of  his  adopted  country. 

Alartin  Klein  was  born  March  2.  1833,  in  Alsace-Lorraine,  a  son 
of  Peter  and  Teresa  (Miers)  Klein,  both  of  whom  were  born  and  reared  in 
Alsace-Lorraine,  and  were  of  ancient  French  extraction.  When  Martin  was 
fourteen  years  of  age,  his  parents  in  1847,  left  their  native  land  and  im- 
migrated to  Oneida  county.  New  York,  where  they  settled  on  a  farm  near 
Rome.  The  elder  Klein  prospered  in  the  land  of  his  adoption  and  Martin 
grew  up  imbued  with  American  ideals,  along  with  the  other  five  children 
of  the  Klein  family.  Martin  was  the  youngest  of  a  family  of  six  children 
born  to  Peter  and  Teresa  Klein.  Three  brothers  of  Mrs.  Klein,  Joseph 
Miers,  and  two  others,  were  soldiers,  who  served  under  Napoleon  Bonaparte, 
and  were  members  of  the  Grand  Army  of  Napoleon  which  marched  to  the 
siege  of  Moscow.  Two  of  the  brothers  were  killed  at  Moscow,  and  Joseph 
was  one  of  the  few  out  of  the  many  thousands  of  soldiers  who  lived  to 
return  home  and  tell  about  the  ill-fated  expedition  which  cost  Napoleon  his 
grand  army. 

In  the  fall  of  1854,  Martin  Klein  left  his  old  home  in  New  York  and 
set  out  for  Kansas,  to  grow  up  with  the  country.  He  arrived  in  Leaven- 
worth on  September  18  of  that  year,  and  lost  no  time  in  taking  up  a  claim 
in  Leavenworth  county,  which  ser\'ed  as  his  home  until  1900,  when  he  re- 
tired to  a  comfortable  home  in  the  town  of  Potter.  Six  years  after  his 
arrival  in  Kansas  he  married  Miss  Paulina  Hawley,  whom  he  espoused  on 
March  29,  i860.  She  was  a  daughter  of  Francis  H.  and  Louise  Hawley, 
both  of  whom  were  natives  of  old  Virginia,  and  were  early  settlers  in  Ken- 
tucky, where  Mrs.  Klein  was  born  November  12,  1826.  She  departed  this 
life  January  4,  1907,  in  Potter,  Kan.  She  was  a  loving  and  faithful  help- 
meet to  Mr.  Klein  for  forty-seven  years,  and  endured  with  him  many  hard- 
ships incident  to  the  pioneer  life  in  Kansas. 


444  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

When  Mr.  Klein  first  came  to  Kansas  in  1854,  the  turmoil  and  the  bor- 
der warfare  waged  lietween  the  pro-  and  anti-slavery  forces,  was  just  begin- 
ning, and  he,  being  a  pronounced  anti-slavery  man,  was  tlirown  into  the 
thick  of  the  fight.  He  was  an  accurate  marksman  with  tlie  revolver,  and 
often  found  occasion  to  make  use  of  his  ability  with  the  pistol.  He  was  so 
active  in  his  work  in  behalf  of  the  Free  State  party  that  he  was  marked 
for  vengeance  by  border  ruffians.  An  occasion  whicli  is  memorable,  and 
marked  the  savagery  of  this  warfare,  is  worth  recording :  "On  a  Sunday  in 
the  spring  of  1S56,  when  Mr.  Klein  was  at  church,  three  strangers  came  to 
church,  ostensibly  to  buy  corn  from  him.  After  the  bargain  had  been  struck, 
and  he  had  agreed  to  sell  the  men  the  corn  wanted,  they  insisted  on  him 
accompanying  them  to  Easton,  Kan.,  in  order  to  get  his  pay  for  the  corn. 
This  Klein  refused  to  do.  During  the  parley  one  of  the  men  had  kept  a 
hand  hid  under  his  coat  on  the  plea  that  he  had  a  sore  member.  Tlie  wind 
blowing  the  coat  flap  to  one  side.  Klein  noticed  that  the  man  was  concealing 
a  revolver  in  his  hand.  They  finally  showed  him  a  warrant  for  his  arrest. 
He  then  knew  that  his  life  was  in  danger,  and  again  refused  to  accompany 
the  men  to  Easton.  He  turned  to  go  back  to  tlie  church  and  thc}-  opened 
fire  on  him,  firing  eight  shots  in  all,  four  of  which  took  effect  in  his  bod)', 
one  shot  striking  him  in  the  head,  one  in  the  side,  and  one  in  the  hip.  He 
fell  to  the  ground  and  the  ruffians  rode  away,  leaving  him  for  dead.  Hap- 
pily, the  wounds  were  not  fatal,  and  he  recovered,  and  lived  to  see  tiie  final 
triumph  of  the  catise  which  he  loved,  and  for  which  he  had  sacrificed  his 
jieace  and  nearly  lost  his  life  in  advocating.  During  those  early  days  Mr. 
Klein  served  as  constable  and  deputy  sheriff  ami  was  constantly  in  danger 
of  his  life.  In  the  fall  of  1S56,  he  and  others  of  the  Free  State  men  deemed 
it  prudent  to  leave  their  homes  and  go  to  Lawrence,  Kan.,  where  they  joined 
the  citizen  army,  which  was  lieing  organized  in  defense  of  Free  State  prin- 
ciples. He  took  part  in  several  incipient  battles  and  scraps  with,  the  pro- 
slaverv  advocates  during  those  years,  and  when  the  war  broke  out  he  en- 
rolled in  the  Kansas  militia  and  fought  in  Captain  Baird's  company  wlicn  it 
marched  to  battle  against  General  Price's  anny  of  invasion. 

Mr.  Klein  has  a  keen  remembrance  of  his  first  day  in  Kansas,  when 
he  walked  a  distance  of  twenty-four  miles  from  Ft.  T.eavenworth  to  find  his 
brother-in-law,  Charles  C.  Foster.  He  was  all  day  finding  Foster's  claim. 
Starting  out  without  his  breakfast,  he  lost  his  way,  and  it  was  8  o'clock 
that  night  before  he  arrived  at  his  destination,  footsore,  weary  and  hungry. 
The  prairie  grass  in  those  days  grew  as  high  as  a  man's  head  in  the  bottom 
lands,  and  was  knee  high  on  the  uplands,  and  the  richness  of  the  soil  was 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  445 

apparent  to  a  man  brought  up  on  a  farm.  From  liis  cabin  door  Mr.  Klein 
could  look  out  in  the  distance  and  see  the  old  Ft.  Riley  trail  which  led  from 
Ft.  Leavenworth  to  Salt  Lake.  One  morning  on  arising  he  saw  eighty  cov- 
ered wagons  standing  on  the  trail,  each  of  which  had  hitched  to  it  six  yoke 
of  oxen.  Tiiis  was  a  sight  worth  seeing  and  entertaining  to  a  plainsman, 
being  an  indication  of  the  onward  march  of  civilization  as  it  moved  ever 
westward.  On  one  occasion  while  serving  as  an  officer  of  the  law,  Mr.  Klein 
was  sent  to  the  cabin  of  Jim  Foster,  a  noted  border  desperado,  to  effect  his 
arrest,  but  Foster  was  absent  at  the  time  fnim  his  home  on  the  bluffs  over- 
looking Big  Stranger  creek.  After  the  war  was  over.  Mr.  Klein  settled 
down  to  farming  and  peacefully  tilled  his  acres  until  his  retirement  to  Pot- 
ter. He  took  an  active  and  influential  part  in  the  affairs  of  his  community, 
and  has  always  been  allied  with  the  Republican  party,  never,  however,  hav- 
ing been  a  seeker  after  political  preferment,  and  never  held  office  except  the 
post  of  school'  director  in  his  district. 


BARNEY   CUMMINS. 


Barney  Cummins,  farmer  and  trustee  of  Mt.  Pleasant  township,  Atchison 
county,  was  born  in  Atchison  Deceml^er  17,  ICS59.  a  son  of  Patrick  and  Mary 
(Faulkner)  Cummins,  the  former  a  native  of  Roscommon  county,  and  the 
latter  a  native  of  County  Caven,  L-eland.  Both  came  to  America  from  their 
native  land  when  young,  and  met,  and  were  married  in  Philadelphia.  After 
their  marriage  they  went  to  Wisconsin  and  lived  there  one  year  and  then 
came  to  Atchison,  Kan.  Patrick  was  employed  on  a  Missouri  river  steam- 
boat for  a  time,  saved  his  money  and  moved  to  a  farm,  which  he  rented 
for  aliout  ten  years,  accumulating  sufficient  capital  to  then  purchase  a  quar- 
ter section  of  school  land  in  Mt.  Pleasant  township,  the  tract  now  known  as 
the  old  Cummins  homestead.  Patrick  Cummins  succeeded  in  his  farming 
venture  and  became  prosperous  as  the  years  passed.  During  the  Civil  war 
he  was  enrolled  as  a  member  of  the  Kansas  State  militia.  He  was  known 
as  a  I'ree  State  Democrat,  and  was  a  member  of  the  Catholic  church.  He 
died  in  1871,  and  the  widowed  mother  of  Barney  Cummins  is  still  living  at 
the  age  of  seventy-six  years,  on  the  old  home  farm.  There  were  six  children 
in  the  Cummins  family,  namely:  Barney:  Charles,  on  the  home  place;  John, 
a  farmer  in  Atchison  county:  Kathrine.  living  with  her  mother;  Mary,  wife 


446  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

of  William  Rogers,  of  Nortonville,  Kan. ;  Sophia,  wife  of  Thomas  Cavanaugh, 
of  St.  Joseph,  Mo. 

Barney  was  about  four  years  of  age  when  the  family  removed  from 
Atchison  to  the  farm  in  Mt.  Pleasant  township.  He  received  his  education 
in  the  district  school,  near  his  home,  and  has  lived  on  the  farm  all  of  his  life, 
excepting  one  year  spent  in  Atchison.  Mr.  Cummins  recollects  with  sad- 
ness the  severity  of  the  early-day  teachers  as  compared  with  the  teachers  of 
today.  He  recalls  that  he  was  frequently  given  his  choice  of  punishments, 
wliich  included  either  having  his  ears  cut  off,  or  take  a  sound  whipping  with 
a  great  gad.  This  badly  frightened  him,  and  he  also  remembers  how  the 
teacher  jerked  a  big  boy  from  his  seat  and  threw  him  unconscious  to  the 
floor  of  the  school  room.  Happily,  the  days  of  brute  strength  control  of 
pupils  in  the  schools  is  past,  and  a  new  and  laetter  era  of  kindness  and  for- 
bearance has  dawned,  years  since.  Mr.  Cummins  is  the  owner  of  loo  acres 
of  well  improved  land  and  is  a  progressive  farmer. 

He  was  married  January  g,  1882,  to  Sarah  Maylen,  a  daughter  of 
Joseph  and  Elizabeth  Maylen.  The  father  was  a  native  of  Canada,  and  the 
mother  was  born  in  Liverpool,  England,  their  children  being  a  product  of  the 
intermarriage  of  French,  English  and  Welsh  ancestry.  Joseph  Maylen  was  a 
French  Canadian  and  his  wife  was  of  Welsh  and  English  descent.  They 
came  to  Kansas  in  the  early  days  and  settled  on  a  farm  in  Doniphan  county. 
Four  children  have  been  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cummins :  William,  living  at 
Potter,  Kan.;  Ella,  wife  of  Luther  Blodgett,  a  farmer  in  .\tcliison  county; 
.Anna,  wife  of  Harry  Linsey,  living  in  Atchison  county;  Joseph,  at  home 
with  his  parents.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cummins  have  reared  all  of  their  children 
on  the  farm  upon  which  they  have  lived  continuously  since  their  marriage. 

Mr.  Cummins  is  affiliated  with  the  Modern  Woodmen  lodge  of  Potter, 
and  is  a  member  of  the  Catholic  church.  He  is  a  Democrat  of  the  old  school, 
•'.nd  since  attaining  his  majority  he  has  taken  a  more  or  less  active  part  in 
political  affairs.  He  has  served  several  terms  as  trustee  of  Mt.  Pleasant 
township,  and- it  can  be  said  of  him  that  no  man  ever  filled  the  office  more 
capably  or  administered  the  affairs  of  the  township  to  better  advantage  or 
more  economically  and  honestly  than  Barney  Cummins.  He  was  first  elected 
to  the  office  in  1892,  again  in  1907,  then  in  1908  and  again  in  1912,  being 
re-elected  in  1914.  As  trustee,  Mi.  Cummins  has  the  supervision  of  eight 
schools'  in  his  township,  including  the  graded  high  school  of  Potter.  He 
is  a  faithful  and  conscientious  public  official  in  whom  the  people  impose 
every  trust. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  447 

ALVA  CLAPP. 

Alva  Clapp,  president  of  tlie  retail  hardware  company  which  bears  his 
name,  has  been  engaged  in  business  on  Commercial  street  in  .\tchison  since 
May,  1907.  At  that  time  he  purchased  the  retail  store  of  a  local  wholesale 
firm,  and  has  made  a  pronounced  success  of  the  venture,  [t  is  one  of  the 
most  attractive  and  well  stocked  stores  of  the  city  and  is  well  patronized. 
Mr.  Clapp  is  popular  with  his  patrons  and  the  citizens  of  Atchison  generally. 
He  takes  an  active  part  in  city  affairs  and  is  especially  interested  in  the  public 
school  system.  Having  been  a  teacher  before  he  became  a  merchant,  he  has 
never  lost  interest  in  the  schools,  and  is  now  the  president  of  the  Atchison 
city  board  of  education. 

Mr.  Clapp  was  born  August  23,  1868.  at  Carthage,  Mo.  He  is  a  son  of 
Isaac  and  Susan  B.  (Eckler)  Clapp.  natives  of  North  Carolina  and  Illinois, 
respectively.  Isaac  Clapp  emigrated  from  North  Carolina  to  Danville,  111., 
when  a  young  man.  and  married  in  his  adopted  State.  His  parents  were  slave 
owners  in  the  southland,  and  he  himself  owned  slaves,  but  having  a  pro- 
nounced distaste  for  the  institution  of  slavery  he  disposed  of  his  human  chat- 
tels and  moved  to  the  North.  After  a  residence  of  some  years  in  Illinois,  he 
located  in  Carthage,  Mo.,  and  owned  a  farm  in  Jasper  county  which  he  cul- 
tivated. In  1875  h^  removed  to  Cheri7vale,  Kan.,  and  invested  in  a  tract 
.of  land  near  that  city.     Here  he  resided  until  his  death  in  October,   1913. 

Alva  Clapp  received  his  education  in  the  schools  of  Cherryvale,  Kan.,  and 
began  teaching  school  when  a  very  young  man.  He  taught  two  terms  in  a 
district  school  and  served  for  two  years  as  high  school  principal.  He  had  a 
liking  for  business  and  obtained  his  first  experience  in  the  retail  hardware 
trade  in  a  store  at  Conway  Springs,  Kan.,  from  1891  to  1900,  or  a  period  of 
ten  years.  He  then  traveled  for  two  years  in  the  interest  of  a  local  wholesale 
hardware  company  and  was  then  employed  for  five  years  in  the  various  de- 
partments of  the  local  concern.  In  1907  he  organized  the  Alva  Clapp  Hard- 
ware Company  and  purchased  the  retail  department  of  the  Blish,  Mize  & 
Silliaman  Company  of  Atchison.  Mr.  Clapp  has  given  evidence  of  a  pro- 
nounced aptitude  for  business  affairs,  and  faithfully  attends  to  the  numerous 
details  which  require  the  undivided  attention  of  the  proprietor  of  a  thriving 
concern,  such  as  is  in  his  charge. 

He  was  married  in  September  of  1896  to  Beatrice  Kathrine  De  Haven, 
of  Wichita,  Kan.  They  had  one  child,  Harold  De  Haven,  who  died  at  the 
age  of  one  and  one-half  years.  Mr.  Clapp  refers  to  Mrs.  Clapp  as  his  part- 
ner in  the  business  and  his  best  and  most  competent  assistant.    Mrs.  Clapp  is 


448  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

not  only  a  good  wife  and  socially  active  in  the  city,  but  she  takes  a  just  pride 
in  assisting  her  husband  in  making  a  success  of  his  business.  Mr.  Clapp  is 
politically  allied  with  the  Republican  party  and  has  served  for  fourteen  years 
as  a  member  of  the  school  board.  During  his  period  of  service  as  a  member 
of  the  board  the  school  system  of  Atchison  has  made  its  greatest  advances, 
and  the  high  school  has  achieved  considerable  prestige.  New  buildings  have 
been  erected  to  accommodate  the  growing  needs  of  the  school  system,  and 
others  are  in  course  of  erection.  All  of  these  improvements  have  received 
the  hearty  support  of  Mr.  Clapp  and  he  enjoys  the  respect  and  esteem  of 
his  brother  members  to  such  an  extent  that  when  the  presidency  of  the  board 
became  vacant  he  was  elected  to  the  position.  He  was  also  recently  elected 
treasurer  of  the  Commercial  Club  of  Atchison,  another  city  boosting  organi- 
zation in  which  he  is  a  prominent  figure.  Mr.  Clapp  is  affiliated  with  the 
Modern  ^Voodmen  and  the  Elks  lodges. 


HON.  GEORGE  STORCH. 


One  of  the  notable  and  influential  figftu-es  of  the  first  and  second  decades 
in  the  histun-  of  Atchison  county  was  the  late  George  Storch,  of  .\tchison. 
He  came  to  Kansas  when  the  State  was  in  its  infancy  of  development  and  was 
a  pioneer  merchant  of  old  Kcnnekuk,  becoming  in  turn  a  merchant,  banker, 
statesman,  and  was,  withal,  dnc  of  the  most  useful  citizens  of  Atchison  county 
of  whom  the  reviewer  has  iiad  opjiortunity  to  write.  Mr.  Storch  was  a  pio- 
neer with  a  vision  which  enabled  him  to  see  far  ahead  into  the  future.  This 
\ision,  coupled  with  faith  in  tlie  eventual  prosperity  of  Kansas,  led  him  to 
invest  heavily  in  farm  lands  which  made  him  one  of  the  wealthy  citizens  of 
Kansas  prior  to  his  demise.  For  nearly  lialf  a  century,  Mr.  Storch  was  closely 
identified  with  the  financial  and  civic  life  of  Atchison  county,  and  twice  rep- 
resented the  county  in  the  halls  of  the  State  legislature,  each  time  acquittin.g 
himself  with  credit  and  honor. 

George  Storch  was  born  near  Poppen-Hausen,  Bavaria,  Germany,  Feb- 
ruary 22,  1835.  and  was  a  son  of  Thomas  and  Margaret  (Breitung)  Storch. 
Thomas,  the  father,  was  a  farmer  and  linen  dealer  in  his  native  locality  and 
was  considered  fairly  well  to  do.  George  was  reared  to  young  manhood  in 
his  native  land  and  received  a  good  common  school  education.  When  seven- 
teen years  of  age  he  determined  to  cross  the  seas  and  seek  his  fortune  in 
America.     In  accordance  with  this  determination  he  embarked  on  a  sailing 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  449 

vessel  wliicli  laiuled  him  at  New  Orleans.  From  this  southern  city  he  made 
his  way  bj'  river  steamer  np  the  Mississippi  and  Missouri  rivers  to  Herman, 
Mo.  Here  he  joined  a  brother  who  was  farming  in  the  neighborhood  and  who 
assisted  George  in  securing  employment  on  a  nearby  farm.  He  worked  at 
farm  labor  in  Missouri  for  some  years  and  in  April,  1859,  he  came  to  Atchi- 
son, Kan.  This  city  did  not  offer  much  inducement  for  the  ambitious  young 
man  and  he  was  desirous  of  engaging  in  the  mercantile  business.  Kennekuk, 
in  the  north  central  part  of  the  count}-,  was  then  in  the  hey-da\-  of  its  pros- 
perity and  seemed  to  offer  a  better  location  than  Atchison.  After  a  few 
months'  stay  in  Atchison  he  went  to  Kennekuk  and  opened  a  general  merchan- 
dise store  with  the  capital  which  he  had  saved  while  working  on  the  farms  in 
Missouri.  He  was  successful  from  the  start  and  his  judgment  in  the  matter 
of  Kennekuk  being  an  excellent  business  location  proved  correct.  Kennekuk 
was  at  that  time  a  ])rosperou.s  and  thri\-ing  village  located  on  the  overland 
mail  and  emigrant  route  and  the  Storch  store  made  money  for  its  owner  to 
such  an  extent  th'it  he  was  enabled  to  branch  out  and  invest  in  lands  and 
engage  in  the  banking  business.  Mr.  Storch  justified  liis  faith  in  his  adopted 
State  by  investing  heavily  in  lands  which  have  greath-  increased  in  wilue  since 
his  original  purchase  of  the  same.  In  the  early  days  of  the  development  of 
the  West,  the  railroad  companies  were  granted  large  tracts  of  farm  lands 
along  the  right  of  way  by  the  Federal  Government.  These  tracts  were  placed 
on  sale  l^y  the  railroads,  and  were  .sold  for  very  low  prices  and  easy  terms 
in  order  to  induce  settlers  to  locate  in  the  regions  being  developed.  Mr. 
Storch  took  advantage  of  the  low  jirices  of  the  farm  lands  and  invested  hcavih'. 
This  property  comprised  many  thousands  of  acres  which  have  since  increased 
enormously  in  value  over  and  above  the  original  purchase  price.  Kennekuk 
had  its  day,  and  the  time  came  when  the  decline  of  the  village  was  inevitable 
owing  to  the  building  of  the  Central  Branch  railway  out  of  Atchison,  and 
which  passed  to  the  southward  of  Kennekuk.  Mr.  Storch  saw  the  time  com- 
ing when  the  once  flourishing  inland  village  would  be  no  more,  and  in  1867 
he  removed  to  Atchison  and  managed  his  large  farming  interests  from  this 
city. 

Upon  his  removal  to  Atchison  he  immediately  became  identified  with  the 
leading  financial  interests  of  the  city  and  in  1S73  organized  the  (jerman  Sav- 
ings Bank  which  was  for  many  years  one  of  the  strong  financial  institutions 
of  the  city.  He  was  also  identified  with  the  first  bank  established  in  Mus- 
cotah,  Kan.  He  engaged  in  the  real  estate  and  farm  loan  business  in  Atchi- 
son and  organized  the  Eastern  Kansas  Land  and  Loan  Company,  a  concern 
which  is  still  doing  business  and  of  which  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Louisa  J.  Lips, 

29 


45°  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

is  president.  Mr.  Storch  sen-ed  as  president  of  the  German  Savings  Bank 
until  its  stock  was  purchased  by  the  United  States  National  Bank,  and  also 
filled  the  office  of  president  of  this  bank  during  the  period  of  its  existence. 
He  was  engaged  in  banking  pursuits  for  a  period  of  eighteen  years. 

He  was  married  in  1859  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Fox,  a  daughter  of  John  and 
Elizabeth  Fox,  who  removed  from  Evansville,  Ind.,  where  Mrs.  Storcli  was 
born,  to  Carroll  county,  Missouri,  and  settled  on  a  farm.  Two  children 
blessed  this  union  of  George  and  Elizabeth  Storch:  George  H.,  who  will  be 
remembered  as  a  bright,  intelligent  and  capable  Atchison  citizen  and  who  was 
associated  with  his  father  in  business  for  several  years,  and  died  in  July,  191 1, 
and  Louisa  Justina,  widow  of  Oscar  Lips.  Mrs.  Storch  died  in  February, 
1905,  and  almost  three  years  later  followed  the  demise  of  the  husband  and 
fatlier,  who  departed  this  life  in  January,  1908.  Oscar  Lips  and  Louisa  Jus- 
tina Storch  were  married  in  1891,  and  that  union  was  blessed  with  a  son, 
Charles,  torn  in  October,  189O.  Charles  Lips  received  his  primary  education 
in  the  public  schools  of  Atchison,  his  preparatory  work  in  the  Culver,  Ind., 
Military  Academy,  and  is  now  pursuing  a  collegiate  course  in  the  Kansas 
University  at  Lawrence.  Oscar  Lips  was  born  in  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  a  son  of 
Dr.  Charles  August  Lips,  a  former  practicing  physician  of  St.  Louis,  and 
who  was  of  German  descent.  Oscar  was  reared  and  educated  in  his  native 
city,  and  when  a  young  man  engaged  in  the  wholesale  drug  business.  His  de- 
mise occurred  in  Atchison,  August,  1905. 

George  Storch  was  a  Republican  in  politics  and  took  an  active  and  in- 
fluential part  in  political  affairs  during  his  long  years  of  residence  in  Kansas. 
Not  long  after  establishing  himself  in  business  at  Kennekuk  he  became  jiost- 
master  of  the  town,  and  assisted  in  establishing  the  first  union  school  in  the 
village,  serving  as  a  member  of  the  board  of  education  which  had  charge  of 
this  school.  Tile  Hortoii  HcadligJit  has  the  following  historical  account  of 
this  school  in  an  issue  of  August,  1905,  in  part :  "The  old  stone  school  house 
was  not  the  first  school  building  in  the  Kennekuk  neighborhood,  but  it  was 
the  first  substantial  one  in  this  part  of  the  country  and  marks  an  important 
epoch  in  its  development.  It  was  built  in  1S67.  It  was  a  joint  district,  eight 
miles  north  and  south.  The  west  line  was  the  road  between  Atchison  and 
Jackson  counties.  A  strip  of  country  two  miles  wide  and  eight  miles  long 
was  in  Atchison  county  and  a  corresponding  trip  of  country  was  just  over 
the  line  in  Brown  count>-.  The  school  house  was  quite  a  structure  to  be  builded 
in  that  early  day,  but  the  settlers  did  not  complain  at  the  high  taxes,  since 
their  children  had  a  good  place  to  attend  school.  The  cost  was  :ibont  $3,000, 
quite  a  good  sized  sum  for  early  settlers  to  expend,  but  it  shows  their  deter- 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  451 

mination  to  provide  an  education  for  their  children.  The  first  school  board 
was  composed  of  George  Storch,  Squire  Willis  and  Henry  Claunch.     ..." 

Mr.  Storch  was  always  greatly  interested  in  the  cause  of  education  and 
after  his  removal  to  Atchison  he  served  as  a  member  of  the  Atchison  board  of 
education  and  was  president  of  this  body  for  a  time.  While  a  resident  of 
Kennekuk  he  was  elected  to  represent  Atchison  county  in  the  Kansas  legis- 
lature in  1864.  During  the  ensuing  session  he  voted  for  Gen.  James  H.  Lane 
for  United  States  senator  and  voted  to  ratify  the  fourteenth  amendment  to 
the  National  constitution.  In  1876  he  was  elected  a  member  of  the  legisla- 
ture from  the  city  of  Atchison,  and  during  the  session  following  his  election 
he  was  a  member  of  the  ways  and  means  committee  and  voted  for  P.  B.  Plumb 
for  United  States  senator.  Mr.  Storch  made  an  excellent  record  as  an  able 
and  honest  legislator,  who  had  the  best  interests  of  his  State  at  heart.  He  was 
active  in  civic  and  political  affairs  in  Atchison  and  served  as  a  member  of  the 
city  council  of  which  body  he  was  president  for  one  year,  declining  re-election 
when  his  tenn  of  office  e.xpired.  The  following  tribute  to  his  ability  as  a 
city  father  appeared  in  the  Atchison  Champion  of  April  6,  1873 :  "One  of 
the  best  councilmen  our  city  has  ever  had  leaves  that  body  after  two  years' 
service  in  it.  We  refer  to  Hon.  George  Storch,  chairman  of  the  committee  on 
improvements.  He  has  been  industrious,  independent,  and  energetic.  Hav- 
ing the  chairmanship  of  tlie  most  important  and  laborious  committee,  he  has 
given  his  time  and  attention  to  the  discharge  of  the  duties  devolving  upon 
Iiim,  and  in  tlie  decision  of  all  questions  in  the  council  he  has  exhibited  a 
clearness  of  judgment  and  a  carefulness  in  guarding  the  interests  of  tlie  city 
that  entitle  him  to  general  commendation.     He  dechned  re-election." 

Mr.  Storch  served  for  three  years  as  city  treasurer  and  exhibited  the 
same  judgment  and  careful  management, of  tlie  city"s  affairs  in  this  imunrtant 
capacity  that  has  marked  the  performance  of  his  official  duties  as  a  council- 
man and  school  trustee.  It  is  worthy  of  record  that  in  1865,  while  in  Kenne- 
kuk, he  was  elected  a  member  of  the  board  of  county  commissioners  and  served 
as  chairman  of  that  body. 

Few  pioneer  citizens  of  Atchison  lived  a  more  useful  or  busier  life  than 
he  of  whom  this  review  is  written.  The  name  of  George  Storch  figures  prom- 
inently in  the  historical  annals  of  Atchison  county  as  a  builder  and  creator  and 
an  honorable  and  upright  citizen,  who  left  behind  him  when  iiis  soul  winged 
Jts  way  beyond  the  knowledge  of  mortal  ken,  a  record  imperishable,  and  a 
name  unblemished  and  untarnished  of  which  his  descendants  may  well  be 
proud.  While  opportunities  for  achieving  fortune  and  fame  may  not  be  as 
great  at  this  day  as  they  were  in  George  Storch's  time  and  era,  the  story  of 


452  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

this  poor  Cierman  emigrant  bi>\-  who  made  his  own  way  in  Kansas  from  pov- 
erty to  affluence  and  won  an  honored  place  in  llie  liistory  of  liis  adopted'counly 
and  State  is  well  worth  reading  and  may  serve  as  an  inspiration  and  guidance 
to  others  of  the  present  and  rising  generations. 


THOMAS  BROWN. 


There  is  considerable  satisfaction  in  writing  the  life  story  of  a  man  who 
has  worked  his  wa}-  upward  from  poverty  to  a  position  of  wealth  and  in- 
fluence in  the  space  of  a  lifetime,  and  accomplished  it  all  with  his  own  strong 
arms  and  mind.  When  one  adds  to  this  accomplishment  the  rearing  of  a 
large  family  to  lives  of  usefulness,  and  to  bring  up  a  bevy  of  young  men  and 
women  to  comfort  their  parents  in  their  declining  years,  there  is  not  much 
for  any  one  individual  to  w'ish  for.  Thomas  Brown,  retired  fanner,  of 
Effingham.  Kan.,  has  done  all  of  this  and  is  the  proud  father  of  one  of  the 
largest  families  in  Atchison  county.  Had  lie  done  no  more  than  to  bring  into 
the  world  his  thirteen  children,  he  would  have  been  worthy  of  praise  and 
been  entitled  to  honorable  mention  in  this  volume,  as  a  patriotic  and  sturdy 
American  citizen.  A  native  of  the  Emerald  isle,  he  came  to  America  in  his 
youth,  and  now  ranks  as  one  of  the  Kansas  and  Atchison  county  pioneers. 

Thomas  Brown  was  born  in  the  little  village  of  Altone.  Ireland, 
and  is  a  son  of  John  and  Mary  (Dalton)  Brown.  His  birth  occurred  on 
Eebruary'  lo,  1847.  His  father  was  a  farmer  in  his  native  country,  and  made 
a  good  living  for  his  family,  later  moving  to  the  town  of  Altone  and  engag- 
ing in  the  transfer  business,  in  which  occupation  he  was  fairly  successful  and 
enabled  to  provide  for  his  family  in  comfort.  He  was  the  father  of  ten 
children,  seven  of  whom  came  to  America  to  seek  their  fortunes  in  the  land 
of  opportunity.  The  seven  who  came  across  the  ocean  were :  J-  P.  Brown, 
a  pioneer  merchant  and  capitalist,  of  Atchison,  now  deceased :  Mrs.  Bridget 
Norton,  who  died  in  191 3  at  her  home  in  Pittsfield,  Mass. ;  Mrs.  Mary  Scully, 
of  Troy,  N.  Y. ;  Mrs.  Anna  Elkhom,  of  Troy,  N.  Y. ;  Mrs.  Margaret  Hewitt, 
of  Independence.  Mo. ;  Mrs.  Kate  Waters,  deceased,  who  was  the  wife  of  a 
soldier  in  the  British  army.  The  father  of  these  ch'ldren  died  in  Ireland, 
and  the  motlier  died  in  Troy,  N.  Y. 

Thomas  Brown  emigrated  from  his  native  land  to  this  country  in  1865, 
and  hired  out  to  a  farmer  in  Orange  county.  New  York,  at  S20  per  month. 
Tlie  farm  where  he  was  employed  was  located  seventeen  miles  north  of  New- 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  453 

burg,  on  the  Hudson  river.  He  worked  there  for  two  years  an.d  carefully 
saved  his  earnings  until  he  had  $300.  With  this  capital  he  set  out  for  the 
West  and  joined  his  brother,  J.  P.  Brown,  who  was  then  located  in  .Atchison. 
His  first  employment  was  on  his  brother's  stock  farm,  located  north  of  Mon- 
rovia. Unfortunately,  he  was  taken  ill  not  long  after  his  arrival,  and  lay 
sick  for  a  long  time  with  typhoid,  all  of  his  savings  going  to  pay  for  medical 
services  and  nursing.  He  remained  on  his  brother's  farm  for  ten  years  and 
laid  by  another  stake  during  that  time.  During  this  period  he  cultivated 
three  farms,  owned  by  J.  P.  Brown,  who  did  not  require  him  to  pay  any 
rental  fees.  Even  the  taxes  were  paid  by  his  brother  who  was  only  anxious 
to  keep  the  land  in  cultivation  and  give  his  brother.  Tom,  a  start  in  the 
world.  In  the  year  1877,  Thomas,  having  saved  enough  money  to  buy  a 
farm  of  his  own,  invested  his  savings  in  a  tract  of  160  acres  of  high  prairie 
land,  northwest  of  Effingham,  in  Benton  township.  His  first  land  invest- 
ment cost  him  $2,250.  The  land  had  on  it  only  a  small  shack  which  was  soon 
replaced  Ijv  a  comfortable  home.  It  is  now  one  of  the  best  improved  places 
in  this  section  of  Kansas,  and  the  Brown  farms  are  among  the  most  pro- 
ductive in  the  whole  State  of  Kansas.  A  handsome  white  farm  house  graces 
the  home  place,  which  can  be  seen  for  miles  around,  and  it  is  quite  impos- 
ing. Mr.  Brown  prospered  as  he  deserved  and  increased  his  holdings  to 
the  grand  total  of  640  acres  of  good  Kansas  land.  The  remarkable  part 
about  his  purchases  of  land  is  that  he  paid  cash  for  every  tract  of  land 
which  he  bought  and  never  went  in  debt  for  a  single  acre.  This  land,  pur- 
chased at  varying  prices,  is  now  easily  worth  $125  an  acre.  Mr.  Brown 
carried  on  general  fanning  and  live  stock  raising  until  February  of  igii, 
when  he  turned  over  the  management  of  the  home  farm  to  his  son,  and  re- 
moved to  Effingham,  where  he  has  a  beautiful  and  comfortable  residence 
in  the  west  part  of  the  city. 

He,  of  whom  this  re\-iew  is  written,  was  married  on  October  20.  1869, 
to  Miss  Anna  Neely.  born  in  Ohio  in  1846,  a  daughter  of  Samuel  Neely, 
who  migrated  to  Atchison  county,  Kansas,  in  1868.  Sixteen  children  have 
been  born  of  this  marriage,  thirteen  of  whom  are  living,  all  of  whom  are 
married  excepting  one  daughter  and  a  son  :  John,  a  farmer,  living  near  Blue 
Rapids,  Kan. ;  Mrs.  Ida  I-'ishlmrn,  living  on  a  farm  near  Meriden,  Kan. ; 
William.  Charley,  Frank,  and  Edward,  who  are  located  on  their  father's 
ranch ;  George  lives  at  Effingham ;  Richard,  a  successful  farmer,  living  south 
of  Muscotah;  Mrs.  Pearl  Dunn,  of  Oklahoma;  Mrs.  Ethel  Smith,  residing  in 
Oklahoma:  Edith,  at  home  with  her  parents;  Mrs.  Juha  Wagner,  living  near 


454  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

Mortimer,  Kan.;  Mrs.  Mary  Kemp,  on  a  farm  near  Vermilion,  Kan.     This 
worthy  couple  have  thirty-si.x  grandchildren. 

Mr.  Brown  is  a  Republican  in  politics,  but  is  decidedly  independent  in 
his  voting  and  making  up  his  mind  concerning  political  questions  of  the 
day.  He  believes  in  supporting  tlie  man  best  qualified  to  serve  the  people  in 
a  civic  capacity,  rather  than  blindly  following  the  dictates  of  political  leaders 
or  so-called  bosses,  a  characteristic  of  the  man  in  all  of  his  conduct  through 
■life.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Effingham  Catholic  church  and  is  a  liberal  sup- 
porter of  this  denomination,  having  contributed  liberally  toward  tlie  build- 
ing of  the  local  church.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted 
Masons  lodge  and  became  a  member  of  this  lodge  in  1871.  It  is  a  matter 
of  historical  record  that  Mr.  Brown,  Willis  Walker  and  Hump.  Henderson, 
of  Effingham,  are  the  three  oldest  living  Masons  in  Atchison  county  in 
point  of  years  of  membership  in  the  order.  What  more  honor  does  a  man 
wish  than  has  l)efallen  this  Atchison  county  pioneer? 


ALBERT  H.   BL.MR. 


Albert  H.  Blair,  farmer,  of  Center  townshiii,  Atchison  county,  was 
born  March  6,  1862,  near  Astoria,  III.,  and  is  a  son  of  William  and  Alcinda 
(McCormack)  Blair.  He  was  one  of  five  children,  Daisy  being  the  only 
other  survivor.  She  resides  in  Center  township  and  is  now  Mrs.  Warner. 
Two  other  children  died  in  infancy,  and  William  died  while  living  on  the 
farm  which  Bert  now  owns.  The  father  was  liorn  May  18,  1833,  in  Browns- 
ville, Fayette  county,  Pennsylvania.  He  was  a  son  of  William  Blair,  and 
was  a  glass  cutter  while  living  in  the  East,  but  when  he  went  to  Illinois, 
he  engaged  in  farming.  Later,  he  farmed  in  Fulton  county,  Illinois.  In 
1863  he  came  to  Kansas  and  engaged  in  freighting  between  Atchison  and 
Denver,  with  his  brother,  Edward.  They  foUmved  this  exciting  occupation 
about  three  years,  and  in  that  short  time  had  many  experiences  wliich  they 
related  with  great  delight  in  after  years.  They  were  never  attacked  by  the 
Indians,  for  llie  reason  that  tlicy  drove  in  large  numbers,  with  lOO  wagons 
to  the  train,  and  the  Indians  were  shy  of  such  a  large  force.  However,  one 
night  they  thouglit  tliat  their  luck  had  changed.  Mr.  Bl.'iir  can  just  barely 
remember  the  incident,  although  his  father  has  told  it  over  so  many  times 
that  it  seems  to  him  as  if  he  remembered  the  original  incident.  One  night 
the  party  camped  on  the  trail  between  Atchison  and  Denver,   lying  asleep 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  455 

under  their  wagons.  Indians  had  been  seen  that  day  and  the  freighting 
party  was  a  little  uneasy,  and  some  of  the  more  nervous  members  feared  an 
attack.  Late  in  tlie  night  the  mules  became  frightened  and  woke  up  Mr. 
Blair.  William  Jumped  up,  and  off  in  the  dark  he  cnuld  see  a  white  object 
approaching.  The  cry  of  "Indians"  .went  out  and  rifles  were  aimed. 
William  shot,  but  could  not  hit  tlie  object.  No  one  else  could,  for  it  was 
very  dark  and  the  object  could  not  be  seen  distinctly.  The  white  object 
kept  approaching,  and  finally  took  a  definite  outline  in  the  darkness.  It 
was  a  white  steer.  One  night  when  Indians  stampeded  the  mules  of  the  train, 
William  and  a  comrade  set  out  in  pursuit  of  the  Indians  by  flaying  the  mules 
with  arrows  and  drove  them  so  fast  that  the  pursuers  caught  up  with  them 
by  hard  exertion  and  recaptured  the  horses.  These  are  typical  of  many 
narratives  which  the  elder  Blair  related  of  his  early-day  experiences  on  the 
plains,  .\fter  quitting  the  freighting  business,  he  and  his  brother  engaged  in 
milling  in  Atchison,  Kan.  Three  years  later  William  sold  his  interest  to  his 
brother,  and  started  a  livery  business.  A  year  later  he  went  to  farming  in 
Doniphan  county,  Kansas,  and  moved  from  one  farm  to  another  for  several 
years.  In  1882  he  was  elected  sheriff  of  Atchison  county  on  the  Democratic 
ticket,  and  his  first  term  was  so  successful  that  he  was  re-elected.  After  his 
term  expired  he  continued  to  live  in  Atchison  for  some  time.  He  then  bought 
160  acres  of  land  in  Center  township  and  remained  there  until  1891,  when 
he  removed  to  Effingham,  where  he  lived  in  retirement  until  his  death  in 
1899.  The  mother  of  Bert  Blair  was  lx)rn  January  11,  1S4.2,  in  Browns- 
ville, Pa.  She  is  a  daughter  of  Alonza  and  Sarah  J.  fHibbs)  McCormack, 
who  were  natives  of  Pennsylvania.  They  came  west  in  the  early  days  and 
farmed  in  Illinois  and  Iowa.  The  mother  is  now  living  with  her  daughter, 
Mrs.  Daisy  Warner,  in  Center  township,  Atchison  county. 

Bert  Blair  grew  up  on  his  fatlier's  farm  and  in  .\tchi?on,  and  was  edu- 
cated in  the  district  schools  and  the  Atchison  public  schools.  He  lived  at 
home  until  he  was  eighteen  years  of  age  when  he  engaged  in  railroading.  It 
may  liave  been  the  stories  of  his  father  about  the  travelers  that  prompted  him 
to  go  into  railroading.  At  any  rate  he  found  the  adventurous  work  to  his 
liking  and  he  worked  as  a  fireman  on  the  Missouri  Pacific  railroad  passen- 
ger train  from  Kansas  City  to  Omaha,  until  he  was  promoted  to  the  posi- 
tion of  locomotive  engineer.  His  run  was  from  Hiawatha  to  Kansas  City, 
which  was  a  division  of  the  Missouri  Pacific  then.  In  1890  he  rented  his 
father's  farm,  and  at  the  death  of  the  latter,  he  inherited  eighty  acres,  and 
he  has  since  increased  his  holdings  to  160  acres.     He  has  Iniilt  a  fine  modern 


456  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

barn  on  his  place,  50x54  feet  in  size,  with  a  capacity  of  ninety-two  tons  of 
hay,  and  was  designed  and  built  by  Mr.  Blair  himself. 

In  1886  he  married  Sarah  P.  Jeffery,  who  was  born  February  20,  1869, 
in  Missouri.  She  was  a  daughter  of  Ira  P.  and  Mary  (Farley)  Jeffery, 
both  of  whom  were  born  in  Virginia.  They  came  to  Atchison  county,  Kan- 
sas, in  the  seventies,  and  are  now  deceased.  To  Air.  and  Mrs.  Blair  have 
been  born  four  children,  as  follows :  Roberta,  deceased ;  Claude,  Effingham, 
Kan.,  married  Vera  Pittman,  of  Effingham,  and  has  one  son,  Thomas 
Albert,  who  was  bom  December  24,  1909;  William  C.  who  mar- 
ried Elsie  Stickler,  of  Lancaster,  and  has  two  sons,  Chester  Eugene,  born 
April  23,  1913,  and  Bert  William,  born  October  20,  1914.  A  daughter, 
Sarah,  died  in  infancy  in  Kansas  City.  Mrs.  Blair  died  November  20,  1915, 
and  her  remains  were  interred  in  the  cemetery  at  Lancaster.  Mr.  Blair  is  a 
Democrat.  He  attends  the  Methodist  church,  and  is  a  member  of  the  Eagles 
and  Modern  Woodmen  of  America. 


GEORGE  H.  T.  JOHNSON. 


Tiiere  is  considerable  distinction  in  being  the  oldest  practicing  physician 
in  Atchison  county,  and  this  well  merited  honor  properly  belongs  to  Dr.  George 
H.  T.  Johnson,  of  Atchison,  Kan.,  who  for  nearly  half  a  century  has  prac- 
ticed his  profession  continuously  in  the  city  with  ever  increasing  prestige  and 
success  which  has  never  abated  during  the  long  period  of  his  career.  Dr. 
Johnson  is  one  of  the  best  loved  and  well  respected  professional  men  of  the 
city  who  has  won  his  place  in  the  front  rank  of  his  profession  by  sheer  merit 
and  ability  of  a  high  order.  Despite  his  seventy-tiiree  years  of  age  he  still 
continues  to  minister  to  the  ailing  and  has  kept  abreast  of  the  wonderful 
advances  made  in  medical  science. 

Dr.  G.  H.  T.  Johnson  was  born  near  Mt.  Vernon,  Jefferson  county,  Illi- 
nois, October  15,  1842,  a  son  of  James  and  Lydia  (Cricle)  Johnson,  the 
former  a  native  of  Connecticut  and  tlie  latter  of  Illinois.  His  paternal  grand- 
father, George  Johnson,  was  a  soldier  in  the  American  army  during  the  War 
of  1812.  The  father  of  Dr.  Johnson  died  when  he  was  an  infant  and  his 
mother  departed  this  life  at  the  age  of  seventy-eight  years.  George  H.  T. 
was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Jefferson  county  and  ]\Iount  Vcnion. 
He  remained  at  home  until  the  summer  of  1862,  when  he  enlisted  in  the 
,  Union  army  as  a  member  of  Company  G,  One  Hundred  and  Tenth  regiment. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  457 

Illinois  infantry.  In  September  of  the  same  year' tin's  regiment  was  assigned 
to  the  command  of  General  Buell,  then  at  Louisville,  Ky.,  and  first  saw  action 
at  the  battle  of  Perryville,  Ky.,  Octol>er  8,  1862.  Subsequently,  the  One 
Hundred  and  Tenth  was  transferred  to  General  Rosecran's  army  and  took 
part  in  the  great  battle  of  Stone  River  and  the  campaign  which  resulted  in 
the  capture  of  Chattanooga,  and  the  great  battle  of  Chickamauga.  He  was 
under  General  Thomas  at  the  battles  of  Chattanooga,  Lookout  Mountain  and 
Missionary  Ridge.  General  Grant  in  person  directed  the  maneuvers  of  Gen- 
erals Thomas'  and  Rosecran's  combined  forces  during  these  famous  engage- 
ments. Subsequently,  his  regiment  was  assigned  to  the  cominand  of  General 
Sherman  and  served  under  Sherman  until  the  close  of  the  Civil  war.  He  took 
part  in  the  siege  and  capture  of  Atlanta  and  the  famous  March  to  the  Sea, 
which  culminated  in  the  capture  of  Savannah,  which  city  Sherman  presented 
to  President  Lincoln  as  a  Christmas  gift.  He  also  participated  in  the  cam- 
paign of  the  Carolinas  and  was  at  the  last  battle  fought  by  Sherman's  army 
at  Bentonville,  N.  C,  and  at  the  surrender  of  the  Confederate  army  under 
Gen.  Joseph  Johnston  near  Raleigh.  From  there  the  victorious  army  marched 
to  Richmond,  thence  to  Baltimore  and  on  to  Washington,  where  they  par- 
ticipated in  the  Grand  Review.  Mr.  Johnson  was  honorably  discharged  from 
the  service  and  mustered  out  June  8,  1865.  The  doctor  tells  many  anecdotes 
of  his  long  and  varied  army  experience  which  are  all  interesting  and  show 
that  he  proved  himself  not  unworthy  of  the  martial  blood  coursing  through 
his  veins  and  transmitted  from  his  grandfather. 

Upon  his  return  home  from  the  war  Mr.  Johnson  taught  one  term  of 
school  and  then  decided  to  take  up  the  study  of  medicine  and  make  the  science 
of  healing  his  life  vocation.  .Accordingly,  he  entered  the  Cleveland  Homeo- 
pathic Medical  College  and  subsequently  attended  the  Homeopathic  Medical 
College  of  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  where  he  was  graduated  February  26,  1869.  While 
a  student  at  college  he  heard  of  the  city  of  Atchison  and  was  impressed  with 
the  idea  that  it  would  be  a  good  place  to  locate.  After  looking  around  for 
a  few  weeks  he  became  convinced  that  Atchison  was  a  desirable  location  for 
a  young  physician  and  he  came  here  in  April  of  1869  and  soon  built  u])  an 
excellent  practice  which  grew  in  volume  as  the  years  went  on.  In  1885  Gov- 
ernor Martin  appointed  Dr.  Johnson  a  member  of  the  State  board  of  health, 
and  in  April  of  that  year  he  was  elected  president  of  the  board  and  retained 
the  position  for  eight  years.  He  is  president  of  the  Atchison  board  of  pension 
examiners  for  the  LTnited  States  Government  and  has  acted  in  that  capacity 
for  several  years,  his  service  as  pension  examiner  beginning  during  the  term 
of  President  Arthur  and  continuing  under  the  administrations  of  Presidents 


45!^  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

Harrison,  McKinlcy,  Roosevelt  and  Taft.  lie  always  takes  an  interest  in 
tlie  hrotliers  who  f(night  in  the  aiiny  under  the  stars  and  stripes  for  the 
preservation  of  the  American  I'nion  and  does  eventhing  in  his  power  to  aid 
the  old  soldiers.  He  is  a  charter  nienihcr  of  the  Homeopathic  Medical  Society 
of  Kansas  and  served  two  terms  as  president  of  this  society.  He  is  also  a 
meinher  and  has  been  a  senior  member  of  the  American  Institute  of  Homeo- 
pathy, the  oiliest  medical  institute  in  the  United  States.  For  many  years  he 
has  been  a  member  of  the  American  Public  Health  Association,  as  well  as 
the  County,  State,  and  American  Medical  Associations.  Fraternally,  he  is 
affiliated  with  the  Masonic  order,  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  hVllows, 
and  tlie  .\ncient  Order  of  XTnjted  Workmen,  and  has  been  a  surgeon  of  John 
.•\.  Martin  Post.  No.  03.  Grand  Army  of  the  Reimblic.  since  its  organixation, 
excepting  two  years  when  be  served  as  the  post  commandei-.  Ur.  Johnson 
is  a  man  of  wide  and  thorough  experience,  broad  and  tolerant  in  his  views, 
who  h.is  comm.uuled  tlie  ciMifidenee  and  high  esteem  of  the  people  of  Atch- 
ison and  the  sm-ronnding  countn-  during  the  many  years  m  which  he  has 
been  a  resilient  of  the  cily.  He  is  one  of  llie  best  known  men  in  the  county 
anil  holds  high  rank  as  a  physician  whose  skill  has  not  suffered  alxitement 
as  the  years  have  gone  by. 

Dr.  Charles  11.  Johnson,  his  son,  practices  with  Ins  father,  lie  is  a 
gnidu.ite  of  the  Kansas  State  ITniversily  and  completed  a  course  in  the  medi- 
cal ilepartment  of  Columbia  University,  N.  Y.,  and  also  graduated  from  the 
(."ollcge  of  riiysicians  and  Surgeons  of  Xew  York  Cily.  b'or  two  yeais  lie 
served  as  staff  physici.m  of  the  Roosevelt  Hospital  of  Xew  ^'ork  City,  where 
he  gained  a  wide  ;md  \aried  experience  in  the  practice  of  liis  profession  that 
has  pro\en  to  be  iiualuablc  lo  him  in  his  later  c.arcei'.  Since  locating  in  .\tch- 
ison  with  his  father  be  lias  built  up  a  fine  ]iractice  ami  servetl  for  ten  years  as 
.surgeon  of  the  Orphans"  Home  at  .\tchison. 


THOMAS  C.  TREAT. 


Thomas  C.  Treat,  who  is  eng.iged  in  the  investment  brokei-age  business 
in  .\tchi.>^on,  is  one  of  the  extensive  land  owners  of  .Xtchison  county.  Mr. 
Treat  is  a  native  of  Atchison  county.  lxirn  March  26.  1R65.  and  is  a  son  of 
Levi  .^.  and  Mary  O.  (Cooper)  Treat,  the  former  a  native  of  Connecticut 
.and  the  latter  of  F.ngl.iiul,  ^lary  D.  Cooper  was  born  in  I'.xeter.  Devonsliire. 
b'.ngknul.  an.l  was  ,1  daughter  of  Tboinas  and  Man-    \    Cooper,     The  Cooper 


HISTORY  OK  ATCHISON   COUNTY  459 

family  immigrated  \<>  America  wluii  Mary  I),  was  a  eliild.  'I'lie  family  eon- 
sisted  of  the  ])arents  and  tliiee  cliildreii.  Tliey  made  1'ie  trip  acrtjss  tlie 
Atlantic  in  a  sailing-  vessel,  the  voyage  taking  six  wcoks.  'I'liey  located  at 
Covington,  Ky.,  where  the  parents  spent  their  lives.  Mary  i^.  Cooper  had 
friends  living  in  Atchison,  and  came  here  in  1857,  where  she  later  met  and 
married  Levi  S.  Treat.  Levi  S.  Treat  was  lx)rn  in  Connecticnt  in  181 4,  and 
was  a  .son  of  Amos  Treat,  who  removed  with  his  family  lo  the  Western  Re- 
serve, which  compri.sed  twelve  counties  in  northeastern  Ohio.  The  Treat 
family  located  in  that  section  in  1828,  when  Levi  S.  was  fourteen  years  old, 
and  lliere  tlie  ])arents  spent  the  remainder  of  their  lives. 

When  a  young  man,  Levi  S.  Treat  was  in  the  employ  of  the  Covernment, 
l)rospecting  for  copper  in  the  Lake  Suiierior  region.  lie  was  thus  engaged 
for  eight  or  ten  years,  and  in  1856  came  to  Atchison  county.  Kansas.  .Shortly 
after  arriving  here,  he  jireempted  160  acres  of  land,  part  of  which  is  now  in- 
cluded within  the  city  limits  of  Atchison.  Here  he  followed  farming  and 
fruit  growing  in  the  early  days  and  prospered  and  acf|uired  consideralile 
land.  He  dealt  rjuite  extensively  in  real  estate  and  was  one  of  the  early  pro- 
moters of  Atchison,  and  built  the  first  brick  business  hou.se  in  that  city.  Tliis 
building  was  located  two  doors  east  of  the  Ryrum  Hotel.  Levi  S.  Treat 
was  a  successful  business  man  and  one  of  the  substantial  citizens  of  Alchi- 
.son  county.  During  the  Civil  war  I.e  was  a  colonel  of  the  Twelfth  regiment, 
Kansas  militia.  He  died  April  13,  1881,  and  his  wife  survived  him  for  sev- 
eral years,  passing  away  March  29,  19L3.  They  were  the  parents  of  six 
children,  as  follows:  Kate  married  .Samuel  K.  VVoodworth,  and  they  reside 
in  California;  Frank  resides  in  Arizona;  Thomas  C,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch;  Alice  married  George  Cuerrier,  of  Atchison,  Kan.;  Grace  married 
William  Berry,  of  Atchison,  Kan.,  and  Ethel  married  Harry  McHuff,  of 
Omaha,  Neb. 

Tliomas  C.  Treat  was  rearerl  in  AtchisfHi  and  eflucalcd  in  the  pul)lic 
schools,  and  later  attended  St.  Benedict's  College.  He  then  was  engaged  in 
fniit  growing  for  a  number  of  years,  and  in  1889  engaged  in  the  investment 
anrl  brokerage  business  in  Atchison,  and  has  continued  in  that  business  to 
the  ])resent  time.  Mr.  Treat  owns  over  1,100  acres  of  land  besides  various 
other  interests  and  investments.  He  is  one  of  the  pi<-;neer  fruit  growers  of 
.Atchison  county,  and  owns  a  fifty-acre  fruit  farm,  which  has  few  equals,  if 
any,  in  the  State  of  Kansas.  The  trees  on  this  place  arc  a1x)Ut  fifteen  years 
old,  and.  invlcr  normal  conditions,  are  very  productive.  Mr.  Treat  has  made 
an  extensive  study  of  the  fruit  business  and  has  developed  a  scientific  system 


460  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

of  treating  his  trees.     He  was  the  first  fmit  man  in  Atchison  county  to  use 
the  spray  method,  and  he  has  been  very  successful  in  the  fruit  business. 

Mr.  Treat  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  tlie  Union  Trust  Company, 
which  was  later  merged  into  the  Exchange  State  Bank,  and  has  been  a  direc- 
tor, or  other  officer,  in  that  institution  since  its  organization.  He  is  also  a 
stockholder  in  the  Exchange  State  Bank.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Benevolent 
and  Protective  Order  of  Elks,  and  is  one  of  the  progressive  and  public  spir- 
ited citizens  of  Atchison  county. 


CHARLES  H.   FUHRMAN. 


Charles  H.  Fuhrman,  farmer  and  stockman,  of  Lancaster  township,  Atch- 
ison county,  Kansas,  was  born  in  Schleasien,  Germany,  December  13,  1852. 
He  is  a  son  of  Ernst  and  Louise  (Heine)  Fuhrman,  and  is  their  only 
child.  The  father  was  married  again,  however,  and  to  his  second  wife,  Jo- 
hanna Gerlach,  twelve  children  were  born,  as  follows :  Ernst,  Atchison,  Kan. ; 
Caroline  (Dierking),  Dodge  City,  Kan.;  Louise  (Repstein),  Jefferson 
county,  Kansas;  William,  St.  Joseph,  Mo.;  Reinhold,  farmer,  Lancaster 
township,  Atchison  county,  Kansas ;  Julius,  Doniphan  county,  Kansas ;  Trau- 
got,  Center  township,  Atchison  county ;  Herman,  Lancaster  township,  Atch- 
ison county;  Paul,  Center  township,  Atchison  county;  Emma  (Schwope), 
Center  township.  Two  children  died  in  infancy.  The  father  was 
born  in  Germany  July  8,  1826,  and  in  1872  came  to  America 
and  settled  in  Atchison  county,  Kansas,  where  he  bought  160  acres 
of  land  in  section  16,  Lancaster  town.ship.  Tliis  was  timber  and 
prairie  land  and  there  was  only  a  small,  poorly  built  house  on  it  at  the  time, 
but  during  the  twenty  years  wliich  he  owned  it  he  built  several  substantial 
buildings  and  made  numerous  improvements.  He  then  sold  the  place  to  his 
son,  Herman,  and  removed  to  Lancaster,  where  he  lived  in  quiet,  well-earned 
retirement  for  five  years,  when  he  went  to  live  with  his  son,  Paul,  in  Cen- 
ter town.ship.  where  he  died  September  2,  19 13.  The  mother,  Louise  (Heine) 
Fuhrman,  died  in  Germany  when  a  young  woman  in  1852.  Charles  Fuhr- 
man's  step-mother,  Joehanna  (Gerlach)  Fuhrman,  was  bom  in  Germany,  and 
is  now  living  witii  her  daughter,  Emma,  in  Center  township,  Atchison  county, 
in  her  eighty-fifth  year. 

Charles  Fuhrman  left  Germany  with  his  parents  when  he  was  nineteen 
years  of  age.     He  had  received  his  education  under  the  German  system,  and 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  461 

had  been  taught  the  carpenter's  trade,  but  never  followed  this  occupation 
after  lie  came  to  America.  He  remained  with  liis  parents,  helping  his  father 
on  the  farm  in  Lancaster  townsliip  until  he  was  twenty-five  years  old, 
when  he  bought  i6o  acres  of  land  in  section  i8,  Lancaster  township.  When 
he  took  possession  tlie  farm  had  mi  improvements,  and  he  first  built  a  house 
and  a  barn,  and  added  other  improvements  and  conveniences.  He  acquired 
more  land  until  he  now  owns  390  acres,  including  eight  acres  of 
fine  timlier  land  on  his  home  place  and  ten  acres  of  timber  oh 
the  farm  which  he  rents.  He  has  stocked  his  farm  with  graded  animals.  Be- 
sides his  real  estate  investments,  Mr.  Fuhrman  is  a  shareholder  in  the  Huron 
Telephone  Company.  He  was  married  in  1878  to  Louise  Roerchen.  who  was 
born  in  Germany  July  16,  1857.  She  left  her  native  land  with  her  uncle. 
Karl  Schwope,  in  i860.  They  came  to  Wathena,  Doniphan  county,  Kansas. 
Her  mother  died  on  the  ocean  while  coming  to  America  and  the  little  daugh- 
ter was  reared  by  her  grandparents  in  Doniphan  county  and  attended  the 
grammar  sch(.)()l  at  Wathena.  Six  children  were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fuhr- 
man:  Em.st,  farmer,  Lancaster  township,  Atchison  county;  Ida  (Tuley),  de- 
ceased; William,  Lancaster  township;  Selma  (Lange),  Grasshopper  town- 
ship, Atchison  county;  Edward,  living  at  home;  Mallei,  also  living  with  her 
parents.  Mr.  Fuhrman  is  a  Republican,  and  has  been  road  overseer  of  Lan- 
caster township.  He  belongs  to  the  Evangelical  church,  and  is  a  member  of 
the  Modern  W'oodmen  of  America. 


CHARLES  LINLEY. 


A  true  analysis  of  the  growth  and  developniL-nt  of  the  man- 
ufacturing and  commercial  enterprises  of  a  city  invarialily  lirings  forth 
the  fact  that  while  the  interested  principals  furnished  capital,  energ}- 
and  ability,  its  financial  institutions  were  also  material  factors.  The 
citv  of  .\tchison  is  not  an  exception  to  the  rule.  The  policy  of  her  banks  has 
been,  since  the  first  one  was  established,  to  extend  assistance  to  merchants 
and  manufacturers.  Both  executives  and  directors  have  been  keenly  alive 
to  the  fact  that  a  lil)cral  policy,  in  so  far  as  was  consistent  with  sound  bank- 
ing, was  essential  to  commercial  growth.  Among  those  who  have  realized 
success  in  this  field  of  activity  is  he  whose  name  initiates  this  article.  He  first 
entered  the  banking  life  of  the  city  in  the  early  nineties,  subsequently  .sen-ed 
Atchison  county  in  an  official  capacity  and  re-entered  financial  circles  as  one 
of  the  organizers  of  the  Union  Trust  Company  in   1907,  was  later  elected 


462  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

cashier  of  the  Exchange  State  Bank,  and  in  1911  resigned  to  accept  his  pres- 
ent position,  that  of  cashier  of  the  First  National  Bank. 

Charles  Linley  was  born  in  the  city  of  Atchison  July  10.  1867.  and  is 
the  only  surviving  member  of  the  family  of  Dr.  James  M.  Linley,  a  pioneer 
physician  of  the  city  and  one  of  her  most  influential  citizens.  Dr.  Linley 
was  born  in  Salem.  Ky.,  the  son  of  a  pioneer,  and  was  of  English  descent. 
He  was  reared  in  his  native  State,  received  a  good  academic  and  classical 
education,  and  subsequently  entered  Miami  Medical  College  at  Cincinnati, 
Ohio,  from  which  he  was  graduated  with  the  Degree  of  Doctor  of  Medicine. 
During  the  closing  years  of  the  Civil  war  he  entered  the  Union  army  as  a  regi- 
mental surgeon  and  sened  until  the  close  of  the  conflict.  Previous  to  enter- 
ing the  army  he  had  married  Mary  A.  Hubbard,  a  daughter  of  Charles  Hub- 
bard, of  Hickman,  Ky.,  a  member  of  one  of  Kentucky's  most  prominent 
families,  an  influential  citizen  and  a  widely  known  and  successful  physician. 

Following  his  service  in  the  Union  army,  he  came  to  tiie  conclusion  that 
Kansas  spelled  opportunity  for  him,  and  bringing  liis  family,  located  in  the 
city  of  Atchison  in  1865.  From  this  time  until  his  death,  which  occurred 
November  28,  1900.  he  continued  in  the  active  practice  of  his  profession.  He 
was  recognized  as  one  of  the  most  successful  physicians  and  surgeons  in 
northeastern  Kansas.  He  was  a  man  of  attractive  personality,  was  intimately 
acquainted  throughout  the  city  and  county  and  licld  in  tlie  highest  esteem  by 
all  who  knew  him.  His  record  for  continuous  years  of  practice  has  seldom 
been  equaled  in  the  State.  He  was  a  believer  in  the  religion  of  ileed.  and  his 
creed  v.-as  to  do  good.  He  believed  in  the  gospel  of  help  and  hope.  For  forty- 
five  years  he  lived  his  creed  and  preached  his  gospel  to  the  citizens  of  his 
adopted  State.  He  was  not  only  a  successful  physician  but  also  realized  a 
substantial  success  in  a  commercial  way.  He  was  directly  or  indirectly 
interested  in  many  business  enterprises.  He  was  one  of  the  active  forces  in 
the  organization  of  liie  First  National  Bank,  and  from  the  establishment  u^itil 
his  death  was  a  member  of  its  directorate.  He  and  his  wife  were  prom- 
inent in  the  social  and  religious  life  of  the  city,  and  the  Linley  residence  was 
known  for  its  gracious  hospitality  which  was  extended  to  their  many  friends 
with  true  Kentucky  spirit.  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Linley  were  the  parents  of  five 
children,  all  of  whom,  with  the  exception  of  our  subject,  are  deceased.  Hub- 
bard Linley,  the  eldest,  was  graduated  in  medicine  and  became  one  of  the 
most  prominent  surgeons  in  northeast  Kansas.  He  was  division  surgeon  of 
the  Missouri  Pacific  railway,  Atchi.son  district.  His  death  occurred  in  July, 
igii.  Tliomas  died  in  childhood;  Victor,  on  November  20,  1915:  and  Maria 
died  in  childhood. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  463 

Charles  Linley  was  reared  in  the  city  of  Atchison  and  received  his  early 
education  in  its  puhlic  schools.  Subsequently,  he  entered  Kansas  University, 
where  he  completed  a  course  in  English.  He  initiated  his  commercial  career 
in  1887  when  he  entered  the  employ  of  the  First  National  Bank  of  Atchison 
in  the  capacity  of  collector.  In  1892  he  was  appointed  deputy  treasurer  of 
Atchison  count\-.  That  he  filled  this  position  satisfactorily  is  attested 
throug-h  his  having  been  electeil  treasurer  of  the  county  in  1899  and  re-elected 
to  that  office  in  1902.  His  second  term  expired  in  1905,  but  he  held  over 
until  1907,  as  the  gentleman  elected  to  the  office  in  the  fall  of  1904  died 
before  being  sworn  in.  The  administration  of  the  affairs  of  this  office  under 
Mr.  Linley  was  marked  by  efficiency,  economy  and  courtesy.  During  the 
last  two  years  of  this  service  he  was  the  junior  member  of  the  Antle-Linley 
Grain  Company  of  Atchison,  In  1907  he  was  actively  concerned  in  organiz- 
ing the  Union  Trust  Company  of  Atchison,  and  was  elected  secretary  and 
treasurer.  He  filled  this  position  until  1909,  when  the  Exchange  State  Bank 
was  organized.  This  institution  took  over  the  Union  Trust  Company,  and 
Mr.  Linley  Mas  elected  cashier.  He  remained  w'ith  the  Exchange  State  Bank 
until  191 1,  when  he  was  elected  cashier  of  the  First  National  Bank,  the  insti- 
tution in  which  he  had  received  his  first  business  experience  some  twenty 
years  previous,  and  in  the  organization  of  which  his  father  was  an  active 
factor.  To  the  banking  fraternity  ]\Ir.  Linlev  is  known  as  an  energetic,  able 
and  progressive  executive,  one  who  has  brought  the  administrative  policy  of 
his  bank  to  a  point  of  high  efficiency.  He  has  extensive  commercial  inter- 
ests aside  from  the  bank.  He  is  a  stockholder  in  the  Globe  Publishing  Com- 
pany, the  Bailor  Plow-  Company,  and  the  Cain  ^filling  Company.  Since 
attaining  his  majority,  he  has  been  active  in  the  political  life  of  the  county, 
and  is  one  of  the  influential  members  of  the  Progressive  party.  Mr.  Linley 
is  a  member  and  past  exalted  ruler  of  Atchison  Lodge,  No.  647,  Benevo- 
lent and  Protective  Order  of  Elks.  He  is  also  a  member  of  Atchison  Lodge, 
No.  404,  Loyal  Order  of  Moose. 

On  June  26,  1890,  in  Atchison,  Mr.  Linley  married  Miss  Roberta  Wil- 
son Riddell,  a  daughter  of  Mrs.  Josephine  E.  Riddell.  Thev  have  one  child, 
Robert  Wilson  Linley,  born  in  Atchison,  March  8,  1894.  He  was  educated 
in  the  public  schools  of  his  native  city  and  graduated  from  its  high  school. 
In  191 1  he  entered  the  law^  department  of  Kansas  University,  remaining 
until  19 1 3,  when  he  entered  the  University  of  \\'isconsin,  where  he  completed 
a  course  in  English.  In  191 5  he  entered  the  employ  of  the  First  National 
Bank  of  Atchison  in  the  capacitv  of  collector  and  remittance  clerk. 


464  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

WILLIAM   H.   BUSH. 

William  H.  Bush,  farmer  and  stockman,  of  Lancaster  township,  Atchi- 
son county,  was  born  January  16,  1856,  in  Hanover,  Pa.  He  is  a  son  of 
Elias  D.  and  Sarah  (Keithline)  Bush,  and  was  one  of  six  children,  as  fol- 
lows: William,  subject  of  this  sketch;  Samuel,  deceased;  John,  deceased; 
Andrew,  foreman  of  tailoring  establishment  in  St.  Louis,  Mo. ;  Charles  F., 
signal  man  for  the  Missouri  Pacific  railway  in  Colorado;  Minnie,  Atchison, 
Kan.  Elias  D.  Bush,  the  father,  was  born  December  16,  1834,  in  Penn- 
sylvania. He  was  a  stationary  engineer  and  also  followed  farming  for  a  time. 
During  the  eighties  he  came  to  Atchison  county  and  took  up  farming  in 
Sliannon  township.  For  a  few  years  he  rented  his  land,  but  later  bought 
160  acres  in  section  26,  Lancaster  township,  which  is  now  owned  by  .\mel 
Markwalt.  Elias  D.  Bush  followed  farming  here  until  1904,  when  he  sold 
his  place  and  removed  to  Atchison,  where  he  is  now  living  in  retirement. 
William  H.  Bush's  mother  was  born  February  27,  1834,  in  Hanover.  Pa., 
and  died  in  iSgo,  and  is  buried  in  Lancaster  cemeter}'. 

William  H.  Bush  attended  the  common  schools  in  Hanover,  Pa.,  and 
later  worked  in  the  coal  mines.  In  1876  he  left  the  East  and  came  to  Atchi- 
son county,  Kansas,  and  for  five  years  worked  for  his  uncle,  Andrew  Keith- 
line,  and  then  rented  land  in  Shannon  township  for  eleven  years.  He  was 
successful  in  this  venture,  and  in  1890  bought  the  fami  of  160  acres  which 
he  now  fanns,  in  Lancaster  township.  When  he  took  the  farm  it  had  only 
the  most  meager  improvements,  consisting  chiefly  of  a  small  liouse  and  an  old 
barn,  both  in  a  dilapidated  condition.  Mr.  Bush  has  l)uilt  a  fine  eleven-room 
house  and  a  large  barn,  64x60  feet.  This  liarn  cost  him  83,000,  and  he  is 
willing  to  wager  that  it  is  one  of  the  best,  though  perliaps  not  the  largest,  in 
Alcliison  county.  He  now  owns  320  acres  of  land  in  Lancaster  township 
and  lias  a  number  of  head  of  high  grade  stock,  including  Shorthorn  cattle 
and  Duroc  Jersey  hogs.  Mr.  Bush  is  a  practical  farmer,  who,  with  prac- 
tically no  start,  has,  by  hard  work  and  diligent  economy,  become  a  man  of 
comfortable  circumstances.  He  holds  a  position  of  high  esteem  among  the 
many  acquaintances  he  has  made  in  Atchison  county. 

On  March  30.  1881,  Mr.  Bush  was  united  in  marriage  with  Ellen  J- 
Christian,  a  native  of  the  Isle  of  Man,  a  small  island  in  the  Irish  sea  lying 
l)etween  Ireland  and  England.  She  was  born  January  24.  1857,  a  daughter 
of  Charles  and  Mary  (Kneale)  Christian,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  the 
Isle  of  Man.  Mrs.  Bush  died  in  February.  191 1.  They  had  six  children,  as 
follows :    Cora,  Atchison,   Kan. ;   Harry,   Atchison,   Kan. ;   Marv   Smithson, 


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HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  465 

Lancaster,  Kan.;  Ina,  deceased;  Sarah,  Atchison  Kan.;  Jessie,  Atchison,  Kan. 
On  October  29,  1913,  Mr.  Bush  married  Mary  E.  Christian,  a  niece  of  his 
first  wife,  and  a  daughter  of  Charles  and  Ellen  J-  (Wade)  Christian,  natives 
of  the  Isle  of  Man.  She  was  born  near  Pardee,  Atchison  county,  March  21. 
1869,  and  attended  the  Catholic  parochial  school  of  Atchison.  They  have  no 
children.  Mr.  Bush  is  a  Republican  and  attends  the  Methodist  church.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and  Modern  Woodmen 
of  America  of  Lancaster.  He  also  is  a  member  of  the  .\tchison  County  Pro- 
tective Association,  of  which  he  was  one  of  the  organizers,  and  served  as 
president  of  the  association  for  a  number  of  years. 

Mr.  Bush  is  one  of  the  most  successful  farmers  in  Kansas  and  is  the 
owner  of  a  highly  productive  tract  of  land.  As  an  illustration  of  his  success 
as  a  farmer,  the  records  show  that  from  a  tract  of  twenty-one  acres  there 
was  corn  produced  at  an  average  of  108  bushels  to  the  acre  the  first  year, 
ninety-seven  bushels  to  the  acre  the  second  year,  and  eighty-four  bushels  to 
the  acre  the  third  year,  after  which  the  land  was  sown  to  wheat  in  the  natural 
order  of  crop  rotation  and  the  yield  was  thirty-eight  bushels  to  the  acre. 
Mr.  Bush  is  a  fiiTn  believer  in  crop  rotation  as  a  means  of  preserving  the 
fertility  of  the  soil. 


MICHAEL   I.   HINES. 


For  an  individual  to  come  to  Atchison  county  without  funds  and  with 
practically  no  influential  friends  to  assist  him  to  achieve  success,  it  is  remark- 
able for  him  to  accomplish  in  the  rather  brief  period  of  twenty-six  years  as 
much  as  has  been  "done  by  Michael  J.  Hines,  of  Lancaster  township,  Atchison 
county.  It  is  apparent  that  Kansas  presents  unusual  opportunities  for  a  man 
to  better  his  condition,  if  one  man  can  accumulate  480  acres  of  land,  liccome 
president  of  a  flourishing  banking  concern  and  a  stockholder  in  another  im- 
portant city  bank.  The  main  reason  for  Mr.  Hines'  wonderful  success  must 
lie  in  the  ability  of  the  man  himself,"  and  the  reviewer  must  of  necessitv  con 
elude  that  the  power  to  achieve  was  inherent  in  his  mental  and  physical  make- 
up, which,  combined  with  industry,  dccidefl  financial  ability,  honestv  and 
uprightness  has  made  him  one  of  the  leading  citizens  of  his  adopted  county. 
Mr.  Hines  is  a  scion  of  old  southern  families,  and  comes  of  good  old  Vir- 
ginia stock  on  his  mother's  side,  being  descended  from  the  well  known  Hiui- 
ter  family  of  Virginia,  who  were  among  the  founders  of  the  Baptist  church 
in  the  soulldand.     Mr.  Hines  is  a  large  stockholder  and  director,  and  was 

30 


466  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

formerly  vice-president  of  the  Antelope  Peak  copper  mines  of  Arizona.  He 
is  the  owner  of  a  320-acre  irrigated  ranch  in  the  Valier  valley  of  Montana, 
near  Valier. 

Michael  J.  Hines  was  born  July  5,  1863,  in  Roanoke  county,  Virginia, 
and  was  one  of  tlie  twelve  children  of  Henry  and  Katherine  (Jeter)  Hines, 
six  of  whom  are  living.  The  father  was  bom  in  Rockingham  county,  Vir- 
ginia, in  1833.  He  was  a  Confederate  soldier  during  the  Civil  war,  having 
enlisted  in  Virginia  but  was  not  in  any  battles  during  the  war.  His  life  was 
spent  in  farming  except  for  a  time  when  he  speculated  in  Confederate  money. 
At  the  close  of  the  war  he  had  a  sack  full  of  Confederate  scrip  which 
could  not  be  redeemed.  He  died  at  his  home  in  Abington,  Va.,  in  1898.  His 
father,  Richard  Hines,  was  of  Irish  descent  and  was  a  plantation  owner  in 
Virginia.  His  mother  was  Sallie  (Howmaker)  Hines,  and  was  of  German 
descent.  The  mother  of  Michael  Hines  was  also  a  Virginian,  having  been 
born  in  Bedford  county,  Virginia,  in  1841.  She  died  in  1890.  She  was  a 
daughter  of  Allison  Jeter.  Her  mother  was  a  member  of  the  Hunter  family, 
who  were  among  the  first  members  of  the  Baptist  church. 

Michael  Hines  was  reared  and  educated  in  Virginia  and  left  that  State 
in  1883  when  he  was  twenty  years  of  age.  settling  in  Morgan  county.  Illinois, 
where  he  worked  as  a  farm  hand  for  six  years.  He  then  came  to  Atchison, 
Kan.,  and  was  engaged  as  foreman  1iy  the  Greenleaf  &  Baker  Grain  Com- 
pany. Six  years  later  he  bought  his  present  farm  of  160  acres.  It  was  un- 
improved and  none  of  the  land  was  broken.  Since  buying  the  land  he  has 
made  $10,000  worth  of  improvements  on  his  place  and  has  set  out  fifteen 
acres  of  orchard.  This  evidence  speaks  for  the  thrift  and  good  judgment  of 
Mr.  Hines.  He  also  has  bought  480  acres  of  land  in  Lancaster  township. 
He  is  a  live,  progressive  farmer  and  stock  raiser  and  keeps  graded  stock  of 
all  kinds  on  his  farm.  Mr.  Hines  is  a  shareholder  and  president  of  the  Lan- 
caster State  Bank,  and  is  also  a  stockholder  in  the  German-American  Bank 
of  Atchison,  Kan.  In  politics  Mr.  Hines  is  a  Democrat,  but  votes  inde- 
pendently in  county  and  State  affairs,  and  for  the  individual. 

Mr.  Hines  was  married  in  i8go  at  Alexander,  111.,  to  Lillie  Kaiser,  who 
was  born  August  27,  1870,  and  six  children  have  been  born  to  this  union,  as 
follows:  Samuel,  who  was  graduated  from  the  Atchison  business  college, 
and  is  now  farming  at  home;  Frank,  Helen,  Louise  and  Lillian,  all  living 
at  home,  and  one  died  in  infancy.  Mr.  Hines  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
church  and  is  a  trustee  and  steward  in  the  Shannon  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church.  He  belongs  to  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America  and  the  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Odd  Fellows  of  Lancaster,  Kan. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON    COUNTY  467 

CHARLES  H.  FALK. 

Charles  H.  Falk,  of  Shannon  township,  is  the  owner  of  the  first  tract  of 
land  which  was  filed  upon  in  the  Atchison  count}-  land  office  in  1854.  This 
farm  was  preempted  by  Capt.  William  Jackson,  who  was  a  justice  of  the 
peace  and  a  captain  of  home  guards  during  the  Civil  war,  and  died  at  Ft. 
Worth,  Tex.,  in  191 1.  The  first  house  built  on  the  place  was  made  from 
material  taken  from  the  cabin  of  a  river  steamer  sunk  in  the  Missouri  river. 
Henrv  Falk,  father  of  Cliarles.  and  his  son,  have  made  so  many  excellent 
improvements  on  the  dwelling  that  the  dining  room  of  the  present  resi- 
dence is  the  only  part  of  the  old  cabin  now  in  use.  This  part  of  the  home 
was  built  in  1857.  The  original  owner  set  out  a  grove  of  cottonwoods  in 
1857  which  was  cut  down  in  the  fall  of  1892  by  the  present  proprietor,  and 
erected  a  barn  from  the  lumber  sawed,  which  made  over  112,000  feet  of  good 
mercliantable  lumber.  Mr.  Falk's  barn  \\as  built  from  this  lumber,  with  the 
exception  of  the  shingles.  Captain  Jackson  sold  the  land  to  Frank  Fislier, 
who  died  in  1877,  six  months  after  the  purchase,  and  it  was  bought  by  Henry 
Falk,  father  of  Charles  H.,  in  1878.  After  Henrj-  Falk's  death,  Charles  H. 
came  into  possession  of  the  land  by  inheritance,  and  bv  purchase  of  the  inter- 
ests of  the  other  heirs.  He  has  made  very  extensive  improvements  since  be- 
coming the  owner  and  despite  that  the  soil  has  been  in  constant  cultivation 
for  more  than  sixty  years  the  yield  of  crops  is  greater  now  than  ever  before, 
and  the  wheat  crops  in  late  years  have  exceeded  twenty-two  bushels  an  acre. 
The  farm  residence  is  attractively  situated,  in  the  center  of  the  tract  of  155 
acres  and  is  reached  by  a  splendid  driveway,  kept  in  first  class  condition  by 
Mr.  Falk.  In  fact,  the  private  road  to  the  Falk  residence  is  kept  in  far  better 
condition  than  many  of  the  country  roads  in  Atchison  county,  and  is  in  keep- 
ing with  the  general  appearance  of  this  fine  farm. 

Charles  H.  Falk  was  born  May  23,  1864,  in  Watertown,  Wis.,  a  son  of 
Henry,  born  in  1815,  and  died,  1894,  and  of  Wilhelmina  (Clout)  Falk,  born 
1819,  and  (lied  m  1901.  Both  parents  were  born  on  the  River  Rhino  in  Ger- 
many, and  married  in  their  native  land.  Henry  Falk  was  a  cabinet-maker 
and  immigrated  to  Wisconsin  in  1857,  and  worked  at  his  trade  until  1866, 
when  he  settled  on  a  farm.  He  came  to  Atchison  county  with  his  family  in 
1879,  a"d  on  February  2,  of  that  year,  moved  on  the  fann  whicli  he  had 
purchased  the  preceding  year. 

Charles  H.  Falk  was  married  in  1885  to  Elizabeth  Wolters,  a  daughter 
of  John  Wolters,  a  native  of  Holland,  who  was  one  of  the  first  brickmakers 
in  Atchison  and  Doniphan  counties.     John  Wolters  emigrated  from  Holland 


468  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

to  Doniphan  county.  Kansas,  in  1857.  and  came  to  Atchison  in  1858.  Dur- 
ing his  long  residence  in  Atchison  he  has  been  a  manufacturer  of  brick,  and 
the  results  of  his  handiwork  are  seen  in  the  construction  of  many  of  the  brick 
buildings  in  the  city.  Mr.  W'olters  was  born  in  Ma\-.  1827.  and  is  now  over 
eighty-nine  years  of  age  and  the  oldest  Atchison  county  resident  at  the  pres- 
ent time.  He  lives  a  retired  life  on  South  Second  street.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Falk  iiave  children  as  follows:  Joint  H.,  a  resident  of  Beattie,  Marshall  county, 
married  Margaret  Gressel,  and  they  have  two  children.  Karl  and  Pauline; 
Henrv.  in  the  employ  of  the  Symns  Grocer  Company ;  Anna,  a  seamstress,  liv- 
ing with  her  parents ;  Rose,  wife  of  John  McGrath.  a  traveling  salesman  for 
the  Symns  Grocer  Company,  and  they  have  one  child.  Rosemary ;  Herbert, 
aged  twenty  years,  and  Irene,  aged  ten  years,  both  of  whom  are  at  home  with 
their  parents. 

'Sir.  Falk  and  his  family  are  members  of  St.  Benedict's  Catholic  Church, 
and  Mr.  Falk  is  a  member  of  the  chtuTh  committee  of  four  councilors.  He 
is  a  Democrat,  but  is  inchned  U>  be  independent  in  his  voting,  having 
a  decided  leaning  toward  the  support  of  those  candidates  that  seem  best  fitted 
for  the  t>ffice.  He  has  filled  n(^  civic  office  but  that  of  township  trustee, 
which  he  held  for  one  year,  having  been  appointed  by  the  county  commis- 
sioners to  fill  a  vacancy  in  Shannon  township.  He  is  affiliated  with  the 
Catholic  Mutual  Benefit  Association  and  the  Central  Protective  Association 
and  is  a  mcml)er  of  the  St.  Jose])!!  societv. 


GEORGE  DORSSOM. 


George  Dorssom.  fme  of  the  oldest  living  pioneer  settlers  of  Lancaster 
township  in  point  of  residence,  now  living  retired  at  Lancaster.  Atchison 
county,  was  born  August  4,  1864,  in  Lancaster  township,  Atchison  county. 
He  is  a  .son  of  George  and  Sophia  (Storm)  Dorssom.  and  was  one  of  thir- 
teen children,  four  boys  and  five  girls  of  whom  are  still  living.  The  subject 
of  this  sketch  was  the  seventh  child  of  the  family.  The  father  of  George 
Dorssom,  whose  name  also  was  George,  was  born  in  Germany  January  8, 
1820.  He  sailed  to  .\merica  and  settled  in  New  Orleans  when  a  young  man 
and  worked  as  a  tailor  there.  He  then  went  to  Wayne  county,  Ohio,  where 
he  worked  as  a  tailor  for  a  time,  when  he  engaged  in  farming.  In  tS6o  he 
came  to  Atchison  county,  Kansas,  and  bought  forty  acres  of  prairie  land  in 
section  21,  Lancaster  township,  which  he  broke  with  oxen.     He  farmed  on 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  469 

this  place  until  his  death  in  January.  1895.  He  came  to  America  a  stranger 
and  without  funds,  but  b}^  hard  work  he  accumulated  considerable  means  and 
reared  ten  out  of  a  family  of  thirteen  children.  His  wife,  Sophia,  was  a  de- 
voted help-mate,  and  when  they  were  struggling-  to  make  their  farm  pay.  she 
would  load  up  a  small  hand  wagon  with  vegetables  and  garden  truck  and  pull 
it  to  Lancaster,  where  she  would  sell  or  exchange  the  produce  for  goods.  This 
trip  was  two  miles,  and  it  was  a  great  exertion  for  Mrs.  Dorssom.  but  she 
was  glad  to  be  able  to  help  her  husband  in  whatever  way  she  could.  After 
the  death  of  her  first  husband  she  was  married  again  on  February  19,  1896, 
to  Jacob  Merkel,  a  native  of  Germany.  He  died  March  12.  1908.  His  wife 
is  still  active,  despite  her  age,  and  lives  in  Lancaster  with  a  maid.  She  is 
able  to  be  about  her  work  and  takes  a  keen  interest  in  life.  Her  children  are : 
Mrs.  Margaret  Klep])e,  a  widow,  residing  in  Brown  county,  Kansas;  Mrs. 
Katherine  Hinz.  a  widow.  Lancaster,  Kan: ;  John,  fanner,  Lancaster  town- 
ship; Mrs.  Caroline  Kloepper,  deceased;  Mrs.  Sophia  Myer,  living  in  Sol- 
dier. Jackson  county.  Kansas ;  Adam,  Lancaster  township ;  Louisa  Henrietta, 
dead:  ]\Irs.  Lizzie  Myer.  of  Lancaster;  Dora  W..  deceased;  Adam,  of  Lan- 
caster, Kan. ;  Mrs.  Louisa  Fridel.  Brown  county.  Kansas ;  Henry,  farmer, 
and  three  children  who  died  in  infancy.  She  has  forty-five  grandchildren 
and  fifteen  great-gi-andchildren  and  is  very  proud  of  them  all.  Her  descend- 
ants all  earn.-  the  idea  of  an  industrious  woman  with  them  and  the  in- 
fluence of  the  life  of  this  woman  will  stay  with  them  all  through  their  lives. 

George  Dorssom,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  reared  on  the  farm  of 
his  father.  He  attended  school  in  tb.e  Bell  district  and  worked  on  his  father's 
farm  until  he  was  twenty-five  years  of  age.  He  then  bought  eighty  acres  of 
land  from  his  father  in  section  21,  Lancaster  township,  and  followed  farm- 
ing for  fifteen  years.  He  has  added. forty  acres  to  his  farm  and  made  exten- 
sive improvements  to  the  extent  of  $7,000.  He  now  owns  138  acres  of  land 
and  a  fine  residence  with  about  five  acres  of  residence  property  in  Lancas- 
ter. Kansas.  Mr.  Dorssom  was  a  breeder  of  Berk.shire  hogs,  to  which  he  paid 
special  attention.  In  1909  he  retired  and  moved  to  Lancaster,  Kan.  He  is 
a  Republican  and  was  a  member  of  the  city  council  for  four  years,  h'or  a 
tenri  of  seven  years  he  was  road  supervisor  of  Lancaster  township.  He  has 
alwavs  taken  an  active  interest  in  public  affairs  of  his  community.  He  has 
led  a  useful  life  and  looks  back  on  one  of  the  longest  careers  of  living  citizens 
who  were  born  in  Atchison  county.  He  has  traveled  in  many  parts  of  the 
United  States,  but  is  glad  to  have  settled  down  in  retirement  in  Atchison 
county,  believing  it  to  be  the  happiest  country  he  has  ever  seen. 

On  December  31,   1890,  Mr.  Dorssom  married  Hulda  Hinz,  wlm  was 


470  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

born  in  Germany  October  i,  i860.  She  came  to  America  when  she  was 
twenty  years  old.  Her  father,  Edward  Hinz,  died  in  Germany  in  1895,  at 
the  age  of  fifty-eight  years.  Tlie  mother.  CaroHne  (Lutce)  Hinz.  came  to 
Atchison  county,  Kansas,  in  1896,  and  now  resides  at  Leavenworth.  Mrs. 
Dorssom  attended  school  in  Germany.  She  was  one  of  nine  children.  A 
brother,  Richard,  is  a  florist  at  Leavenworth,  Kan.,  and  two  brothers 
are  in  tlie  same  business,  one,  Rudolph,  at  St.  Joseph,  Mo.,  and  the  other, 
Amiel,  at  Leavenworth.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dorssom  have  no  children,  but 
they  adopted  a  child,  Gustave  Hinz,  a  nephew  of  Mrs.  Dorssom.  They  reared 
and  educated  him,  and  he  is  now  farming  on  the  home  place.  Both  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Dorssom  are  members  of  the  English  Lutheran  church.  He  is  a  char- 
ter member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  and  has  been  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Lancaster  Lodge  of  Odd  Fellows,  No.  355,  since  October,  1891, 
nearly  twentv-five  years.  Mrs.  Dorssom  is  a  charter  member  of  the  Daugh- 
ters of  Rebekah  Lodge,  No.  431. 


CYRUS  E.  DAVIS. 


Cyrus  E".  Davis,  founder  and  proprietor  uf  the  firm  C.  E.  Davis  & 
Sons,  plumbing  and  heating  contractors,  at  509  Kansas  avenue,  is  one  of 
Atchison's  leading  citizens,  and  a  successful  business  man  who  has  liuilt  up  his 
business  from  a  modest  l;eginning  in  a  few  short  years.  Fie  first  started  with 
a  small  simp  on  Commercial  street,  and  in  October.  1914,  moved  to  his  present 
location.  A  complete  stock  of  .plumbing,  heating  and  steam  fitting  goods  is 
carried  in  the  shop,  exceeding  a  value  of  $2,500.  The  excellence  and  thor- 
oughness of  the  work  done  bv  the  Davis  establishment  is  marked,  and  the 
business  is  constantly  on  the  increase. 

.Mr.  Davis  was  born  October  10,  1864.  in  I-'rederick  county.  Maryland, 
son  of  George  W.  and  Belinda  (Saunders)  Davis.  The  Davis  family  is  a 
^■ery  old  one  of  W'elsli  extraction  in  America.  The  founders  of  this  family 
were  four  brothers,  who  crossed  the  ocean  and  left  their  native  land  of  Wales 
cari\-  in  llie  se\enleentli  century.  George  W.  Davis  was  also  born  in  I'rcd- 
erick  county.  Maryland,  and  became  a  contractor  and  builder,  lie  followed 
his  trade  in  his  native  State  until  1873,  when  he  migrated  to  Nebraska  with 
his  family.  Later  he  went  to  Texas,  where  he  died  in  1900.  He  was  the 
father  of  nine  sons,  as  follows :  George  W.,  a  contractor  and  builder,  of 
David  City,  Neb. ;  Harry  ^^^,  a  building  contactor,  of  Houston,  Texas ;  Theo- 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  47I 

dore  E.,  a  contracting  painter,  of  Columbus,  Neb. ;  Mahlon,  a  tailor,  located 
in  Xorwalk,  Ohio;  William  M.,  deceased;  Lewis  A.,  a  tinner  and  coppersmith, 
of  San  Bernardino,  Cal.,  in  the  emplo\'  of  the  Santa  Fe  railroad;  Cyrus  E., 
with  whom  this  review  is  directly  concerned ;  Frank  H.,  business  agent  for 
the  Carpenters'  Union  of  Oklahoma  City,  Okla.  The  mother  of  these  chil- 
dren was  also  born  in  Frederick  county,  Maryland,  in  1825.  a  daughter  of 
Mr.  and  ]\lrs.  Walter  Saunders,  natives  of  England,  ^^^alter  Saunders  came 
of  a  good  English  family  and  studied  in  a  boarding  school  of  Southhampton. 
England,  and  became  a  school  teacher  in  Marvdand.  He  had  the  distinction 
of  having  taught  for  forty  years  in  one  school  district  in  Frederick  county, 
Maryland,  and  became  well-to-do.     Mrs.  Davis  died  in  1889. 

Cyrus  E.  Davis  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Columbus.  Neb., 
learned  his  father's  trade  when  a  young  man,  and  after  taking  a  correspon- 
dence course  in  bridge  engineering,  he  entered  the  employ  of  the  Missouri 
Pacific  Railway  Company  as  bridge  constructor.  He  remained  with  this 
road  for  five  years  and  came  to  Atchison  in  1886.  He  was  employed  by  the 
Missouri  Pacific  Railway  Company  until  1905  and  then  entered  the  plumbing 
and  heating  department  of  the  Farwell  Heating  Company  for  one  and  one- 
half  years,  and  then  became  foreman  for  the  Thayer  Supply  Company  of 
Atchison.  In  tlie  year  1912  he  started  a  shop  of  his  own  on  Commercial 
street  and  was  successful  from  the  start.  It  became  necessary  for  him  to 
seek  larger  quarters,  and  in  October  of  1914  he  moved  his  Inisiness  and  shop 
to  his  present  location. 

Mr.  Davis  was  united  in  marriage  with  Ida  Mayhood  in  1889,  and  to 
this  union  have  been  born  seven  children,  as  follows:  Frank  M.,  George  E., 
Reynold.  Fred.  Norma.  Charles,  and  Verner,  deceased.  .All  of  Mr.  Davis' 
sons  are  associated  with  him  in  his  business,  and  have  learned  to  become 
expert  plumbers  and  steamfitters  under  their  father's  tutelage.  The  mother 
of  these  children  was  born  November  9.  1869,  in  Leavenworth  county,  Kan- 
sas, a  daughter  of  George  and  Mary  (Carr)  Mayhood.  natives  of  Ireland, 
and  Canada,  respectively.  George  Mayhood  emigrated  from  Ireland  in  an 
early  day  and  settled  in  Leavenworth  county  about  1865,  where  he  engaged 
in  farming.     He  and  his  wife  were  married  in  Lowell,  Mass. 

Mr.  Davis  is  a  Republican,  and  lias  taken  an  acti\c  and  influential  part 
in  the  civic  life  of  his  adopted  city,  having  served  two  terms  as  a  member 
of  the  city  council.  He  and  his  family  are  members  of  the  Christian  church, 
and  he  is  fraternally  connected  with  the  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons. 
Active  Lodge,  No.  158.  and  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America,  in  lioth  of 
which  lodges  he  is  much  interested. 


472  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

HENRY  BUTTRON. 

Tlie  life  story  of  Henry  Buttron,  late  of  Lancaster  township.  Atchison 
county,  Kansas,  reveals  the  accomplishments  of  a  poor  German  emij;^rant,  wlio 
began  his  career  in  Kansas  witli  nn  money,  and  rose  to  become  the  practical 
leader  of  the  German  colon)-  in  the  township,  and  to  amass  considerable 
wealth.  His  large  farm  of  960  acres  wliich  he  owned  at  the  time  of  his  demise 
was  left  intact,  to  be  held  in  tnist  for  liis  children  and  heirs. 

Henry  Buttron  was  born  in  Hesse-Darmstadt,  Germany,  October  12, 
1831,  and  he  was  one  of  the  five  sons  of  Jacob  and  Margaret  (Zimmer)  But- 
tron, two  of  whom  came  to  America  from  their  native  land.  Two  brothers  of 
the  family,  Frederick  and  Henry,  came  to  America  in  1852;  Frederick  settled 
in  Pittsburgh,  as  did  Henry,  and  he  resided  there  until  1854,  and  then  came 
to  the  \\'est.  In  his  native  land.  Henry  Buttron  had  learned  the  trade  of 
blacksmitli ;  he  worked  at  his  trade  in  Pittsburgli.  and  after  he  came  west,  he 
was  employed  as  a  smith  at  Elgin,  111.,  until  1S57.  He  then  came  to  Kansas 
and  preempted  a  claim  on  section  22,  Lancaster  township,  Atchison  county. 
He  brought  a  small  amount  of  money  with  him,  and  was  enabled  to  build  a 
very  small  house,  and  then  began  to  improve  his  farm.  The  crops  failed  in 
i860,  and  he  found  it  necessary  to  resort  to  the  hammer  and  anvil  in  order 
to  gain  a  livelihood  for  himself  and  his  family.  He,  accordingly,  removed  to 
Atchison  and  was  employed  at  his  trade  by  Tom  Ray,  of  the  firm  of  Ostertag 
&  Carmichael,  and  Anthony  &  Ostertag,  consecutively  for  nine  }ears.  He 
then  returned  to  his  claim,  redeemed  the  unpaid  ta.xes,  and  entered  upon  a  new 
era  of  progress  and  industry  wliich  led  to  his  great  success  in  the  ensuing 
years.  In  1882  he  erected  a  large,  handsome  farm  house,  which  at  tlie  time 
was  one  of  the  most  conspicuous  homes  in  the  county.  He  added  to  his  pos- 
sessions as  he  was  able,  and  accumulated  a  total  of  six  quarter  sections  of 
good  land,  of  960  acres  in  all,  all  of  which  he  left  to  his  widow,  who  resides 
on  the  old  home  place. 

Henry  Buttron  was  married  in  Atchison,  Kan.,  in  1866,  to  Rosa  Scheu, 
whose  father,  Andrew  Scheu.  came  from  \\'ittenberg.  Germany.  The  fol- 
lowing children  were  born  to  this  union:  Rosa,  wife  of  Louis  (jerliardt,  of 
Atchison:  Emma,  wife  of  Charles  Kammer,  of  Lancaster  township:  Kate  and 
Jacob,  at  home;  Henrj',  who  married  Bertha  Kemmer:  I'red.  married  Louise 
Meek,  lives  near  Nortonville.  Kan. :  Anna,  wife  of  George  Schulz,  Lancaster 
township:  Karl,  married  Anna  Hegland,  Lancaster  township:  William,  George 
and  Louis,  at  home.     The  mother  of  tlicsc  children  was  liorn  in  Germany,  in 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  473 

May,  1845,  and  came  to  America  with  her  parents  when  nine  years  of  age. 
She  was  a  daughter  of  Andrew  and  Rosena  (  Baner )  Sclieu,  both  deceased. 

Mrs.  Buttron  has  grandchildren  as  follows:  Kathrine.  Rosa  and  Hen- 
rietta Kamnier ;  Henry  Buttron's  children,  three,  Clarence,  Esther  and  Kulb  : 
Fred  Buttron  has  three  children,  Karl,  Ralph,  Mildred;  Mrs.  Anna  Schuiz 
has  two  children,  Gilbert  and  Karl :  Mrs.  Rosa  Gerhardt  has  one  son,  William ; 
Karl  Buttron  has  one  cliild,  Edward;  Jacub  Buttron  has  four  ciiildren,  Ber- 
tha. Emma,  Alice  and  }onn. 

Henr\-  Buttron  died  h'eljruary  8,  1913.  During  the  Civil  war  he  was  a 
member  of  the  Kansas  State  militia,  and  was  in  the  engagement  fought  at 
Westport,  and  wiiicli  resulted  in  the  rout  uf  the  forces  of  the  rebel  general. 
Price.  Mr.  Buttron  always  took  a  keen  interest  in  local  and  county  affairs, 
and  took  a  prominent  part  in  affairs  of  importance  to  the  well  being  of  the 
people.  He  was  always  modest  and  unostentatious  in  his  conduct,  and  was 
greatly  respected  b}-  the  people  of  his  neighborhood  for  his  codI  judgment 
and  patriotism  at  all  times.  Henry  Buttron  was  a  good  citizen,  and  a  kind 
parent  who  was  highly  esteemed  b)-  all  who  knew  him. 


W.  H.  SMITH. 


Some  men  are  natural  organizers  and  blessed  with  sucli  a  deep  love  for 
the  well  being  of  their  fellowmen  that  their  activities  are  to  a  considerable 
extent  devoted  to  spreading  the  gospel  of  good  fellowship  among  mankind. 
The  social  and  fraternal  orders  wItIcIi  are  popular  among  men  of  any  local- 
ity are  simply  the  outgrowth  of  that  desire,  for  the  realization  of  a  great 
dream  for  the  "Brotherliond  of  Man,"  which  was  predicted  2,000 
years  ago.  .\  man  who  furtliers  the  growth  of  organizations  whici:  have 
the  welfare  of  the  individual,  singl\-  and  collectivel}',  at  heart  is  doing  a  con- 
siderable amount  of  definite  good  for  the  Ijetterment  of  social  conditions. 
Such  a  citizen  is  W.  H.  Smith,  the  widely  known  and  efficient  clerk  of  the 
district  court  of  Atchison,  county,  and  a  likeable  and  able  personality,  who 
figures  prominentlv  in  the  history  of  his  countv. 

Mr.  Smith  was  torn  Feliruary  3,  1855,  at  Knoxville,  111.  \\c  is  a  son  of 
John  and  Harriet  (Gibbons)  Smith,  natives  of  England.  John  Smith,  the 
father,  was  horn  in  1808,  and  died  in  the  year  1863.  He  was  a  scion  of  an 
English  family  and  was  a  graduate  of  Oxford  University.  He  became  a 
contractor  and  builder  in  his  native  land,  l>ut  immigrated  to  America  with  liis 


474  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

wife  and  three  children  in  1852.  setthng;  in  Knoxvilie,  111.,  where  he  died 
eleven  years  later.  He  was  the  father  of  the  following  children :  Mrs.  Sarah 
Ann  Simpson,  deceased;  Mrs.  Harriet  Ann  Webb,  of  Burlington  Junction, 
Mo. ;  Charles  E.,  of  Sierra  Blanca,  Texas,  emploj-ed  as  a  stationary  engineer 
by  the  Texas  Pacific  railway  since  18S0.  The  mother  of  tliese  children  de- 
parted this  life  February  2,  1890,  aged  seventy-eight  years,  at  the  home  of 
her  daughter,  Mrs.  Simpson. 

W.  H.  Smith  was  reared  in  Knoxvilie,  111.  Being  left  an  orphan  at  an 
early  age,  by  the  death  of  his  father,  it  was  necessary  for  him  to  start  work 
when  a  toy  and  practically  earn  his  own  living  and  educate  himself.  By 
working  on  neighboring  farms  during  the  spring  and  summer  he  was  en- 
abled to  attend  school  during  tlie  winter  months,  and  succeeded  in  attend- 
ing the  Knoxvilie  high  school.  He  did  farm  work  until  1865  and  then 
learned  the  printing  trade  in  Knoxvilie.  being  attached  to  the  staff  of  the 
Knoxvilie  Republican  during  the  winter  of  1866  and  '67,  and  remained  un- 
til 1874  in  that  capacity.  At  the  early  age  of  twenty  years  he  wedded  Elmira 
Kistler,  and  tlien  settled  on  a  farm  in  Lehigh  county.  Pennsylvania,  on  which 
was  located  a  tannery.  He  operated  botl:  farm  and  tannery  until  1880.  when 
he  decided  to  cast  his  fortunes  in  the  western  country.  March  2.  1880,  he 
came  to  Atchison  with  his  family  and  moved  to  a  farm  near  Good  Intent,  five 
miles  northwest  of  Atchison.  The  year  before  this  he  had  made  a  trip  to 
Atchison  county  and  invested  in  eighty  acres  of  land  which  was  partly  im- 
proved. He  developed  this  tract  into  a  very  fine  fann  and  sold  it  at  a  con- 
siderable advance  over  and  above  the  purchase  price  in  1895.  In  the  spring 
of  1890  Mr.  Smith  removed  to  Atchison  and  for  three  years  served  as  night 
agent  at  the  union  station  for  the  Wells,  Fargo  and  American  Express  com- 
panies. He  then  bought  an  interest  in  the  Home  Show  Printing  Company, 
and  was  connected  with  this  concern  in  active  capacity  for  a  period  of  twelve 
years,  or  until  1905.  The  printing  company  was  then  taken  over  by  other 
parties  and  he  continued  working  in  the  office  until  1909. 

During  his  residence  in  Atchison  cnuntv  previous  to  this  time.  Mr.  Smith 
had  Ijecome  prominently  identified  with  the  Republican  party  and  had  be- 
come known  as  a  "wheel  horse"  of  the  organization  and  universally  esteemed 
by  the  rank  and  file  of  the  party.  He  was  elected  to  the  office  of  clerk  of 
tlie  district  court  in  the  fall  of  1908,  and  togan  tlie  duties  of  his  office 
in  January  of  1909.  He  was  reelected  in  1912  and  again  in  1914.  He  was 
elected  without  opposition  from  any  source  in  1912,  and  overcome  his  op- 
ponent in  1914  by  the  immense  plurality  of  3,010  votes.  For  a 
period    of   three   years    he    was    secretary    of    the    Republican    centra!    com- 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  475 

mittee.  and  was  for  six  years  a  member  of  the  first  Atchison  county  liigh 
school  board,  being  one  of  the  surviving  memlaers  of  the  original  board  which 
erected  the  county  high  school  at  Effingham,  and  was  likewise  a  member  of 
the  board  which  rebuilt  the  school  house  when  it  was  destroyed  by  fire.  Mr. 
Smith  was  a  member  of  this  board  while  still  a  resident  of  the  county  and 
took  a  prominent  part  in  the  inauguration  of  this  worthy  institution,  which 
has  been  so  much  appreciated  by  the  people  of  Atchison  county. 

In  religious  matters  Mr.  Smith  is  identified  with  the  Episcopal  church. 
Probably  no  man  in  Atchison  county  is  identified  with  a  greater  number  of 
fraternal  organizations  than  is  he.  He  became  a  member  of  the  Odd  Fellows 
August  2,  1882,  and  is  also  a  member  of  the  encampment.  Since  January 
I,  191 5,  he  has  served  as  a  secretary  of  Friendship  Lodge,  Independent  Order 
of  Odd  Fellows,  No.  5,  and  has  been  scribe  of  the  encampment  for  the  past 
fifteen  years.  For  eighteen  years  he  has  been  secretary  of  the  board  of  trustees 
of  the  Odd  Fellows  lodge  and  is  affiliated  with  the  Rebekahs,  and  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  canton.  Since  1880  he  has  ben  a  member  of  the  Central  Protec- 
tive Association  and  was  practically  its  originator,  and  has  been  the  grand 
secretary  of  the  order  since  1886.  The  first  of  the  annual  outings  and  picnics 
held  by  this  famous  association  was  conducted  in  the  grove  on  Mr.  Smith's 
farm.  Visitors  and  guests  to  the  number  of  10,000  people  have  attended  these 
picnics.  Mr.  Smith  has  been  a  member  of  the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Work- 
men since  1895,  and  recorder  of  the  order  for  thirteen  years.  He  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Woodmen  of  the  World  and  has  been  tlieir  banker  for  six  years 
past.  He  is  affiliated  with  the  Knights  and  Ladies  of  Security;  the  Kansas 
Fraternal  Citizens;  a  member  of  Atchison  Aerie,  Fraternal  Order  of  Eagles, 
No.  173,  and  its  secretary  since  1904.  Before  removing  to  Atchison  he  was 
secretai-y  of  the  Central  Protective  Association  at  Good  Intent  for  five  vears. 
He  is  at  present  serving  his  second  term  as  State  secretary  of  the  Kansas 
Eagles,  and  has  held  various  offices  in  the  State  aerie,  including  the  impor- 
tant post  of  State  representative.  Since  1895  Mr.  Smith  has  been  a  member  of 
the  Modern  Woodmen ;  is  a  member  of  the  Fraternal  Aid  Union,  and  the 
Improved  Order  of  Red  Men,  and  is  an  honorary  member  of  the  Typographi- 
cal Union. 

Mr.  Smith's  hajjpy  wedded  life  began  July  4,  1874.  when  he  married 
Elmira,  daugliter  of  Joel  and  Matilda  Kistler,  of  Lehigh  countv,  Pennsvl- 
vania,  meml)ers  of  an  old  Pennsylvania  family.  Joel  Kistler  was  a  large  land 
owner  and  tannery  operator  in  Lehigh  county.  He  and  his  brother,  Stephen, 
operated  a  number  of  tanneries,  and  were  extensive  farmers,  and  were  very 
wealthy.     Joel   Kistler  came  west,  located   in  Knoxville,   III,  and   invested 


4/6  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

lieavily  in  Illinois  land.  He  died  at  Stony  Run,  Berks  county,  Pennsylvania. 
i^/lrs.  Kistler  died  at  Schnecksville,  Pa.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Smith  have  been 
born  the_ following  children :  Estella,  born  July  14,  1875,  deceased;  Harriet 
Matilda,  born  June  6,  1876,  wife  of  J.  A.  \\'ilkinson,  of  Hershey,  Pa.,  and 
the  mother  of  two  children,  John  J.,  aged  twelve  years,  and  Michael  aged 
eight  years;  Isabelle,  born  December  15,  1880,  wife  of  Dr.  J.  E.  Exter,  of 
Atchison,  and  mother  of  one  child,  Eugene,  aged  five  years ;  Pearl,  born  Octo- 
ber 12,  died  April  25,  1890;  Helen,  born  May  i,  1885,  wife  of  R.  H.  Jones, 
chief  train  dispatcher  for  the  Missouri  Pacific  railroad  at  Falls  City,  Neb., 
and  mother  of  one  child,  Mary  Elmira,  aged  six  years ;  Frank  Gibbons  Smith, 
born  August  8,  189 1,  and  died  February  23,  1901. 

W.  H.  Smith  is  considered  as  one  of  the  best  officials  who  has  ever 
filled  a  county  office,  and  he  is  held  in  high  esteem  for  his  many  excellent 
qualities.  To  his  many  friends  and  associates  he  is  affectionately  known  as 
"Big  Bill,"  an  appropriate  name  on  account  of  his  large  stature,  and  an  ap- 
pellation which  can  well  be  applied  to  his  heart  and  mind.  While  large  of 
body,  he  is  also  big-hearted  and  blessed  with  a  breadth  of  mind  and  good 
will  which  embraces  all  mankind. 


JOSEPH  W.  ALLEN. 

For  over  forty-five  years  Joseph  W.  Allen,  veteran,  merchant,  and 
descendant  of  an  old  and  distinguished  colonial  family,  has  been  identified 
witli  the  civic  and  mercantile  life  of  the  city  nf  Atchiscjn.  He  comes  of 
rugged  New  England  stock,  noted  for  their  integrity,  honest}-  and  proverbial 
industry  throughout  the  United  States,  and  has  been  one  of  the  builders  of 
Atchison's  largest  wholesale  grocery  house.  Mr.  Allen  has  grown  up  with 
Atchison,  and  has  come  to  be  one  of  its  Ijest  known  and  liighly  rcsi)cctcd 
citizens,  hax'ing  risen  from  moderate  circumstances  at  the  outset  of  his  career 
to  a  position  of  affluence  and  decided  prestige  among  the  commercial  men 
of  northeast  Kansas. 

Joseph  W.  Allen  was  born  in  Craftsbury,  Orleans  county,  Vermont, 
March  2,  1841,  a  .son  of  Hollis  F.  and  Sophia  (Root)  Allen,  natives  of 
Massachusetts.  The  father  was  a  merchant  and  when  a  young  man  removed 
from  his  native  State  to  Craftsiiurv',  Vt.,  where  he  was  engaged  in  the  mer- 
cantile business  for  a  numlier  of  years,  and  in  the  latter  part  of  his  life  he 
come  to  Atchison.  Kan.,  dying  in   1874.     He  had  three  sons  who  served  in 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  477 

the  Union  ami}-:  Frank  H.,  who  later  came  to  Atchison  and  was  a  member 
of  the  wholesale  drug  finn  of  McPike  &  Allen;  George  R.  Allen,  a  retired 
manufacturer,  living-  at  Alton,  111.,  and  Joseph  W.,  with  whose  career  this 
re\-iew  is  directly  concerned.  A  daughter,  Anna  'H.,  wife  of  the  late  Frank 
Howard,  founder  of  the  Frank  Howard  Manufacturing  Company  of  Atchi- 
son, died  in  191 5  at  her  home  in  this  city.  Another  daughter,  Nellie,  makes 
her  home  with  her  brother,  Joseph  W..  in  Atchison,  and  is  now  in  Honolulu. 
The  Allen  family  is  of  Scotch  origin,  and  Ethan  Allen,  of  Revolutionary 
fame,  was  a  member  of  the  same  family. 

Mr.  Allen  was  reared  to  manhood  in  Vermont  and  received  a  good  com- 
mon school  education,  attending  the  Craftsbury  Academy.  On  Octolier  2, 
1861,  in  answer  to  the  President's  call  for  volunteers  to  defend  the  Union, 
he  enlisted  for  three  years  in  Company  I,  First  regiment,  Vennont  cavalry. 
He  was  mustered  in  with  the  regiment  November  19,  1861,  at  Burlington, 
Vt.,  as  bugler,  and  was  mustered  out  of  the  service  November  18,  1864.  He 
left  Btndington  December  12.  186 1,  for  Washington,  D.  C,  and  remained 
there  with  his  regiment  until  Februar}-,  1863.  at  which  time  he  was  detailed 
at  General  De  Forest's  headcjuarters  as  musician,  .\ftcrwards,  he  was  de- 
tailed to  General -Kilpatrick's  headquarters  as  musician  and  remained  there 
until  (reneral  Wilson  took  command  of  the  division  in  April,  1864.  He  was 
then  detailed  to  (General  Sawyer's  heailqunrters  until  October,  1864.  at  which 
time  he  came  to  BurlingtDU  Vt.,  where  lie  was  mustered  out  of  the  service. 
Mr.  Allen  was  in  thirty-seven  engagements  during  his  three  years  of  service. 
and  v.^as  never  wounded  nor  captured,  nor  was  he  absent  from  duty  a  single 
day  on  account  of  sickness.  His  regiment  did- notable  service  under  Generals 
Sheridan  and  Custer,  and  he  was  engaged  in  the  famous  battle  of  Winches- 
ter. An  incident  of  Mr.  Allen's  army  career  is  well  worth  recording.  He 
effected,  single  handed,  the  capture  of  four  Confederate  soldiers,  and  the 
story  of  the  capture  is  one  of  the  historical  incidents  of  the  great  conflict. 
The  incident  took  place  near  Lightersville,  Md.,  and  it  was  afterthe  regiment 
had  taken  part  in  the  battle  of  Huntersville,  Pa.,  July  2,  1863,  and  the  battle 
of  Gettysburg,  July  3,  1863,  the  battle  of  Monterey  on  the  Fourth  of  July, 
Lightersville  nn  July  5.  and  (ui  the  sixth  nf  July  occurred  the  battle  of  Hagers- 
town.  The  men  were  all  fatigued  and  had  been  deprived  of  both  sleep  and 
rest  for  .several  nights  in  succession,  Joseph  Allen  among  the  rest.  When 
they  had  ridden  nearly  all  night  to  a  point  near  Lightersville,  they  halted  for 
rest  in  the  small  hours  nf  the  nmrning.  Many  were  dismounted  and  fell 
asleep  on  the  ground,  Mr.  .\llen  doing  likewise.  He  slei)t  so  soundly,  how- 
ever, that  when  he  awoke  his  comrades  were  gone.    It  was  dark  and  he  was 


478  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

uncertain  in  which  direction  the  command  had  gone.  He  mounted  his  horse 
and  let  the  animal  pursue  its  own  way  without  guidance.  Dashing  down 
the  road,  horse  and  rider  came  out  into  a  main  highway  and  unexpectedly 
came  upon  four  men  who  .were  as  much  taken  by  surprise  and  fright  as 
,\llen  himself.  The  rebels,  supposing  that  there  was  a  larger  number  of 
Union  men  following,  made  haste  to  surrender  without  waiting  for  an  invi- 
tation. .Mien  promptly  accepted  their  surrender  and  took  iheni  along  to 
the  main  body  which  was  some  distance  ahead.  His  prisoners  proved  to  be 
a  major,  a  captain  and  two  lieutenants  of  the  Eighth  Georgia  regiment. 

Mr.  Allen  rode  during  the  war  a  very  sensible  and  intelligent  cavalry 
horse,  and  thereby  hangs  a  tale.  In  one  of  the  cavalry  engagements  in  which 
he  participated  he  and  his  comrade  were  riding  together  under  heavy  fire. 
His  riding  partner  was  shot  from  the  saddle  and  Mr.  .Mien  felt  his  own  horse 
sinking  under  him.  Believing  that  the  animal  was  mortally  hurt  he  dis- 
mounted and  jumped  on  the  back  of  his  dead  comrade's  mount  and  rode 
away  to  safety.  That  night  while  lying  in  his  blankets  with  the  earth  for 
his  couch  and  the  starlit  sky  for  a  canopy  overhead  he  felt  something  soft 
and  gentle  nudging  him.  Startled,  he  arose  hastily  and  was  overjoyed  to 
find  that  it  was  his  favorite  horse  which  had  returned  safely,  but  badly 
wounded,  from  the  battlefield,  and  had  hunted  out  his  master  from  among 
the  hundreds  of  recumbent  and  sleeping  fomis  on  tlie  camping  ground. 

He  returned  to  Craftsbury  after  his  war  service  and  engaged  in  mer- 
cantile business  which  he  continued  until  1870,  when  he  came  to  Atchison  at 
the  solicitation  of  his  brother,  Frank  H.,  who  was  at  that  time  tlie  junior 
member  of  tlie  firm  of  McPike  &  .'Mien,  wholesale  druggists  of  Atchison. 
Mr.  Allen  entered  the  employ  of  the  company  as  traveling  salesman  and  was 
thus  engaged  for  a  period  of  three  years.  He  then  embarked  in  tlie  grocery 
business  in  partnership  with  Colonel  Ouigg  under  the  firm  name  of  (juigg 
&  Allen.  Colonel  Ouigg  commanded  the  Thirteenth  Kansas  infantrv  regi- 
ment during  the  Civil  war.  The  firm  of  Ouigg  &  .Mien  carried  on  a  whole- 
sale grocer)'  business  for  alx)ut  three  years.  Then  Mr.  Allen  purchased  his 
partner's  interest,  and  three  years  later  consolidated  with  the  A.  B.  Symns 
Grocer  Company.  A.  B.  Symns  became  the  president  of  the  company  and 
Mr.  Allen  became  vice-president.  When  Mr.  Symns  died  in  1005  Mr.  .Mien 
became  president  and  held  the  position  until  iqii  when  he  retired  from 
active  participation  in  the  business,  although  he  still  retains  a  substantial  in- 
terest in  the  company.  Mr.  Allen  was  one  of  the  dominant  individuals  in 
the  development  of  the  Symns  Grocer  Company  in  the  extensive  concern 
which  it  is  at  the  present  time.    When  he  joined  forces  with  Mr.  Symns  their 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  479 

combined  capital  did  not  exceed  $15,000,  and  during  his  period  of  associa- 
tion with  this  company  their  business  developed  into  enormous  proportions, 
and  the  capital  of  the  Symns  Grocer  Company  now  amounts  to  $300,000. 
Mr.  Allen  was  a  natural  salesman  and  had  complete  charge  of  the  traveling 
sales  department  of  the  Symns  Grocer  Company,  and,  in  fact,  during  the  first 
few  years  was  the  entire  traveling  sales  force  himself.  Later,  as  additional 
salesmen  were  added  to  the  force  he  continued  to  direct  the  sales  department 
of  th-;  business.  Mr.  Allen  is  a  prominent  factor  in  the  business  world  of 
Atchison,  and  is  vice-president  of  the  Atchison  Savings  Bank.  He  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks,  and  in  his  political 
views  is  absolutely  independent. 


RALPH  U.   PFOUTS. 


Ralph  U.  Pfouts,  a  leading  young  attorney  of  Atchison,  is  a  native  son 
of  Atchison  county.  He  was  born  at  Monrovia  December  4,  1890,  and  is  a 
son  of  William  A.  and  Ollie  (Sharpless)  Pfouts.  William  A.  Pfouts,  the 
father,  is  also  a  native  Kansan,  born  in  Nemaha  county  in  1861  and  is  a 
son  of  James  and  Caroline  (Kellam)  Pfouts,  natives  of  Pennsylvania,  where 
they  were  reared  and  married,  and  in  i860  came  to  Kansas,  locating  in 
Nemaha  county.  The  father.  James  Pfouts.  died  a  few  months  after  coming 
to  this  State  and  his  wife  returned  to  Pennsylvania  with  her  little  family. 
A  few  years  later,  however,  the  Pfouts  family  returned  to  Kansas,  locating 
at  Lancaster,  Atchison  county,  and  here  William  A.  Pfouts  was  educated 
and  reared  to  manhood.  Pie  followed  farming  in  early  life  and  for  eighteen 
years  was  a  school  teacher.  In  1896  he  engaged  in  the  general  mercantile 
business  at  Lancaster.  To  William  A.  and  Ollie  (Sharpless)  Pfouts  were 
born  two  children,  as  follows :  Ralph,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  and  Mabel, 
deceased.  The  wife  and  mother  died  in  1901,  and  in  1905  William  A.  Pfouts 
married  Miss  Sadie  M.  Monnies. 

Ralph  U.  Pfouts  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Atchison  county, 
and  Kansas  University,  at  Lawrence,  Kan.,  graduating  from  the  law  depart- 
ment of  the  latter  institution  with  the  class  of  19 14.  Shortly  after  graduat- 
ing he  passed  the  State  bar  examiisation  and  engaged  in  the  practice  of  his 
profession  at  Atchison  where  he  is  meeting  with  well  merited  success.  He 
has  appeared  in  connection  with  important  litigations  in  both  the  State  and 
Federal  courts  and  is  enjoying  a  lucrative  practice.     He  possesses  the  natural 


480  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

qualities  of  an  able  lawyer  and  is  an  untiring  student,  and  those  who  know 
him  best  predict  for  him  a  successful  career  in  his  chosen  profession.  Politic- 
ally, he  is  a  Republican.  Mr.  Pfouts  is  a  member  of  the  Ancient  Order  of 
United  \Vorkmen,  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  and  Atchison  Aerie 
No.  173,  Fraternal  Order  of  Eagles. 


OLE  G.  GIGSTAD. 


Ole  G.  Gigstad,  farmer  and  stockman.  Lancaster  township,  was  born 
in  Norway,  October  25,  1856.  He  is  a  son  of  Gulick  and  Anna  (Grannan) 
Gigstad.  He  was  one  of  seven  children,  one  of  whom  is  now  dead.  Four 
sons  and  one  daughter  are  now  living  in  the  United  States.  A  brother,  Knud 
G.  Gigstad.  is  also  a  farmer  and  stockman  in  Lancaster  township.  The  father 
was  a  native  of  Norway  and  spent  his  life  there.  Ole  Gigstad  left  Norway 
m  May,  1883,  and  came  to  Atchison  county,  Kansas,  where  he  worked  a  year 
for  his  brother,  Knud.  Then  for  three  years  he  rented  a  farm  from  his 
uncle  in  Brown  county,  Kansas,  and  in  1887  bought  the  fann  in  Lancaster 
township.  It  is  an  eighty  acre  farm  and  ]\Ir.  Gigstad  has  made  improvements 
to  the  extent  of  $5,000,  including  a  fine  house  and  barn.  He  now  owns  320 
acres  of  well  improved  land,  160  acres  of  which  are  being  farmed  liy  his 
oldest  son,  Gustave.  and  it  has  a  comfortable  residence. 

Ole  Gigstad  attended  school  in  Norwa\-,  but  wlien  he  sailed  for  America 
he  could  not  speak  the  English  language,  and  when  he  arrived  here  he  was 
in  debt  to  the  extent  of  fifty  dollars,  which  was  an  additional  handica]).  But 
his  industry  has  brought  him  to  the  front  rank  of  Atchison  county  farmers. 
He  owns  a  fine  herd  of  graded  stock  and  is  a  successful  farmer  and  stockman. 
He  rented  eighty  acres  additional  in  1915  and  he  had  100  acres  in  corn 
last  year. 

Mr.  Gigstad  was  married  in  1888  to  Sevcrine  Knudson.  who  was  born  in 
Norway,  September  23,  1866.  She  left  her  native  land  in  the  spring  of  1883 
and  settled  at  Everest,  Kan.,  where  her  brothers  were  living  at  the  time. '  In 
1884  she  removed  to  St.  Joseph,  Mo.,  where  she  worked  four  years.  Her 
parents  were  Knud  and  Inger  Sofie  (Berntson)  Knudson,  natives  of  Norway. 
Her  father  was  born  in  1814.  and  immigrated  to  America  in  1891,  coming  to 
Atchison  county,  Kansas,  where  he  lived  with  his  children  until  liis  death,  in 
1894.  The  mother  was  born  in  1827,  and  died  in  her  native  country  in  1887. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gigstad  have  eight  children:  Gustave  A.,  farming  the  160  acres 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  481 

west  of  his  father's  farm ;  Ida,  Charles,  Albert,  Emma,  Edna,  Alice,  Benjamin, 
all  living  at  home.  Mr.  Gigstad  is  a  member  of  the  Lutheran  church  and  is 
a  Republican. 


JOHN  H.   BARRY. 


John  H.  Barry,  cliairman  of  the  board  of  directors  of  the  First  National 
Bank  of  Atchison,  is  one  of  the  well  known  citizens  of  the  city  who  has 
figured  in  the  development  of  Kansas,  especially  the  eastern  portion  of  the 
State,  for  a  period  of  many  years.  For  fifty-seven  years  he  has  been  a  resi- 
dent of  the  State,  and  has  made  his  own  way  from  comparative  poverty  in 
his  youth,  to  a  position  of  affluence  which  compares  most  favorably  with  that 
of  the  men  of  his  day  with  whom  he  has  been  associated.  lie  has  seen  the 
Sunflower  State  develop  from  a  wilderness,  unsettled  and  unpeopled,  except 
by  the  wild  animals  and  Indians,  to  become  one  of  the  fairest  and  greatest 
of  the  sub-divisions  of  the  American  Union.  He  is  proud  of  Atchison 
and  her  prestige,  and  has  played  no  small  part  in  the  task  of  advancing  his 
adopted  city  to  the  forefront  of  western  municipalities. 

J.  H.  Barry  is  of  Celtic  origin,  having  been  born  in  the  city  of  Boston,  of 
Irish  parents,  in  1849.  His  parents,  Michael  and  Ellen  (Roach)  Barry,  were 
natives  of  County  Cork,  Ireland,  wliere  they  were  reared  and  mirried,  and 
crossed  the  Atlantic  to  seek  their  fortune  in  the  new  world.  Settling  in  Bos- 
ton in  the  early  forties,  Mr.  Barry  plied  his  trade  of  tailor  with  fair  success 
and  owned  and  conducted  his  own  tailoring  establishment.  Fie  died  there 
when  John  H.  was  a  small  boy.  His  widow,  accompanied  by  her  son,  then 
journeyed  across  the  countiy  to  Leavenworth  in  1858.  Here  the  buy  was 
brought  up  until  he  was  fifteen  years  of  age  and  in  1862  became  a  freighter 
in  the  employ  of  the  Government.  He  was  a  "mule  whacker,"  or  driver,  who 
had  charge  of  a  team  of  six  mules  which  he  drove  from  Ft.  Leavenworth 
across  the  Great  Plains  to  New  Mexican  ppints.  Saving  his  earnings,  he  em- 
barked in  the  freighting  business  at  Leavenworth  for  himself  in  i86f),  driv- 
ing his  outfit  over  the  route  of  the  Ft.  Scott  &  Gulf  railroad,  via  Baxter 
Springs,  Kan.,  through  the  Indian  Territory  to  Indian  agencies  in  the  terri- 
tory and  Texas,  carrying  wagon  loads  of  merchandise  and  trinkets  on  tl:e 
outward  bound  trip,  and  bringing  back  a  load  of  furs,  hides  and  osage  orange 
seed.  The  trinkets  taken  along  were  intended  for  the  Indians  who  exchanged 
ihcir  furs  for  adornment.     The  osage  orange  seed  was  in  great  demand  at 

31 


482  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

this  period  inasmuch  as  the  settlers  were  then  oinhng  their  lands  witii  usag'e 
hedges.  Mr.  Barry's  freighting  venture  proved  ])r()fitahle.  and  lie  made  con- 
siderable money  during  the  two  years  in  which  he  made  trips  to  the  South- 
west. In  1870  lie  engaged  in  railroad  contracting,  and  was  fairly  successful 
until  1873.  He  graded  and  laiilt  man\-  miles  of  railroad  in  southern  Kansas 
and  through  Oklahoma,  ancrin  the  huildingof  the  L.  L.  &  G.  R.  R..  he  reaped! 
excellent  profits.  He  had  his  ups  and  downs,  like  other  contractors,  however, 
and  one  experience  in  particular  very  nearly  proved  his  undoing.  This  was 
in  the  building  of  the  ]\1.  K.  &  T.  R.  R.,  in  wliich  Mr.  Barry  had  contracted 
to  build  a  twenty  foot  embankment  for  a  distance  of  one  mile.  It  was  under- 
stood with  the  railroad  officials  that  the  grading  was  to  be  completed  by  the 
first  day  of  the  following  yeai',  but  he  rushed  the  work  so  as  to  have  it  com- 
pleted before  the  fall  rains  began.  He  succeeded  in  doing  this  early  in  the 
fall,  but  the  head  contractor,  Stewart  McCoy,  would  not  accept  the  work  as 
finally  done  before  the  time  limit  of  the  contract,  unless  he  would  deduct 
twenty  per  cent,  from  the  contract  price  agreed  upon.  This  arrangement 
meant  the  complete  dissipation  of  his  profits,  and  he  fhially  came  through 
with  only  his  outfits.  This  experience  ended  Mr.  Barr\-'s  contracting  career, 
as  far  as  railroad  building  was  concerned,  and  disposing  of  his  outfits,  he 
came  to  Atchison  in  1873  with  a  small  capital.  Here  on  March  17.  1873. 
he  entered  the  employ  of  the  ^Missouri  Pacific  railroad  as  switchman  and  re- 
mained in  the  employ  of  this  road  until  1879,  filling  various  positions,  such 
as  baggageman,  trainman  and  yardmaster.  While  engaged  in  railroading 
he  became  interested  in  the  civic  and  jjolitical  life  of  Atchison,  and  possessing 
an  engaging  and  candid  personality,  he  made  many  warm  friends,  and  was 
given  political  preferment.  In  the  spring  of  1879  he  was  elected  constable 
and  held  the  post  and  various  otliers  for  three  years.  I'ollowing  tliis  office 
he  was  appointed  chief  of  the  Atchison  city  police  in  1883  by  Mayor  C.  C. 
Burns  and  ser\-ed  until  1885.  In  1885  he  ser\-ed  as  superintendent  of  the 
Street  Railway  Company.  Since  then  he  has  taken  a  more  or  less  active  part 
in  political  matters  in  tlie  city  and  county,  and  is  considered  one  of  the  politi- 
cal leaders  of  his  party.  While  serving  as  city  marshal  he  was  a  United 
States  deputy  marshal  under  United  States  Marshal  Ben  Simpson.  In  1885 
he  established  the  Barry  Coal  and  Wood  Company,  which  he  successfully 
conducted  along  with  other  commercial  propositions  until  i(;io.  He  became 
interested  in  the  Atchison  Paving  Brick  Company,  and  was  active  in  the 
affairs  of  this  manufacturing  concern  for  over  fifteen  years,  Ijeing  still  inter- 
ested in  the  company.  U])on  the  organization  of  the  Commercial  State  Bank 
in  November.  1906,  he  was  electeil  jjresident  oi  the  institution,  and  upon  its 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  483 

consolidation  with  the  First  National  Bank  of  Atchison  he  became  chairman 
of  the  board  of  directors  of  the  new  organization. 

Mr.  Barry's  marriage  with  Kate  Curtin  occurred  November  28.  1874, 
and  to  this  marriage  have  been  born  the  following  children  :  John,  engaged 
in  business  in  New  Mexico;  Henry,  Helen  and  C.  W.,  deceased:  Frances 
Barry  Simmons,  and  one  son,  who  died  in  infancy.  The  younger  daughter 
is  the  wife  of  O.  A.  Simmons,  whose  biograpliy  appears  in  this  volume.  The 
mother  of  these  children  was  born  and  reared  in  Leavenworth.  Kan.,  a 
daughter  of  John  and  Helen  Curtin,  natives  of  Ohio,  who  came  to  Lea\en- 
worth  in  1856.     John  Curtin  was  a  landscape  gardener  by  profession. 

Mr.  Barry  has  always  been  a  Democrat.  In  1885  he  became  a  candi- 
date for  sheriff  of  the  county,  but  was  defeated  by  only  four  votes.  In  1887 
he  was  again  a  candidate  for  the  office  and  was  elected  by  the  large  majority 
of  1,150  votes.  This,  too.  in  the  face  of  the  fact  that  Atchison  countv  has 
generally  been  considered  a  stronghold  of  Republicanism.  So  well  did  he 
perform  the  duties  of  his  office,  and  so  popular  did  he  become  that  he  ex- 
perienced no  difficulty  in  a  second  election  to  the  sheriff's  office  in  i8S<), 
with  a  majority  of  850  to  his  credit.  It  is  stated  that  his  majority  when 
elected  sheriff  of  the  county  was  the  largest  ever  given  a  candidate  for  the 
place.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Catholic  church  and  is  fraternally  connected 
with  the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen,  the  Knights  of  Columbus,  and 
the  Elks.  ]\Ir.  Barry's  success  has  been  due  to  a  strong  and  winning  per- 
sonality, squareness  in  the  conduct  of  his  business  transactions  which  have  been 
proverbial,  a  genius  and  capacity  for  organization,  which  enabled  him  tn  plan 
and  carry  out  his  various  undertakings  to  a  successful  issue,  and  the  ability 
to  make  and  retain  friends. 


WARREN  W.  GUTHRIE. 


Tt  is  given  to  relatively  few  men  to  leave  this  world  for  the  mysteries 
of  the  next,  contented  with  what  they  have  done  here,  and  without  regret 
for  duties  unfulfilled.  At  the  end  of  a  lingering  illness,  giving  ample  time  for 
reflection,  and  as  a  last  utterance.  General  Guthrie  called  closer  to  his  bed- 
side his  faithful  wife  and  companion  and  his  six  living  children  then  gathered 
about  him  and  whispered  to  them :  "I  know  that  I  am  alxout  to  leave  vou  for- 
ever. I  want  you  to  know  that  I  am  going  without  regret  except  for  our 
separation.     I  have  raised  a  family  in  which  I  have  had  only  pride.     I  have 


484  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

tried  to  prepare  you  to  be  good  members  of  your  own  families  and  useful 
citizens.  I  have  fought  the  fight  and  my  work  is  done.  I  am  ready  to  go. 
I  want  you  to  know  that  I  leave  you  feeling  that  I  have  never  done  any  man 
an  intentional  wrong,  or  left  unfulfilled  any  duty  I  was  capable  of  accom- 
plishing, and  tliat  I  go  content." 

These  last  whispers  give  a  fair  inde.x  to  the  life  and  character  of  this 
sturdy  pioneer  Kansan.  He  was  a  type  of  a  product  of  the  early  years  of 
struggle  in  Kansas,  now  largeh'  passing  away.  Diplomacy  was  a  word  of 
which  he  might  never  have  known  the  meaning.  He  at  least  never  practiced 
it  to  the  prejudice  of  frankness.  Whether  as  a  friend  who  could  be  depended 
upon  in  any  emergency  and  regardless  of  consequences  to  himself,  or  whether 
as  a  foe  who  could  not  be  placated  by  excuses  or  offers  of  advantage  personal 
to  himself,  and  equally  regardless  of  consequences  his  cards  in  the  game  were 
always  upon  the  table  face  up.  He  despised  sham  and  pretense  in  every 
form,  and  whether  in  business,  politics  or  the  judicial  forum,  he  always  fought 
his  way  double-fisted,  straight  for  the  goal. 

Born  June  9,  1S34.  on  a  flinty  hillside  farm  on  the  lianks  of  the  Housa- 
tonicriver  in  Connecticut,  and  ambitious  for  a  broader  field,  W.  W'.  Guthrie 
struck  out  for  himself  early  in  life.  At  seventeen  he  was  providing  for  his 
further  education  by  teaching  a  rural  school  in  New  Jersey,  on  the  present 
site  of  Long  Branch,  where  the  chief  qualification  for  the  teacher  was  his 
abilitv  to  thrash  the  biggest  young  fisherman  in  the  school.  In  his  later  years 
it  was  one  of  the  delights  of  General  Guthrie  to  tell  of  his  experiences  in 
instructing  the  youth  of  New  Jersey  with  a  clapboard. 

In  1857  under  the  well  known  general  advice  of  Horace  Greeley,  Mr. 
Guthrie,  then  admitted  to  the  bar,  came,  seeking  his  fortune,  to  Kansas  by  way 
of  steamboat  up  the  Missouri  river  from  St.  Louis,  landing  at  Whitecloud, 
thirty-one  miles  north  of  Atchison,  then  one  of  the  cities  upon  the  Missouri 
with  small  population  but  unlimited  future  possibilities.  Shortly  afterwards 
he  moved  again  westward  to  Hiawatha,  the  county  seat  of  Brown  county, 
where  he  established  himself  in  practice,  his  business  radiating  to  the  sur- 
rounding counties,  which  were  reached  principally  on  muleliack.  General 
Guthrie  was  over  si.x  feet  in  height,  and  be  loved  to  tell  how.  as  a  lanky 
young  lawyer  with  a  small  mule,  it  was  difficult  to  keep  his  feet  off  the 
ground  in  traveling  from  county  seat  to  county  seat.  .\t  Hiawatha  he  and 
the  late  Gov.  E.  N.  Morrill  were  close  friends,  kept  "bach"  together,  and 
had  the  usual  quarrels  as  to  whose  turn  it  was  to  scrape  the  skillet. 

Elected  to  the  Territorial  legislature,  his  service  attracted  such  attention 
that  in  liis  absence,  and  without  his  knowledge,  he  was  given  by  the  Rejiubli- 


f 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  485 

cans  the  first  nomination  under  State  organization  for  the  office  of  attorney 
general ;  he  was  duly  elected  and  served  as  the  first  attorney  general  of  the 
newly  created  State.  It  was  from  his  incumbency  in  that  office  that  he  be- 
came known  as  General  Guthrie.  He  was  not  acceptable  for  military  seryice 
and  took  no  part  in  the  Civil  war  except  as  a  yolunteer  in  the  organization 
hastily  effected  to  repel  the  hivasion  of  Gen.  Sterling  Price,  which  was  cut 
off  by  his  defeat  at  the  battle  of  Westport. 

Some  of  General  Guthrie's  friends  haye  felt  that  he  would  not  haye 
been  nominated  for  attorney  general  if  he  had  been  at  the  conyention  where 
he  was  nominated,  or  had  known  that  he  was  to  be  suggested  as  a  candidate. 
While  General  Guthrie  subsequently  served  with  credit  in  the  Kansas  State 
senate  and  was  an  influential  factor  in  Kansas  politics  for  many  years  in  the 
interests  of  others,  he  was  not  a  successful  politician  as  a  candidate  in  con- 
ventions not  made  up  of  a  majority  of  men  who  personally  knew  him  well. 
He  was  thrice  a  candidate  for  the  Republican  nomination  for  Congress,  and 
once  nominated  by  one  of  the  two  factions  of  a  convention  which  split  up  in 
a  row  and  nominated  two  different  candidates.  \\"hen  it  came  to  todies 
made  up  of  trading  delegations  dickering  for  local  advantages.  General  Guth- 
rie's straightforwardness,  his  aversion  to  crooked  deals  and  trades,  and  his 
unwillingness  to  offer  personal  reward  for  political  assistance  put  him  at  a 
serious  disadvantage.  If  he  thought  a  man  or  thing  was  wrong  he  never 
hesitated  to  say  so,  even  though  he  understood  what  the  results  would  be. 
It  is  said  that  at  the  last  congressional  convention  in  which  he  was  a  candi- 
date, and  in  which  he  was  the  favorite  candidate,  the  balance  of  the  power 
was  held  by  a  delegation  amenable  to  the  allurements  of  promise  of  office, 
or  more  direct  substantial  and  immediate  reward.  His  less  scrupulous 
friends  tried  to  "dope"  the  General  with  some  medicine  that  would  put  him 
out  of  action  while  they  used  the  necessary  means  to  the  end.  But  the  Gen- 
eral refused  to  he  either  doped  or  to  retire  and  shut  his  eyes  to  the  situation. 
preferring  an  honorable  defeat. 

General  Guthrie  had  physical  as  well  as  moral  courage.  Contesting  the 
candidacy  of  a  former  prominent  citizen  of  Atchison  who  had  come  from  an- 
other State  under  a  cloud,  General  Guthrie  collected  the  record  of  this  can- 
didate in  his  fonner  home  and  announced  that  he  would  read  it  at  a  meet- 
ing to  be  held  in  old  Turner  Hall.  This  was  in  the  early  days  when  Atchi- 
son had  her  quota  of  "roughneck"  citizens.  General  Guthrie  was  notified 
that  they  would  attend  and  that  he  would  read  his  documentary  evidence  at 
the  peril  of  his  life.  He  had  never  owned  or  carried  a  firearm  except  dur- 
ing the  preparation  to  resist  the  Price  raid,  but  on  the  night  of  the  meeting 


486  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON"  COUNTY 

he  stepped  out  on  tlie  platform  at  Turner  Hall,  and  laying  u])on  the  table  a 
pair  of  old  annv  revolvers,  he  looked  down  on  the  "roughnecks"  in  the  front 
row  and  advised  them  that  he  was  about  to  proceed  with  his  speech,  and  that 
persons  wlio  didn't  like  trouble  had  better  leave  l^efore  it  began.  He  made 
the  speech.  The  trouble  did  not  start.  The  candidate  he  was  opposing  was 
defeated. 

From  the  time  Kansas  became  a  State  until  his  death.  General  Guthrie 
was  a  citizen  of  Atchison  contemporary  with  that  circle  of  brilliant  and  able 
men  who  in  the  early  days  made  .\tchison  the  mother  of  the  political  history 
of  the  State,  such  as  Senator  John  J.  Ingalls,  Governor  John  A.  Martin, 
Governor  George  \\\  Glick,  United  States  District  Judge  Cassius  G.  Foster, 
Chief  Justices  Samuel  A.  Kingman  and  Alljert  H.  Horton,  and  such  early- 
day  business  men  as  David  Au'd.  the  Challiss  brothers,  Jacob  Leu.  and 
Samuel  Hollister. 

.\fter  his  election  as  attorney  general  on  December  21,  1^63.  General 
Guthrie,  accompanied  by  his  friend.  Chief  Justice  Albert  II.  Horton.  as  best 
man.  crossed  the  Missouri  ri\er  to  St.  Joseph  upon  the  ice,  crawling  upon 
their  hands  and  knees,  the  ice  Ijeing  too  treacherous  to  support  a  man  talk- 
ing upright,  to  be  married  to  Julia,  daughter  of  Capt.  William  Fowler,  of 
St.  Joseph,  also  a  pioneer,  the  first  county  clerk  in  the  territory  of  which 
St.  Jo.seph  is  now  the  county  seat.  There  were  born  of  this  marriage  eight 
children,  two  of  whom  died  in  infancy,  the  others  and  the  wife  sur\iving 
General  Guthrie.  W.  F.  Guthrie,  the  eldest  son,  practiced  law  with  his  father 
until  aboiU  the  time  of  the  death  of  the  latter,  when,  with  his  wife  and  three 
children  he  remo\ed  to  Kansas  City  and  is  still  in  practice.  The  second  son, 
F.  L.  Guthrie,  a  retired  banker,  with  wife,  resides  at  Paola.  Kan.  Mary  Lou- 
ise Guthrie  is  the  wife  of  .-\.  E.  White,  head  of  the  commissary  department 
of  the  Burlington  system,  residing  in  Chicago,  and  the  mother  of  four  chil- 
dren. Warren  W.  (iuthrie.  Jr.,  practiced  law  in  Atchison  in  association  with 
his  father  and  brother,  and  afterwards  practiced  alone  until  his  death  on 
August  17.  IQ14.  being  one  of  the  most  beloved  men  personally  of  all  the 
people  of  .Atchison.  Theodore  F.  Guthrie,  also  the  father  of  four  children, 
is.  as  he  has  been  since  before  his  father's  decease,  the  manager  of  the  Guth- 
rie ranch  in  Chase  county.  Kansas.  Gilbert  L.  Guthrie  lias  l)een  the  wanderer 
of  the  family,  a  metallurgical  en,gi!'ieer  who  has  seen  distinguished  ser\icc  on 
every  continent  of  the  globe,  but  has  given  up  his  work  to  lie  a  companion  to 
the  widow,  residing  on  the  old  Guthrie  homestead  adjoinin.g  .\tchison. 

F"rom  the  first  General  Guthrie  became  and  luitil  ill  health  overtook  him 
remained  a  nut.il)le  figure  at  the  bar.  not  only  of  Atchison.  Imt  of  the  State  at 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  487 

large,  and  particularly  northeast  Kansas,  where  liis  earlv  successes  brought 
him  in  as  a  consultant  in  the  territory  lie  had  formerly  covered  on  mule- 
back,  long  after  that  territory  had  de\-eloped  man)-  able  lawyers  of  its  own. 
His  name  appears  frequently  in  the  reports  of  the  supreme  court  of  Kansas, 
and  in  connection  with  the  establishment  of  many  new  and  novel  precedents 
in  the  courts.  General  Guthrie  was  an  original  thinker  along  legal  lines,  and 
not  over-tolerant  of  the  law  as  he  found  it  in  the  books.  When  it  did  not 
suit  him  his  \igorous  mind  would  discern  logical  modifications  and  novel 
applications  of  old  doctrines  to  meet  tlie  new  necessities  of  his  litigation. 

Every  fight  for  the  general  good  of  the  community  found  General  Guth- 
rie in  the  front  of  battle.  No  difficulty  daunted  him.  .All  that  was  required 
for  him  was  to  decide  as  to  what  he  thought  right,  and  his  hat  was  in  tlie 
ring.  Perhaps  the  greatest  personal,  direct  service  rendered  by  General  Guth- 
rie to  the  community  was  in  connection  with  the  failure  of  the  Peoples  Sav- 
ings Bank.  The  Peoples  Savings  Bank  was  an  auxiliary  of  the  United  States 
National  Bank,  the  closing  of  which  was  brought  about  by  the  circulation 
of  rumors  affecting  its  solvency.  It  paid  its  lialiilities  in  full  before  it  closed, 
but  tlie  assets  of  the  Peoples  Savings  Bank  were  invested  cliiefly  in  real  estate 
mortgages  and  bonds  not  immediately  payable,  and  as  times  were  then,  not 
readily  convertil)le.  so  that  its  closure,  following  that  of  the  United  States 
National,  left  hundreds  of  citizens  with  tlieir  needed  savings  not  immediately 
realizable.  General  Guthrie  was  a  holder  of  one  share  of  stock  only  in  each  of 
these  banks,  for  the  purpose  of  qualifying  as  a  director  as  an  accommodation 
to  the  operating  officers,  his  friends.  This  double  failure,  at  a  time  of  gen- 
eral financial  uneasiness,  helped  by  stories  circulated  by  enemies  of  the  bank 
officials  anxious  to  bring  them  into  disgrace,  filled  .\tchison  with  excitement. 
Nightly  meetings,  attended  by  hundreds  of  depositors,  were  Iield.  and  in  their 
ignorance  measures  were  initiated  which  would  have  resulted  in  a  sacrifice 
of  the  assets  and  the  realization  to  the  depositors  of  but  a  small  per  cent, 
of  their  claims.  General  Guthrie  undertook  to  stem  this  tide  and  save  the 
depositors  from  themselves.  He  arranged  with  his  co-directors  to  advance  a 
sum  to  l)uy  up  at  face  value  the  deposits  of  the  smaller  and  more  needy  de- 
positors, and  out  of  his  own  funds  advanced  the  moneys  nccessaiy  to  protect 
the  assets  from  sacrifice,  and  lent  his  own  uncompensated  efforts  to  their 
realization  at  their  actual  value,  with  the  result  that  within  a  year  every 
claim  of  the  bank  was  paid  in  full. 

Like  man)'-  successful  men  who  ha\e  been  born  and  spent  their  early 
years  upon  a  farm.  General  Guthrie  was  interested  in  farming  and  in  farm 
development  and  in  sliowing  what  could  lie  done  through  proper  cultivation 


488  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

and  stock  development.  He  left  ample  provision  for  his  widow  and  younger 
children,  ciiiefly  in  farm  lands.  He  gave  personal  attention  to  the  operation 
and  improvement  of  his  farms,  and  took  particular  delight  in  the  management 
of  his  6,000  acre  ranch  in  Chase  county,  Kansas,  and  in  the  development  of  a 
grade  of  cattle  originated  by  himself,  the  Polled  Herefords,  a  strain  of  Here- 
fords,  from  which  he  succeeded  in  breeding  off  the  horns.  Nothing  gave 
him  greater  pleasure  in  the  later  years  of  his  life  than  to  explain  his  farming 
and  cattle  operations  to  his  friends  and  intimates.  He  was  ready  to  put  aside 
the  most  intricate  litigation  at  any  time  for  a  chat  on  this  subject. 

Wliilc  General  Guthrie's  open-handed  warfare  upon  the  tilings  he 
thought  wrong  made  him  many  enemies,  his  untiring  energy,  integrity  and 
readiness  to  help  anyone  or  anything  he  believed  to  be  right,  brought  him  a 
host  of  friends,  not  only  among  the  young  lawyers  he  raised  and  trained, 
but  among  the  public  at  large,  and  he  died  an  honored  and  respected  mem- 
ber of  this  community  on  April  22,  1903,  at  the  old  home  place  adjoining 
the  city  of  Atchison. 


JOHN  PETER  ADAMS. 


Faithfulness  to  duty  is  generally  recognized  and  rewarded  by  the  people 
of  an  average  American  community.  Atchison  county  is  singularly  fortunate 
in  having  as  its  officials  men  of  whom  it  can  be  said  are  above  the  average 
type  of  county  officials.  The  office  of  jjrobate  judge  of  the  county  is  no 
exception,  and  is  ably  filled  by  the  present  incumbent  of  whdni  this  biography 
treats.  John  Peter  Adams  is  an  able  member  of  the  Atchison  county  bar  and 
a  painstaking  and  conscientious  public  official.  In  the  performance  oi  tlie 
duties  of  his  high  office  he  has  won  the  esteem  of  the  people  of  the  county 
and  showed  such  marked  ability  in  his  judicial  capacity  that  he  was  elected  to 
the  office  for  the  third  time  without  opposition  from  any  source. 

Judge  John  Peter  Adams  was  born  in  the  town  of  Lock  Berlin,  Wayne 
county,  New  York,  June  7,  1855.  His  parents  were  Peter  and  Martha  (Eld- 
ridge)   Adams,  and  Judm'  Adani'^  was  nne  of  six  cliildroii. 

Judge  Adams  received  his  early  education  in  the  schools  of  his  native 
State  and  the  Macedon  yVcademy,  following  which  he  completed  a  business 
course  at  the  Eastman  Business  College,  Poughkeepsie,  N.  Y.  He  practically 
worked  his  way  through  school  by  teaching,  becoming  a  teacher  at  the  early 
age  of  eighteen.     He  came  to  Atchison  in   1870  and  entered  iho  law  office 


\\  ll.l.l  \\I     \.    .1  \(  KSON. 

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HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  489 

of  Judge  H.  M.  Jackson,  as  a  law  student,  and  was  admitted  to  the  practice 
of  law  in  1880.  A  short  time  following  his  admission  to  the  bar  he  opened 
an  office  for  himself,  and  later  became  a  partner  with  Roy  C.  Crawford.  A 
partnership  with  Charles  J.  Conlon  was  formed  some  time  afterward,  which 
continued  until  the  election  of  Mr.  Adams  to  the  office  of  probate  judge  in 
iQio.  Judge  Adams  was  reelected  in  1912,  and  again  in  1914,  without 
opposition  for  the  nomination  or  election.  He  is  a  Republican  and  a  firm 
believer  in  a  high  protective  tariff.  Previous  to  his  election  to  the  probate 
judgeship,  he  served  as  judge  of  the  Atchison  city  court,  having  been  ap- 
pointed by  Governor  Bailey  in  1902,  and  reelected  three  times  following 
his  appointment  without  opposition.  Judge  Adams  has  always  earnestly 
advocated  Republican  principles  and  has  been  a  faithful  party  worker. 

Judge  Adams  was  married  in  Albion,  Mich.,  June  24,  1885,  to  Mary 
Stevens,  a  native  of  Lock  Berlin,  N.  Y.,  and  a  daughter  of  Wells  J.  L.  and 
Nancy  Stevens.  To  Judge  and  Mrs.  Adams  have  been  born  three  children, 
who  are  the  pride  of  their  parents,  as  follows :  Eldridge,  born  November  30, 
1892.  He  received  his  classical  education  in  Kansas  University  and  grad- 
uated in  medicine  from  Rush  Medical  College  at  Chicago  in  1914.  after  a 
thorough  course  of  study  in  the  University  of  Chicago,  now  a  practicing 
physician  and  surgeon  in  the  Illinois  State  Hospital  for  eye,  nose  and 
throat,  at  Chicago.  Dr.  Adams  is  a  rising  young  physician  of  marked  ability 
and  was  an  apt  student,  and  is  ambitious  to  succeed  in  his  chosen  profession. 
He  graduated  from  the  z\tchison  High  School  at  the  age  of  fifteen,  from  the 
Kansas  University  at  the  age  of  nineteen,  and  received  his  Doctor  of  Medicine 
degree  from  Rush  College  of  Medicine  when  but  twenty-three  years  of  age. 
It  is  safe  to  predict  a  brilliant  future  for  this  Atchison  boy.  A  daughter  of 
Judge  Adams,  Eleanor,  aged  twent)',  is  a  student  of  Knox  College,  Gales- 
burg.  111.,  class  of  19 1 6,  where  she  is  specializing  in  music — \'iolin  and  voice. 
Gene\ra,  the  voungest  child  of  Judge  and  Mrs.  Adams,  is  eighteen  years  old, 
a  graduate  of  the  Atchison  High  School,  and  a  student  in  Baker  University. 
The  Adams  family  has  resided  in  the  same  house  at  Fourth  and  Laramie 
streets  for  thirty  years,  or  since  the  marriage  of  Judge  and  Mrs.  Adams. 
They  believe  in  .giving  their  children  the  advantages  of  a  good  education,  as 
the  best  preparation  possible  for  their  future  success. 

Judge  Adams  was  reared  in  the  E])iscopalian  faith,  which  was  the  church 
of  his  fathers,  but  is  an  attendant  with  the  members  of  his  family  at  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church.  He  became  a  member  of  the  Masonic  lodge 
in  1876. 


490  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

WILLIAM  ANTHONY  JACKSON. 

While  we  reverence  the  courts  and  look  upon  them  as  the  final  refuge  of 
the  citizenry  in  time  of  oppression  or  trouble,  we  realize  that  the  tribunals  of 
the  people  for  safeguarding  our  inalienable  rights  as  citizens  are  measured 
in  their  usefulness  by  the  character  of  the  men  chosen  to  sit  at  the  head  of 
the  judiciar}-.  Society  is  protected  from  those  criminally  inclined,  and  we 
accept  without  criticism  the  decisions  of  tlie  judges  with  whom  we  come  into 
personal  contact,  because  of  the  fact  that  the  masses  of  the  people  have  an 
abiding  faith  in  the  integrity  of  the  courts.  This  confidence  is  more  in  evi- 
dence in  a  community  where  all  have  an  opportunity  of  judging  at  close  range 
tlie  qualifications  and  personal  integrity  of  those  chosen  by  the  people  to 
administer  the  judicial  affairs  of  the  people.  It  is  meet  and  necessary  that 
the  judges  ni  wliom  we  place  implicit  confidence  1)c  men  of  the  highest  calibre, 
broad-minded  and  sympathetic  in  dealing  firmly  with  the  many  diverse  cases 
which  are  brought  before  them  for  adjudication.  The  district  court  of  Atchi- 
son county  is  presided  over  by  a  learned  jurist  who  lias  the  confidence  and 
esteem  of  tlie  people,  and  who  enjoys  the  universal  respect  of  the  citizens  of 
the  county.  Hon.  William  A.  Jackson,  judge  of  the  district  court  of  Atchison 
county,  is  such  a  man  wisely  chosen  to  fill  the  highest  office  within  the  gift 
of  tlie  people  in  his  district.  His  career  as  ])residing  officer  of  the  court  lias 
been  marked  bv  a  display  of  ability,  legal  acumen,  broad-minded  and  sym- 
pathetic discernment  of  right  and  wrong  in  handing  down  his  decisions  that 
have  satisfied  the  most  exacting.  He  was  iiorn  in  X'ersailles,  Morgan  county. 
Missouri,  October  6,  1866.  He  is  a  son  of  Judge  Horace  M.  and  Lavanchia 
Tsaljelle  (\'alcntine)  Jackson,  a  rex'iew  of  whose  life  is  given  in  this  \-oluine. 

Judge  Jackson  has  a  reputation  for  fairness  and  impartiality  in  liis  judicial 
decisions  which  has  gone  far  beyond  the  liorders  of  Iiis  county.  The  .Atchison 
Daily  Champion  in  its  issue  of  September  25.  1913,  has  this  to  say  of  his  high 
honor  and  integrity : 

"In  these  days  of  alleged  lawless  lawyers  and  corrupted  courts  it  is  a  gond 
thing  to  know  that  .\tchison  county  has  an  hunest  and  efficient  judge  to 
administer  justice  from  the  district  bench.  Many  big  men. — men  of  splendid 
(|ualifications  and  sterling  integrity — liave  occupied  the  important  position  now 
held  bv  Judge  Jackson,  but  never  before  has  this  county  had  a  judge  whose 
service  on  the  bench  commanded  more  vmiversal  satisfaction  than  that  ren- 
dered l)v  Judge  Jackson.  It  is  the  unanimous  opinion  of  the  .\tchison  Imr 
that  he  is  the  best  district  judge  in  the  State,  .\bsolute1y  fair,  impartial, 
ca])ablp.  be  ]ierforms  the   fnncti()ns  of  his  office  with  a  high  sense  of  duty 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  4QI 

and  responsibility  to  the  law  and  to  his  fellow  men,  a  duty  and  responsibility 
which  precludes  all  other  results,  save  only  unqualified,  justice  for  each  case 
that  comes  under  his  supervision." 

The  supreme  test  which  could  be  applied  to  a  man  in  his  position  came  on 
an  occasion  when  the  father  and  Inother  of  Judge  Jackson  appeared  for  the 
defendant  in  a  case  which  was  tried  in  the  Atchison  court  with  Judge  Jackson 
on  the  bench,  and  he  was  not  found  wanting.  Quoting  from  the  Atchison 
Daily  Chainpwn  in  its  issue  of  April  kj.  iqcg.  concerning  this  uni(|uc  situatinn 
and  the  conduct  of  Judge  Jackson  during  the  course  of  the  trial  of  the  case: 

"Many  people  have  attended  court  the  past  week  as  witnesses,  jurors 
and  spectatiirs  in  the  Xorris-]\lapes  tial,  and  the  fact  was  freely  commcntt'd 
upon  that  the  appearance  in  the  trial  of  father  and  son  as  attorneys  for  the 
defendant  and  another  son  was  on  the  bench,  presented  a  situation  that  was 
quite  unusual.  Some  at  first  indulged  in  unfriendly  criticism  of  the  circum- 
stances and  it  is  therefore  a  pleasure  for  the  Champion  to  sa^y  that  it  has  heard 
nothing  but  the  most  universal  praise  for  the  fairness,  the  impartialit\-  and 
the  splendid  integrity  of  purpose  Judge  Jackson  displayed  in  his  rulings  on 
everv'  disputed  question  of  law  and  evidence  in  the  case.  It  is  a  fact  worthy  of 
C(jniment  that  the  Clwinpioii  takes  pleasure  at  this  time  in  giving  public  recog- 
nition ti)  so  important  a  matter.  There  is  nolx)dy  in  .\tcliison  wlio  has  a 
stronger  following  of  loyal  friends  than  Will  Jackson,  and  it  is  because  of  his 
manhood,  his  honesty  and  fine  sense  of  honor  that  he  has  earned  them  and 
retains  them." 

William  Anthony  Jackson  was  tnmdled  in  a  home-made  baby-cart  and 
dressed  in  clothing  spun  and  made  by  his  devoted  mother.  Few  were  the 
luxuries  in  which  he  was  indulged:  the  plainest  of  fare  was  his  sustenance 
during  his  childhood  days.  In  1870  he  was  placed  in  school  at  Marysville, 
Mo.,  and  after  coming  to  Atchison  with  his  parents  he  attended  the  city 
schools.  He  attended  the  Monroe  Institute  and  later  entered  Kansas  Univer- 
sity at  Lawrence,  graduating  therefrom  in  1888.  He  was  admitted  to  the 
bar  and  in  iR8g  was  made  a  member  of  the  law  firm  of  Jackson  I'l-  Jackson. 
His  success  in  the  practice  of  his  profession  has  been  marked  and  he  is  widely 
known  as  a  capable  lawyer  and  jurist,  llis  first  ])ublic  office  was  that  nf  city 
attorney,  to  which  he  was  elected  in  April,  1905,  and  served  until  1900.  Dur- 
ing the  four  years  of  his  incumbencv  of  the  office  of  city  attorney  he  lost  but 
one  case  which  came  up  for  trial  under  his  care  for  the  city.  He  was 
elected  judge  of  the  district  court,  second  judicial  district,  in  November  of 
1908,  and  resigned  the  office  of  city  attorney  to  take  up  his  duties  on  the 
bench  in  order  to  qualify  in  January,  1909.     His  career  on  the  bench  speaks 


492  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

for  itself  and  the  fairness  of  his  decisions  is  proverbial.  Judge  Jackson  is 
remarked  frequently  Inr  his  kindness  of  heart,  and  snon  after  he  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  the  opportunity  came  to  him  to  "return  good  for  evil" 
in  one  particular  case.  A  lad  with  whom  he  had  come  into  contact  on  the 
school  ground  at  Marysville,  and  who  had  tried  to  impose  on  him,  with  the 
result  that  strained  feeling  existed  for  many  years  between  them  was  the 
beneficiary  of  his  goodness.  This  lad,  then  grown  to  man's  estate,  came  to 
the  judge  in  Atchison  and  asked  him  to  assist  him  in  getting  employment. 
The  judge  did  so  and  earned  the  thanks  of  his  boyhood  enemy. 

Judge  Jackson's  wedded  life  began  April  26,  1894,  when  he  was  united 
in  marriage  with  Edith  Fox,  of  Atchison.  To  this  union  have  been  bom 
two  children:  Jared  Fox  Jackson,  born  November  19,  1895,  and  now  a  stu- 
dent in  the  law  department  of  Kansas  University ;  Edward  Valentine  Jackson, 
born  June  6,  1900.  a  student  in  the  Atchison  High  School.  The  mother  of 
these  children  is  a  daughter  of  Jared  Copeland.  (See  sketch  of  Jared  Cope- 
land  Fox  elsewliere  in  tliis  volume. ) 

Judge  Jackson  is  fraternally  affiliated  with  the  ^Masonic  Lodge.  W'asli- 
ington.  No.  5,  of  Atchison,  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  the  Elks,  the  Fraternal 
Order  of  Eagles,  and  the  Phi  Gamma  Delta  fraternity  of  the  Kansas  State 
University.  He  is  a  liberal  contributor  to  charitable  and  religious  denomina- 
tions, and  is  usually  found  in  the  van  of  all  projects  which  have  for  their  pur- 
pose the  betterment  of  his  liome  citv  and  county. 


ROY  C.  TRIMBLE. 


In  Roy  C.  Trimble,  sheriff  of  Atchison  county,  tlie  people  have  an  effi- 
cient and  capable  public  official,  who  believes  tliat  his  duties  are  paramount 
over  all  other  considerations,  and  he  has  shown  by  his  steadfast  and  unswerv- 
ing loyalty  to  the  ethics  of  his  office  that  he  is  a  man  eminently  fitted  for 
high  pulilic  office.  Wv.  Trimble  is  a  young  man  to  hold  sucli  an  important 
office,  but  is  old  in  ability  and  experience.  He  is  a  native  of  Atchison 
county,  and  a  son  of  James  M.  and  Margaret  E.  (McCreary)  Trimble. 

Roy  C.  Trimble  was  bom  August  11.  1877.  on  a  farm,  four  miles  south- 
west of  Atchison.  His  father.  James  M.  Trimlile,  was  Ixirn  September  10. 
1843.  in  P>uchanan  county.  Missouri,  and  died  in  January.  1910.  in  .\tchison 
county.  He  was  the  son  of  Benjamin  F.  Trimble,  a  native  of  Kentucky,  who 
immigrated  to  DeKalb,  Mo.,  where  he  conducted  a  blacksmith  and  wagon  re- 
pair shop,  and  later  removed  to  Texas.     After  a  residence  of  some  vears  in 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  493 

Texas  lie  settled  in  Atchison  county,  where  the  son,  James  M.,  bought  a  farm 
which  he  ctiltivated  until  1905,  when  he  disposed  of  his  land  and  invested  in 
a  livery  business.  He  was  thus  engaged  until  his  death.  During  the  Civil 
war,  Mr.  Trimble  was  enrolled  in  the  State  militia.  Benjamin  F.  Trimble 
was  one  of  the  early  pioneer  settlers  of  Atchison  county  and  owned  a  farm 
near  Effingham.  The  children  of  James  M.  Trimble  are  J.  P.,  a  railway 
mail  clerk  on  the  Central  Branch  railroad;  A.  F.,  a  rural  mail  carrier;  K.  S., 
a  farmer,  south  of  Atchison;  E.  S.,  a  resident  of  Lake  Ballinger,  Wash. ;  Roy 
C,  and  T.  O.,  a  ranchman,  near  Seattle.  Wash. 

The  mother  of  the  foregoing  children  was  Margaret  E.  McCreary,  born 
in  1850  and  died  in  1890.  She  was  a  daughter  of  Solomon  McCreary,  a 
pioneer  settler  of  Atchison  county,  who  had  a  farm  eight  and  one-half  miles 
south  of  Atchison.  Solomon  McCreary  was  born  in  Clay  county,  Missouri, 
in  1822,  and  died  in  Julv,  191 1.  He  was  a  son  of  Elijah  McCreary,  and 
was  the  )-oungest  of  a  family  of  thirteen  children.  The  family  is  of  Scotch- 
Irish  ancestr}-,  and  originally  settled  in  South  Carolina.  S.  K.  came  to 
Kansas  in  1854,  first  settling  in  Leavenworth  county,  and  four  years  later 
moving  to  Atchison  county.  He  bought  a  land  patent  from  a  Mexican  war 
veteran,  and  made  his  home  on  the  pioneer  farm  until  bis  death.  His  chil- 
dren were  as  follows:  Mrs.  B.  Frank  Trimble,  Mrs.  Margaret  Trimble,  de- 
ceased; Mrs.  Nellie  Adams;  Cora,  deceased;  W.  S.,  deceased;  Mrs.  Nettie 
Perkins,  Leavenworth  ;  S.  K.,  and  Mrs.  Grace  Salmon,  of  Los  Angeles. 

Roy  C.  Trimble  was  educated  in  the  district  school  No.  5,  located  south 
of  the  city,  and  resided  on  the  farm  until  1905  when  he  was  engaged  in  the 
liver\-  business  with  his  father,  continuing  until  the  latter's  death,  after  which 
.  he  conducted  the  business  for  a  few  years  and  then  traded  it  for  some  real 
estate.  He  was  first  a  candidate  for  sheriff  in  igi2  on  the  Republican  ticket, 
but  lost  out  by  288  votes.  He  was  again  a  candidate  in  1914  and  won  b}-  the 
considerable  margin  of  700  votes. 

Sheriff  Trimble  was  married  November  2.  1904,  to  Ma}-  Florence  Hart- 
man,  who  was  born  near  Purcell,  seven  miles  southwest  of  Atchison,  and  is  a 
daughter  of  Ex-Sheriff  F.  C.  Hartman,  now  deceased.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Trimble  have  been  born  the  following  children:  Guy  Roy,  born  August  7, 
1905;  Cynthia  tjrace,  l;orn  ^lay  2,  1907;  Clara  May,  born  May  10,  1913, 
and  Henrietta  Gale,  born  June  4,  191 5. 

Mr.  Trimble  and  wife  are  members  of  the  Presbyterian  church.  He  is 
fraternally  affiliated  with  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and  the 
Fraternal  Aid.  Mr.  Trimble  is  likeable,  and  has  a  winning  personality  which 
goes  far  toward  making  him  a  successful  and  popular  official.     Such  enco- 


494  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

miums  and  praise  as  have  come  to  him  for  his  conduct  of  the  duties  of  the 

sheriff's 

friends. 


slieriff's  office  are  well  deserved  and  he  is  constantly  widening  his  circle  of 


CHARLES  J.  COXLOX. 

Charles  J.  Conlon,  a  prominent  attorney  of  Atchisi^n.  who  is  Udw  serving 
his  second  term  as  county  attorney,  is  a  native  of  the  Empire  State.  He  was 
born  at  Orwell,  Oswego  county,  New  York,  October  31,  i860,  and  is  a  son 
of  James  and  Anna  (Bowen)  Conlon.  the  former  a  native  of  Xew  York  and 
the  latter  of  Ireland.  Anna  Bowen,  the  mother,  came  to  America  with  her 
parents,  William  and  Xancy  Bowen,  when  she  was  thirteen  years  of  age. 
James  Conlon  was  bom  in  Onedia  county,  New  York,  and  was  a  son  of  Charles 
Conlon,  a  native  of  Ireland,  who  immigrated  to  .\merica  in  181 4  and  settled  in 
Oneida  county.  New  York,  where  he  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life.  James 
Conlon  grew  to  manh()od  in  Oneida  cinintx'.  and  in  1859  was  married  and 
about  a  year  later  removed  to  Oswego  county,  bought  a  farm  and  followed 
farming  there  until  1867.  He  then  returned  to  Oneida  county,  where  he 
remained  until  1870,  when  lie  came  to  Kansas,  locating  in  Atchi.son  county. 
He  bought  a  farm  about  a  mile  and  one-half  soutliwest  of  the  city  of  .\tciii- 
son,  where  he  was  successfully  engaged  in  fanning  and  stock  raising  until 
about  a  j-ear  prior  to  his  death,  Xovember  i,  1899,  at  tiie  age  of  seventy-three. 
He  was  a  very  successful  farmer  and  a  highly  respected  citizen,  and  at  the 
time  of  his  death  owned  200  acres  of  valuable  land,  which  is  still  owned  by  the 
Conlon  family.  He  was  a  life-long  Democrat  and  a  member  of  the  Catholic 
church.  His  wife  died  September  22,  1898,  aged  sixty-three  years.  They 
were  the  parents  of  the  following  children :  Anna  M.  married  Peter  Donovan, 
now  deceased,  and  three  children  were  born  to  this  union,  Peter.  Fredrick  and 
Charles,  and  after  the  death  of  her  first  husband.  .Anna  M.  married  John  Mc- 
Inteer,  who  is  also  now  deceased  and  she  resides  in  Atchison :  Charles  J.,  the 
subject  of  this  sketch:  William  H.  resides  on  the  old  homestead;  John  F., 
farmer,  .Atchison:  James  D.,  plumber,  St.  Louis,  Mo.:  Letitia  M.  McKenna, 
Denver,  Colo.,  and  Fred  J.  died  in  .Atchison  at  the  age  of  thirty-three  years. 
He  was  a  machinist  and  well  and  favorably  known  in  .\tcliison  county. 
Charles  J.  Conlon  was  educated  in  the  public  schools,  St.  Benedict's  College. 
Atchison.  Kan.,  and  Whitestown  Seminary,  Whitestown,  X.  Y.,  graduating 
from  the  latter  institution  in  the  class  of  1882.  He  then  entered  the  law  de- 
partment of  the  L'niversity  of  Michigan,  at  Ann   Arlxir,   Mich.,  and  was 


i 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  495 

graduated  in  tlie  class  of  1884  with  tlie  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Laws.  He  then 
engaged  in  the  practice  of  his  profession  at  Atchison.  Kan.,  and  has  continued 
in  the  practice  to  the  present  time.  He  was  elected  county  attorney  of  Atchi- 
son county  in  1912  and  reelected  to  succeed  himself  in  1914.  Mr.  Conlon 
is  a  capable  lawyer  and  is  a  fair  and  fearless  prosecutor.  Mr.  Conlon  was 
united  in  marriage  Februan,'  14,  1903,  to  Miss  Mae  Flanigan.  a  native  of  Os- 
wego count}'.  New  York. 

John  F.  Conlon,  farmer,  was  born  October  15,  1865,  in  the  town  of  Or- 
well, Oswego  count}-.  Xew  York.  He  was  educated  in  the  common  schools 
of  his  native  town  and  later  attended  the  Whitestown  Seminary  at  Whites- 
town,  N.  Y.  After  coming  to  Atchison  county,  Kansas,  in  1885  with  his  par- 
ents, he  studied  at  St.  Benedict's  College.  He  remained  with  his  parents  on 
the  home  farm  southwest  of  Atchison  until  their  deatli,  and  managed  the 
estate  for  several  vears  thereafter  successfulh-. 


THOMAS  O.  GAULT. 


Personal  achievements  of  the  indi\-idual  are  always  worth  recounting 
when  he  has  accomplished  something  worth  while.  There  is  considerable 
satisfaction  in  the  latter  years  of  the  life  of  an  industrious  couple,  who, 
having  begun  at  the  foot  of  the  ladder  of  success  and  having  climbed  up- 
ward by  degrees,  have  attained  to  a  state  of  wealth  and  comfort  bv  the  time 
middle  age  has  been  reached.  Thomas  O.  Gault  and  his  wife,  residing  in  a 
beautiful  farm  home  in  the  northeast  part  of  the  city  of  Effingham,  are 
among  the  most  respected  citizens  of  Atchison  county.  Mr.  Gault  is  one 
of  the  large  land  owners  of  the  county,  and  while  not  an  old  resident  he 
can  lay  claim  to  the  fact  that  he  was  a  homesteader  in  Kansas  back  in  the 
"grasshopper"  era,  and  has  had  as  many  ups  and  downs  as  the  average 
western  pioneer. 

Thomas  O.  Gault  was  born  November  7,  1849,  in  VVycomico  county, 
Maryland,  a  son  of  Archibald  and  Eliza  (Littleton)  Gault,  natives  of  Marv- 
land,  and  descendants  of  old  American  colonial  families.  The  ancestry  of 
the  Gault  and  Littleton  families  dates  back  to  the  earliest  days  of  the  settle- 
ment of  the  eastern  coast  of  America.  Archibald  was  the  son  of  Obid  Gault, 
who  was  a  soldier  in  the  War  of  1812,  and  was  an  early  pioneer  settler  of 
Indiana.  Eliza  Littleton  was  a  daughter  of  Thomas  Littleton,  and  died  when 
Thomas  O.  was  seven  years  of  age.     Archibald  Gault  emigrated  from  Marv- 


490  nisTouv  ov  atchison  county 

laiul  to  Ripley  county.  Indiana,  about  1859,  and  sculcd  on  a  farm  south  of 
Pierce  City,  or  near  Stringtown.  This  was  in  a  timbered  countn*,  and  he 
Hved  there  only  three  years,  returning  to  Maryland  during  the  dark  days 
of  the  Civil  war.  where  he  remained  until  the  war  was  over.  In  1865  he  re- 
turned to  his  fami  in  Ripley  county,  and  cultivated  his  Indiana  fann  until 
old  age  overtook  him.  and  he  finally  returned  to  the  old  home  in  Mary- 
land, there  spending  his  declining  years,  dying  in  1900,  at  the  age  of  eighty 
years. 

Thomas  O.  Gault  was  educated  in  the  district  schools  of  Ripley  county. 
Indiana,  and  began  working  at  the  hardest  kind  of  farm  lalxir  when  yet 
a  bov.  When  he  attained  his  majority  he  came  to  the  great  West,  where 
opportunity  seemed  to  beckon  with  a  more  lavish  hand  than  among  the  hills 
and  forests  of  his  native  county  and  State.  He  located  in  Jasper  county, 
Iowa,  and  worked  at  farm  labor  until  twenty-five  years  of  age.  then  came 
to  Kansas  and  homesteaded  a  Government  claim  in  Phillips  county.  This 
was  a  sad  experience,  however,  as  the  grasshoppers  came  along  soon  after- 
wards and  "cleaned  out"  the  crops  of  the  homesteaders  in  his  neighliorhood, 
and  he  abandoned  his  claim  and  left  the  country.  He  returned  to  Jasper 
county,  Iowa,  in  1873,  ^vhere  he  remained  for  three  years,  after  which  he 
remained  in  Iowa,  locating  in  Pottawattamie  county  in  1S7S.  where  he 
had  purchased  a  farm.  He  and  his  wife  developed  the  farm  and  prospered 
for  a  period  of  fourteen  years.  Selling  out  their  Iowa  farm  at  a  good  round 
price  in  IQ03,  thev  located  in  Effingham,  where  they  have  resided  since 
March  of  1903.  Mr.  Gault  invested  his  capita!  in  Kansas  and  Missouri  lands 
and  has  made  money  since  lie  came  to  Kansas.  Peing  giftetl  witli  the  money- 
making  instinct  and  capacity,  he  has  dealt  somewhat  in  land  and  been  .suc- 
cessful in  his  farming  operations  in  Atchison  county.  He  is  the  owner  of  an 
eighty  acre  tract  of  valuable  land,  purchased  in  190J.  adjoining  Effingham. 
Kan.,  on  the  northeast,  and  has  one  of  tlie  most  attractive  modem  fann 
homes  in  the  county.  He  owns  at  the  present  time  a  total  of  582.5  acres  of 
land,  262.5  seres  of  which  is  located  in  Grundy  county.  Missouri,  and  the 
rest  in  Atchison  county.  He  has  a  large  farm  of  240  acres  near  Pardee  in 
Center  township,  which  is  one  of  the  best  improved  tracts  in  the  vicinity. 
This  fami  was  purchased  in  1902  and  is  equipped  with  excellent  buildings, 
including  a  house  of  twelve  rooms  and  three  good  barns. 

He  was  married  on  March  4,  1R88,  to  Miss  Melissa  Drury,  of  the  town 
of  Druf}-.  Rock  Island  county,  Illinois.  They  are  the  parents  of  two  children : 
Essie,  at  home  with  her  parents,  and  Pearl,  wife  of  William  Thomas,  a  son 
of  Robert  M.  Thomas,  of  Effingham.     Mrs.  Gault  was  born  March  4,  1861, 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  497 

in  Drury,  Rock  Island  county,  Illinois,  a  daujjliter  ni  Eli  and  Margaret 
(Huitljard)  Drury,  natives  of  Wayne  county,  Indiana,  and  Bedford  county, 
Pennsylvania,  respectively.  Mr.  iJrury  served  as  postmaster  of  the  village 
named  in  his  honor  in  Rock  Island  county  for  thirty-five  years,  and  was 
filling  the  office  at  the  time  of  his  death,  in   1892. 

Mr.  Gault  is  a  stockholder  in  the  Farmer's  Mercantile  Company  of  Ef- 
fingham. He  is  a  Republican  in  jjolitics.  Init  is  an  independent  voter,  who 
believes  in  doing  his  own  thinking  as  regards  the  merits  of  respective  can- 
didates for  office  and  the  principles  which  influence  good  government.  H<; 
became  an  Odd  Fellow  in  Marshal]  county,  Iowa,  in  the  early  eighties,  and 
has  continued  in  good  standing  in  the  order  to  the  present  time.  One  of 
the  incidents  of  his  early  career  which  left  an  impression  on  Mr.  Gault's 
memory,  which  time  has  never  been  able  to  eradicate,  was  his  first  Kansas 
experience.  He  was  so  thoroughly  cleaned  out  during  the  great  grasshopper 
scourge  in  the  seventies,  in  Phillips  county,  Kansas,  that  he  was  forced  to 
walk  the  entire  distance  from  Blue  River,  Kan.,  to  Atchison. 


WILFULE  .\.  .ST.\XLEY. 


Wilfull  .\.  Stanley,  a  Civil  war  veteran,  who  perhaps  has  had  more  mili- 
tary experience  than  any  other  man  in  .Atchison  county,  is  a  native  of  New 
Jersey.  He  was  born  at  Salem  Novem1;er  26,  1838,  and  is  a  son  of  Joseph 
C.  and  Rebecca  D.  CGosline)  Stanley,  both  natives  of  New  Jersey  and  de- 
scendants of  colonial  ancestors,  who  trace  their  family  genealogy  back  for 
several  generations  in  this  countrj'.  The  first  white  child  born  in  the  English 
colony  that  settled  in  New  Jersey,  opposite  Egg  Harlxjr,  was  an  ancestor  of 
Wilfull  .\.  Stanley.  Joseph  C.  Stanley,  the  father  of  W51full  .\..  was  a  son 
of  Friend  Richard  Stanley,  who  was  a  soldier  in  the  War  of  1812.  The 
Stanley's  were  Quakers,  but  there  were  a  great  many  fighting  Quakers  dis- 
tributefl  along  the  line  of  descent.  Friend  Richard  was  a  son  of  John  Stan- 
ley, who  was  a  Revolutionary  soldier  and  served  in  Lighthorse  Harry  Lee's 
cavaln*.  He  was  captured  and  confined  in  a  British  prison  ship  for  some  time. 
He  lived  to  be  a  very  old  man  and  died  in  1845,  at  the  age  of  102.  He  was 
very  active  physically  and  mentally  to  a  very  old  age.  Wilfull  A.  Stanley 
was  reared  in  New  Jersey  and  received  a  common  school  education.  On 
Decemljer  22,  t86o.  he  enlisted  as  a  private  in  the  United  States  marine;  and 
af»er  making  a  trip  around  the  world  was  detailed  in  1861  as  orderly  to 
Admiral  Dahlgren  at  Washington,  D.  C.    He  also  served  as  orderly  to  Com- 

32 


498  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

manding  Officer  C.  R.  P.  Rogers.  Mr.  Stanley  was  at  the  taking  of  Hat- 
teras  Inlet  and  the  operations  on  Roanoke  Sound  in  conjunction  with  General 
Burnside's  expedition.  He  was  at  the  engagement  of  Port  Royal  and  served 
as  orc^erly  to  Capt.  C.  R.  P.  Rogers  there.  He  was  also  at  the  engagement 
at  Ft^  Walker.  The  "Wabash,"  upon  which  he  was  serving  then,  joined 
Admiral  Farragut's  fleet  at  New  Orleans.  Here  Mr.  Stanley  was  trans- 
ferred to  the  "Hartford,"  Admiral  Farragut's  flag  ship,  and  served  as  orderly 
to  Farragut  and  participated  in  the  engagements  at  Fts.  Jackson  and  Phillip, 
and  was  at  the  capture  of  New  Orleans  when  he  was  again  detailed  to  the 
"Wabash."  Shortly  after  that  he  was  taken  sick  with  a  fever  and  sent  to 
the  marine  hospital  at  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.  After  recovering  he  was  discharged, 
and  with  his  discharge  received  a  very  complimentary  letter  from  Admiral 
Rogers.  After  remaining  home  a  short  time  he  enlisted  in  the  Second  regi- 
ment, New  Jersey  cavalr}'.  He  participated  in  the  battle  of  Nashville  and 
was  at  the  siege  of  Mobile.  He  went  from  there  to  Montgomery,  Ala. 
About  this  time  the  war  closed,  but  Mr.  Stanley's  regiment  was  kept  in  the' 
South  for  nearly  a  year  during  the  reconstruction  period,  and  in  1866  he  was 
discharged  and  returned  to  his  New  Jersey  home.  Mr.  Stanley  had  learned 
the  plasterer's  trade  when  he  was  a  young  man  and  at  the  close  of  the  war 
worked  at  it  for  some  time,  when  the  military  spirit  took  possession  of  him 
again  and  he  enlisted  at  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  and  was  assigned  to  Troop  L,  Sev- 
enth United  States  cavalry,  and  was  sent  from  Ft.  Leavenworth  to  Ft.  Mor- 
gan on  the  Platte  river.  Capt.  Michael  V.  Sheridan,  a  brother  of  "Little 
Phil,"  commanded  this  troop  and  they  were  mobilized  at  Ft.  Hayes  for  a 
winter  campaign  against  the  Indians  in  the  Wichita  mountains.  This  cam- 
paign was  against  the  Arapahoes,  Comanches  and  some  other  tribes. 
.\fter  an  engagement  with  Lone  Wolf's  band  the  soldiers  were  forced  to 
retreat,  but  soon  after  were  reinforced  at  Big  Timber  by  a  Kansas  regi- 
ment, and  after  that  captured  Lone  Wolf  and  Satanta,  chief  of  the  Kiawas, 
and  returned  the  Indians  who  had  been  on  the  war  path  to  the  Ft.  Sill  reserva- 
tion. After  that  Mr.  Stanley  returned  to  Ft.  Leavenworth  and  had  charge 
of  the  hospital  stores  for  two  years,  when  he  was  transferred  to  Wingate, 
N.  M.,  where  he  also  had  charge  of  the  hospital  stores  until  1872.  when  he 
was  discharged  and  returned  to  New  Jersey.  In  1889  he  came  to  Kansas, 
locating  in  .\tchison.  where  he  has  since  worked  at  his  trade  most  of  the 
time.  He  had  lived  in  Philadelphia  for  some  time  and  in  Georgetown,  S.  C. 
before  coming  to  Kansas,  and  came  to  this  State  on  account  of  his  wife's 
health.  Mr.  Stanley  was  married  in  1877  to  Mrs.  Mary  E.  (Ingravi) 
Fpuntain,  a  widow.     She  is  a  native  of  Bellefont,  Pa.,  born  June  25,  1842, 


1 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 


499 


a  daughter  of  Isaac  D.  and  Deborah  (Grant)  Ingram,  natives  of  Pennsyl- 
vania and  descendants  of  old  Pennsylvania  stock.  Joshua  Bloomfield  Will- 
iams, a  major  in  the  Revolutionary  war,  and  at  one  time  colonial  governor 
of  New  Jersey,  was  a  grand-uncle  of  Mrs.  Stanley's  mother,  and  Mrs.  Stan- 
ley is  a  Daughter  of  the  American  Revolution.  She  is  a  member  of  the 
Ladies'  Corps  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  and  is  past  department 
president  of  Kansas,  and  National  press  correspondent,  and  has  filled  all  the 
offices  from  the  local  circle  to  the  National.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stanley  have  one 
child,  Leon  Glen,  born  in  1881.  He  served  in  Troop  B,  Si.xth  United  States 
cavalry.  He  was  in  China  at  the  rescue  of  the  foreign  legations  and  sup- 
pression of  the  Boxer  uprising  and  later  served  in  the  Phillipine  Islands,  and 
after  three  years'  service  he  was  honorably  discharged.  He  was  the  first 
post  printer  at  Ft.  Leavenworth,  and  is  now  in  the  employ  of  the  Atchison 
Globe,  in  the  capacity  of  pressman  and  mailing  clerk.  He  married  Sadie 
Wiggins,  and  two  children  have  been  born  to  them,  as  follows :  Inez  Leona 
and  Richard.  Wilfull  A.  Stanley  is  a  member  of  the  Grand  Armv  of  the 
Republic  and  has  Ijeen  adjutant  of  the  Atchison  post  for  ten  years  and  is 
past  commander. 


CHRISTIAN  W.  STUTZ. 


Christian  W.  Stutz,  a  substantial  farmer  of  Center  township,  .Atchison 
county,  was  bom  and  reared  in  Lancaster  township,  this  county,  and  is  a 
son  of  pioneer  settlers  of  the  county.  The  Stutz  family  came  to  Kansas 
from  Missouri  in  1859.  Christian  W.  is  a  son  of  Christian  and  Catharine 
(Schweitzer)  Stutz,  both  of  whom  were  born  in  Germany  from  whence  they 
came  to  America  in  1855,  and  first  settled  in  Jackson  county,  Missouri,  com- 
ing from  there  to  Lancaster  township  in  Atchison  county  four  years  later. 
Christian,  the  father,  was  born  in  Germany,  March  25,  1825,  and  when  thirty 
years  of  age  decided  to  locate  in  the  new  country  where  there  were  better 
opportunities  for  gaining  a  livelihood  and  laying  up  a  competence.  Accord- 
ingly, we  find  that  after  a  residence  of  four  years  in  Jackson  county,  Missouri, 
he  came  to  Atchison  county,  and  with  his  savings  invested  in  eighty  acres  of 
timber  and  prairie  land  in  Lancaster  township.  He  hired  a  man  to  break  this 
land  with  ox  teams,  and  proceeded  to  cultivate  his  land.  He  made  extensive 
improvements  on  his  farm  from  time  to  time  as  he  was  able,  and  added  to 
his  acreage  to  such  an  extent  that  at  the  time  of  his  death,  December.  1898, 
he  was  the  owner  of  380  acres  of  land.     Christian  Stutz  was  the  father  of 


500  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

seven  children  as  follows :  Mrs.  Caroline  Demel.  of  Central  City,  Neb. : 
Mrs.  Katherine  W'ilkins.  of  Atchison,  Kan. :  Frederick,  a  member  of  the 
Atchison  police  force ;  Christian  A\'. ;  Gustave,  a  prosperous  farmer  of  Lan- 
caster township;  Jc^hn.  a  farmer  in  Center  township:  one  child  died  in  in- 
fancy. The  mother  of  these  children  was  torn  in  (jermany  in  February  of 
1829,  and  died  in  Lancaster  township,  in  December,  1888. 

Christian  W.  Stutz,  whom  this  review  directly  concerns,  was  reared  on 
the  old  home  place  of  the  Stutz  family  in  Lancaster  township,  and  educated 
in  the  Lancaster  school.  He  assisted  his' father  in  the  operation  of  the  home 
farm  until  he  was  twenty-three  years  of  age,  and  then  began  fanning  for  him- 
self on  land  which  he  rented  from  his  father.  He  continued  to  till  the 
rented  land  for  four  years,  all  the  time  saving  his  earnings,  with  a  view  of 
eventually  owning  a  farm  of  his  own.  He  made  his  first  investment  in  1891 
when  he  purchased  and  inherited,  partly,  eighty  acres  of  improved  farm  land 
in  section  8,  Center  township.  He  at  once  began  to  remodel  the  home  and 
make  extensive  improvements,  and  it  might  be  said  that  he  has  never  ceased 
to  improve  his  surroundings.  In  igoS  he  erected  a  new  l)arn,  50x50  feet, 
and  now  lias  one  of  the  attractive  places  of  his  township  and  county.  Mr. 
Stutz  has  continued  to  add  to  his  land  holdings  until  he  is  now  the  owner  of 
393  acres  of  land,  all  nf  which  he  has  secured  through  his  own  efforts.  Dur- 
ing 1915  he  had  ])lanted  160  acres  to  corn  which  gave  him  an  excellent 
crop.  He  keeps  good  graded  stock  and  maintains  a  herd  of  Shorthorn  cat- 
tle. He  has  made  cjuite  a  reputation  as  a  breeder,  and  in  1914  e.xhibited 
a  "Mahrath  Jack"  at  the  Atchison  county  fair  which  was  awarded  the  second 
prize.  In  addition  to  his  farming  interests  he  is  a  share  holder  in  a  copper 
mine  located  in  Arizona. 

Mr.  Stutz  was  married  in  1891  to  Kathrine  W'alz,  and  of  this  union 
have  been  born  ten  children,  as  follows:  Charles  F.,  \\'illiam,  John  E.,  Clara, 
a  graduate  of  the  Atchison  County  TTigh  School:  .\rlliur,  Mary  and  Marga- 
ret (twins),  the  latter  deceased:  Francis.  Nora  B..  Reidel,  all  of  whom  are 
at  home  with  their  parents.  Mrs.  Stutz  was  born  September  8,  1868,  in 
Atchison,  Kan.,  a  daughter  of  Charles  and  Kathrine  (Reidel)  \\^alz,  both 
natives  of  Germany.  Charles  AX'alz  emigrated  from  Germany  to  Cincin- 
nati, Ohio,  and  there  learned  the  butcher  business  and  trade.  W'hen  nine- 
teen years  of  age  he  left  Germany  to  seek  his  fortune  in  .\nierica.  and  about 
1857  came  to  Atchison  and  worked  in  the  first  butcher  .shop  ever  operated 
in  that  city.  He  later  bought  the  shop  of  I'hilliii  Link,  and  after  operating 
it  for  a  time  bought  a  farm  in  Shannon  township,  where  he  lived  until  his 
death,  in  1891,  at  the  age  of  sixty-one  years.     Kathrine,  his  wife,  was  born 


■ 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  5OI 

in  1842.  and  died  on  the  old  h<ime  place  in  Shannon  township. 

Mr.  Stutz  is  a  Democrat,  bnt  has  never  sought  political  preferment,  hav- 
ing no  time  other  than  for  the  management  of  his  large  farming  interests. 
He  is  fraternally  connected  with  the  Odd  Fellows  and  the  Fraternal  Order 
of  Eagles. 


MICHAEL  JOSEPH  HORAN. 

In  observing  the  management  of  the  leading  commercial  houses  of  Atchi- 
son, the  fact  is  determined  that,  invariably,  the  executi\e  departments  are  in 
charge  of  young  men  who  ha\e  practically  grown  up  with  the  business.  The 
Dolan  Mercantile  Company  is  one  of  the  oldest  wholesale  institutions  of  the 
city,  and  one  of  the  most  successful  and  substantial.  Its  affairs  are  con- 
ducted by  young  men  who  entered  the  employ  of  its  founder  when  boys,  and 
have  advanced,  step  by  step,  in  the  management  of  the  concern.  M.  J.  Horan, 
the  president  of  the  Dolan  Mercantile  Company,  began  his  career  in  a  humble 
capacity  in  the  business  of  which  he  is  now  the  chief  executive,  and  has  be- 
come an  honored  and  able  member  of  the  body  of  commercial  men  who  ha\e 
made  Atchison  preeminent  among  the  cities  of  the  West.  The  story  of  a 
self-made  man  is  always  interesting  and  this  review  is  a  story  of  a  self-made 
man. 

Michael  Joseph  Horan  is  a  native  of  Atchison,  born  Xo\x'nil)er  i  J,  1875. 
He  is  a  son  of  Michael  Frank  Horan,  a  native  of  Bir,  Kings  county,  Ireland, 
born  in  1824.  The  elder  Horan  left  his  native  heath  when  a  young  man. 
with  his  young  wife,  who  died  later  in  Atchison.  He  first  located  in  Peru, 
Ind.,  and  there  met  William  Dolan  in  1840.  He  came  to  Kan.sas  in  1865  and 
located  some  land  at  Wetmore.  pro\-ed  uj)  on  his  homestead,  and  one  year 
afterward  located  in  Atchison.  Here  he  engaged  in  the  real  estate  business, 
and  became  fairly  well  to  do.  For  years  he  was  a  well  known  figure  in 
Atchison  and  took  an  active  interest  in  Democratic  politics.  He  died  in  1888. 
His  second  wife  was  Anna  Dean,  whom  he  married  in  her  native  county  of 
Queens,  Ireland.  She  was  born  in  1844  and  died  in  February,  19 10.  They 
were  the  parents  of  the  following  children:  Mrs.  John  A.  Reynolds,  .\tclii- 
son ;  Miss  Bridget  Horan,  Atchison:  Anna,  at  home:  Michael  Joseph,  Atchi- 
son: Frank,  Marshalltown,  Iowa:  Charles  L.,  .secretary  of  the  Dolan  Mer- 
cantile Company,  and  in  charge  of  the  shipping  (lei)artmenl. 

M.  J.  Horan  was  educated  in  the  parochial  schools  and  St.  Benedict's 
College,  of  Atchison.     At  the  age  of  sixteen  years,  or  in  1892,  he  entered  the 


502  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

employ  of  the  Dolan  Mercantile  Company,  as  office  boy.  He  applied  Iiim- 
self  diligently  to  his  duties  and  promotion  step  by  step  followed,  as  a  matter 
of  course.  His  next  position  was  that  of  bill  clerk.  This  was  followed  by 
his  promotion  to  the  post  of  bookkeeper  and  then  buj-er.  W'hen  the  company 
was  incorporated  in  1900.  he  was  elected  vice-president.  He  succeeded  Mr. 
Dolan  as  president  of  the  company,  upon  the  latter's  death  in  1913. 

Mr.  Horan  was  united  in  marriage  in  Kansas  City,  Mo.,  w-ith  Martha 
Emma  Malone  in  1909.  To  them  have  been  born  four  children:  Michael 
Joseph,  Mary  Ann,  Francis  and  William.  Mrs.  Horan  is  a  daughter  of 
Edward  Malone,  formerly  a  resident  of  Atchison,  and  who  died  here,  after 
which  the  mother  and  all  of  the  family  except  Martha  Emma  removed  to 
Chicago.  In  political  affairs  Mr.  Horan  is  an  independent  Democrat,  who 
favors  good  and  efficient  government,  and  believes  that  it  can  best  be  ob- 
tained by  good  and  capable  officials  regardless  of  their  political  adherence. 
He  is  a  member  of  St.  Benedict's  Catholic  Church,  and  is  affiliated  with  the 
Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks  and  the  United  Commercial  Trav- 
elers. ]Mr.  Horan  is  recognized  as  one  of  the  substantial  and  pro- 
gressive business  men  of  the  city,  and  he  and  his  wife  have  many  wann  friends 
among  the  best  families  of  the  city,  who  esteem  them  for  their  many  excel- 
lent qualities  of  mind  and  heart.  Mr.  Horan's  dignified  and  courteous  de- 
meanor in  the  conduct  of  his  business  affairs  has  won  him  universal  respect 
and  esteem  both  of  patrons  and  employes  of  the  concern  of  which  lie  is  the 
head. 


RINHOLD   FUHRMAN. 


Rinhold  Fhurman,  farmer  and  stockman,  of  Lancaster  townsliip,  Atchi- 
son county,  Kansas,  was  lx)rn  in  Germany  February  11,  1863.  He  is  a  son 
of  Ernest  and  Johanna  (Gerlach)  Fuhrman.  and  was  one  of  twelve  children 
born  to  them.  The  others  are  as  follows :  Caroline  Deaking,  Dodge  City, 
Kan.;  Louise  Repstein,  Jefferson  county,  Kansas;  William,  St.  Joseph,  Mo.; 
Julius,  Doniphan  county,  Kansas;  Trauget,  Center  township,  Atchison 
county ;  Herman,  Lancaster  townsliip,  Atchison  county ;  Paul,  Center  town- 
ship, .\tchison  county ;  Emma  Schwope,  Center  township.  Atchison  county  • 
Ernest,  .\tchison,  Kan.,  and  two  children  who  died  in  infancy.  The  fatlier 
bv  an  earlier  marriage  to  Louise  (Heine)  Fuhrman  had  one  son.  Charles, 
a  farmer  and  stockman  of  Lancaster  township,  Atchison  county. 

Ernest  Fuhrman  was  born  in  Germany  July  8,  1826,  and  immigrated  to 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  503 

America  in  1872,  settling  in  Atchison  county,  Kansas,  where  he  bought  160 
acres  of  land  in  section  16,  Lancaster  township.  This  was  timber  and  prairie 
land  and  had  only  a  small,  poorly  built  house  on  it  at  the  time,  but  during 
the  twenty  years  that  he  owned  it  he  built  several  substantial  buildings  and 
made  numerous  other  improvements.  He  eventually  sold  the  place  to  his 
son,  Herman,  and  then  bought  160  acres  in  Doniphan  county,  where  Julius 
lives,  and  moved  into  Lancaster  where  he  lived  in  retirement.  He  bought 
eighty  acres  in  Center  township.  Five  years  later  he  went  to  live  with  his 
son.  Paul,  to  whom  he  sold  the  eighty  acre  tract,  in  Center  township.  He 
died  on  Paul's  second  farm  of  160  acres  in  Center  township  September  2, 

1915.  The  mother,  Johanna  (Gerlach)  Fuhrman,  was  born  in  Germany  and 
resides  with  her  daughter,  Emma,  in  Center  township,  Atchison  county,  at  the 
age  of  eighty-five  years. 

In  1872  Rinhold  Fuhrman  left  Germany  with  his  parents  who  came  to 
Atchison  county,  Kansas.  He  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm  and  attended 
school  at  Rock  district  No.  59,  and  when  eighteen  years  of  age  began  life 
for  himself  as  a  farm  hand  for  $15  a  month  and  proved  himself  a  capable 
worker  and  later  was  given  $20  a  month,  which  was  more  than  the  average 
farm  hand  was  paid  at  that  time.  He  worked  three  years  as  a  hired  hand 
and  then  rented  his  father's  farm  *for  five  years,  and  later  l)ought  it.  The 
farm  consisted  of  160  acres  in  section  20,  Lancaster  township.  He  improved 
it  considerably  after  he  took  charge  of  it  in  1899,  erecting  a  house  at  a  cost 
of  $1,000,  and  he  also  built  a  barn  which  cost  $500.  He  has  built  sheds  and 
other  improvements  since  and  did  most  of  this  work  with  Iiis  own  hands. 
He  has  always  been  a  hard  worker  and  obtained  all  that  he  now  owns  by 
hard  labor.  He  has  a  fine  little  orchard  which  is  in  a  thrifty  condition.  He 
keeps  graded  stock  and  takes  great  care  to  keep  his  animals  up  to  the  standard. 

On  October  8.  1890.  he  married  Emma  Kammer,  a  native  of  Lancaster 
township,  who  was  born  .April  18.  1868.  She  attended  school  at  Rock  dis- 
trict and  is  a  daughter  of  Karl  and  Johanna  Kammer.  She  has  a  brother, 
Karl,  who  is  a  farmer  in  Atchison  county.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fuhrman  are  the 
parents  of  three  children,  as  follows  :  Mrs.  Laura  August  Poos,  Lee's  Summit, 
Mo. :  Edna  and  Karl,  both  living  at  home.  Mr.  Fuhrman  is  a  Republican  and 
he  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Evangelical  church.  He  is  a  conscien- 
tious, hard  working  farmer  who  has  deservedly  attained  success.     In  March, 

1916,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fuhrman  left  the  farm  and  retired  to  a  home  in  Lan- 
caster, where  Mr.  Fuhrman  purchased  a  residence.  He  has  rented  his  farm 
after  accumulating  a  competence  which  will  enable  him  to  live  in  comfort  the 
remainder  of  his  days. 


504  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY 

JOHN  E.  REMSBURG. 

The  past  half  century  lias  witnessed  the  transformation  of  the  section  of 
Kansas  known  to  the  world  as  Atchison  county  from  wilderness  to  a  smiling 
and  peaceful  land  of  thriving  towns  and  cities  and  checkered  with  fertile 
farms,  a  development  which  has  been  duplicated  many  times  over  in  the  great 
State  of  Kansas.  While  this  wonderful  tronsformation  was  going  on  as  the 
handiwork  of  man — particular  individuals  from  out  of  the  mass  of  men  who 
were  working  wonders  in  giving  to  this  Nation  a  new  commonwealth,  were 
likewise  developing  mental  attributes  with  which  they  had  been  gifted — states- 
men, soldiers,  and  men  of  letters  were  in  the  making.  Atchison  county,  Kansas, 
has  has  been  made  famous  by  several  illustrious  sons  who  have  achieved  more 
than  ordinary  renown  in  the  world  of  letters,  as  well  as  in  other  lines  of  en- 
deavor. John  E.  Remsburg,  editor  and  publisher  of  the  Potter  Kansan,  edu- 
cator, author  and  lecturer,  during  nearly  a  half  century  of  residence  in  the 
county,  has  become  as  widely  known  in  the  realm  of  literature  as  any  Kansan 
citizen.  He  has  achieved  a  reputation  as  a  writer  and  lecturer  of  force  which 
is  world-wide  and  deserved  by  the  recipient.  Mr.  Remsburg  came  to  Kansas 
from  hi§  native  State  of  Ohio  in  1868.  Two  years  after  his  arrival  in  Atchi- 
son county  he  was  married  to  Miss  Nora  M.  Eiler,  of  Walnut  township,  this 
county,  who  came  with  her  parents  from  Missouri  to  Kansas  in  1855.  Seven 
children  were  born  to  this  marriage:  George  J.,  John  J..  Reullura  R..  Wirt 
A.,  Charles  B.,  and  Claude  A.,  all  of  whom  are  living,  and  Eugene,  deceased. 

"The  International  W'ho's  Who,"  printed  in  English,  German.  French 
and  Italian,  and  |Hil)lished  in  London.  Paris  and  New  ^'ork.  contains  the  fol- 
lowing biographical  sketch  of  Mr.  Remsburg; 

"John  E.  Remsburg.  Teacher,  lecturer,  author:  born  near  Freinont. 
Ohio,  U.  S.  A.,  January  7,  1848.  Of  German-English  descent,  his  paternal 
ancestors  emigrating  from  Germany  to  ^Maryland  about  1760;  his  maternal 
ancestors  emigrating  from  England  to  Boston  in  1640.  His  father  was 
George  J.  Remsburg.  son  of  John  P.  Remsburg,  who  removed  from  ■Mary- 
land to  Ohio  in  1831  :  liis  mother  was  Sarah  A.  (Willey)  Remsburg.  tlaugh- 
ler  of  Eleazer  \\'illey,  who  removed  from  New  York  to  Ohio  alxiut  the  same 
lime.  Educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Ohio  and  at  Fort  Edward  Collegiate 
Institute,  New  York,  continuing  his  studies  after  leaving  school.  F.ntcred 
Union  army  at  16,  serving  until  close  of  Civil  war.  For  fifteen  years  engaged 
in  educational  work  in  Ohio  and  Kansas,  serving  as  sujjerintendent  of  ])ublic 
instruction  of  Atchison  county,  Kansas,  four  years  (1872  to  1876).  Mar- 
ried in  1870  Nora  M.  Eiler,  daughter  of  Jacolj  Filer,     a  Free  State  pioneer 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  505 

of  Kansas.  In  1880  became  a  lecturer  and  writer  in  support  of  free  thought 
and  State  secularization.  Delivered  over  3,000  lectures,  speakings  in  fifty-two 
States.  Territories  and  provinces,  and  in  1,250  different  cities  and  towns,  in- 
cluding every  large  city  of  United  States  and  Canada.  In  the  performance 
of  this  work  traveled  over  360,000  miles.  Author:  'Life  of  Thomas  Paine,' 
1880;  'The  Image  Breaker,'  1882;  'False  Claims.'  1883;  'Bible  Morals,'  1884; 
'Sabbath  Breaking,'  1885;  'The  Fathers  of  Our  Republic,'  1887;  'Abraham 
Lincoln,'  1893:  'The  Bible,'  1903;  'Six  Historic  Americans,'  1906.  Portions 
of  his  writings  have  been  translated  into  French.  Italian.  German.  Dutch. 
Swedish,  Norwegian.  Bohemian,  Bengali,  Singalese  and  Japanese." 

It  may  interest  Mr.  Remsburg's  Atchison  county  friends  to  know  in 
what  esteem  he  is  held  as  a  speaker  and  writer  by  the  world  at  large.  From 
the  hundreds  of  reviews  and  commendatory  notices  of  his  lectures  and  books 
which  have  appeared  a  volume  of  testimonials  like  tlie  following  could  be 
compiled : 

"One  of  the  best  speakers  and  writers  to  be  found  in  the  West,  if  not  in 
the  whole  country." — Charles  Robinson,  first  governor  of  Kansas. 

"His  lectures  are  models  of  logic  and  good  sense." — Arnold  Krekel. 
LL.  D.,  Judge  United  States  District  Court.  Missouri. 

"Mr.  Remsburg's  address  was  given  with  great  eloc|uence  and  power." 
— E.  \\'.  Howe. 

"A  brilliant  lecture." — San  Francisco  Chronicle. 

"Most  eloquent  words." — Boston  Globe. 

"An  interesting  and  eloquent  address." — Rev.  J.  F.  Wilcox.  Chicago. 

"It  is  lit  up  with  such  flashes  of  genius,  it  is  so  poetical  and  picturesque 
that  one  never  wearies  of  hearing  it." — E.  M.  Macdonald.  New  York.  Presi- 
dent American  Secular  Union. 

"He  retired  with  the  reward  of  loud  and  long  continued  a|ipirmse." — • 
Kansas  City  Star. 

"Came  in  for  his  full  meed  of  praise  today." — Ncu'  York-  Herald. 

"J.  E.  Remsburg  was  paid  at  the  rate  of  two  dollars  a  minute  for  his 
New  York  address:  pn)ba1)ly  the  higiiest  price  yet  paid  for  a  Kans.is  talk." 
— Noble  L.  Prentiss,  1882. 

"A  noble  lecture." — Ernestine  L.  Rose,  noted  reformer,  London. 

"He  has  gi\en  to  tiie  world  several  volumes  of  priceless  wortli." — L.  K. 
Washburn,  editor  Boston  Investigator. 

"This  volume  of  600  pages  is  a  digest  of  all  that  is  know  n  of  the  subject." 
— Franklin  Steiner,  author.  New  York. 

"Nothing  equal   to  it  has  been  puljlished   witliin   my   recollection   either 


506  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

in  America  or  Great  .Britain."— Charles  Watts,  President  British  Secular 
Union. 

"It  is  indeed  excellent — nothing  could  be  lietter." — Sir  Hirnm  ATaxim, 
London. 

"In  many  respects  tlie  most  important  volume  on  the  subject  tliat  has 
yet  appeared." — Le  Pensee,  Brussels. 

"Excellent,  bold,  direct,  unanswerable." — James  Parton. 

"Mr.  Remsburg  is  an  orator  of  high  and  wide  reputation." — Washington 
Post. 

"One  of  America's  noted  orators." — Montreal  Times. 

"A  most  able  lecturer  and  writer." — Charles  Bradlaugh,  M.  P.,  noted 
orator  and  stateman  of  England. 

"My  translations  of  Bradlaugh's  and  Remsburg's  writings  have  an  enor- 
mous circulation  in  this  country." — Kedarnath  Basu,  India. 

"His  [Remsburg's]  lectures  have  an  immense  circulation  in  India." — 
Calcutta  Gasette. 

"One  of  the  most  promising  orators  in  America." — Secular  Revieiv, 
London. 

"His  style  is  simple,  earnest  and  attractive,  and  in  these  qualities  lie  is 
eloquent." — W.  H.  Herndon,  law  partner  of  Abraham  Lincoln. 

"I  have  listened  to  all  of  our  great  orators  from  Clay  to  Ingersoll,  but 
I  have  never  heard  a  more  polished  oration  than  Remsburg  delivered  last 
night." — Hon.  William  Perkins,  associate  counsel  of  Lincoln  in  several  im- 
portant cases. 

"A  graphic,  yet  concise  sketch." — Rev.  S.  Fletcher  \\'il!iams,  Liverpool, 
England. 

"Imparted  in  language  clear  and  forcible  and  not  seldom  with  grace 
and  beauty." — -Thomas  Gray,  author,  Edinburgii,  Scotland. 

"I  have  never  heard  the  case  so  fairly  and  so  ably  stated  as  lie  has  stated 
it  tonight."— Richard  B.  Westbrook,  D.  D.,  LL.  D.,  Philadelphia. 

"I  have  asked  a  bookseller  to  order  twenty  copies  of  Remsburg's  work." 
— U.  Dhammaloka,  President  Buddhist  Tract  Society  of  Burmah. 

"Such  an  admirable  book  is  alwaxs  welcome." — Rev.  J.  Lloyd  Jones, 
LL.  D.,  Chicago. 

"This  effort  to  right  the  wrongs  of  Thomas  Paine  is,  in  my  opinion,  a 
service  to  mankind." — Andrew  D.  White.  LL.  D.,  first  president  of  Cornell 
University,  minister  to  Russia  and  ambassador  to  Germany. 

"The  most  fair  and  lionest  of  all  the  biographies  which  have  yet  ap- 
peared of  the  great  iconoclast." — Boston  Herald. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  507 


'^"^^'hii* 


"It  will  help  restore  to  honor  a  much  abused  name  and  forward  the  cause 
of  human  rights  the  country  over." — -Rev.  Charles  Wendt,  D.  D.,  Ex-Presi- 
dent Taft's  pastor  air  Cincinnati. 

"May  tliis  brilliant  work  bring  its  author  the  praise  of  posterity." — Der 
Freidenker. 

"A  very  strong  case." — Public  Opinion. 

"A  valuable  contribution  to  literature." — Wm.  McDonald,  author,  Canada. 

"His  lectures  have  as  large  a  circulation  in  Europe,  India  and  Australia 
as  in  this  country." — S.  P.  Putnam,  author,  New  York. 

"A  most  interesting  lecture." — Nezv  Orleans  Delta. 

"A  large  audience  and  frequent  applause." — Baltimore  Sun. 

"Skillfully  and  vigorously  written." — Unitarian  Herald,  Manchester, 
England. 

"His  style  is  pleasing  and  his  arguments  incontrovertible." — Tlie  Uni- 
verse, Berhampur,  India. 

"A  noble  and  eloquent  work." — Charles  Bright,  lecturer,  Australia. 

"It  is  really  a  remarkable  work." — Yoshira  Oyama,  President  Japanese 
Rationalist  Association,  Japan. 

"Clearly,  Mr.  Remsburg  has  done  his  duty  as  he  sees  it,  and  has  had  the 
fairness  to  present  at  the  outset  the  opposite  view  of  the  question." — New 
York  World. 

"Given  in  evident  fairness  and  remarkable  completeness." — Chicago 
Times. 

"J.  E.  Remsburg,  of  Kansas,  who  addressed  the  Congressional  Commit- 
tee on  the  Sunday  question  at  the  Capitol  yesterday,  made  a  good  impres- 
sion.    Every  member  heartily  applauded  him." — Washington  Star. 

"My  views  are  well  expressed  by  him." — -Hon.  George  W.  Julian,  one 
of  the  founders  of  the  Republican  party  and  a  prominent  leader  in  Congress. 

"I  will  gladly  contribute  to  his  work." — Rear  Admiral  George  W.  Mel- 
ville. 

"I  have  the  pleasure  to  inform  you  that  at  the  meeting  of  the  Committee 
held  tliis  day  (January  5,  1910)  you  were  elected  an  'Oversea'  member  of  the 
Authors'  Club.  " — Reginald  H.  B.  Giller,  Secretary  Authors'  Club,  London. 

"Member  Authors'  Club,  London ;  National  Geographic  Society  ( Wash- 
ington) ;  life  member  American  Secular  Union  (president  three  years). — 
Who's  Who  In  America. 

"I  have  watched  with  interest  his  growing  influence." — Hon.  John  J. 
Ingalls,  president  pro-tem  United  States  Senate. 


508  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

"Ably  and  well  lia\e  you  done  your  wmk." — Parker  Pillshury.  noted 
Anti-Slavery  leader. 

"When  truth  and  freedom  triumph  at  last  your  name  will  be  known 
and  honored  by  all  men." — Eugene  V.  Debs,  four  times  the  nominee  of  his 
party  for  President  of  the  United  State. 


GEORGE  J.  REMSBURG. 


George  J.  Remsburg  was  born  in  Atchison  county,  Kansas,  September 
22,  1871.  His  life  has  been  devoted  mainly  to  horticultural,  journalistic. 
archaelogical  and  historical  work.  He  spent  many  years  on  a  fruit  farm,  re- 
moving to  Atchison  in  1892,  where  he  engaged  in  newspaper  work  on  the 
Daily  Champion,  the  oldest  newspaper  in  Kansas ;  he  was  a  reporter,  city 
editor,  and  even  did  editorial  work  on  that  paper  up  to  1900,  when  he  re- 
turned to  the  farm  on  account  of  ill  health.  In  1894-95  he  was  editor  of  the 
Missouri  Valley  Farmer,  now  the  leading  agricultural  journal  west  of  the 
Mississippi.  During  the  winter  of  1905-6  he  was  on  the  reportorial  staff  of 
the  Leavenworth  Daily  Post,  and  editor  of  JVestcrn  Life,  published  in  that 
city.  He  has  also  acted  as  special  correspondent  of  the  Leavenworth  Times, 
St.  Joseph  Gazette,  Kansas  City  Journal,  Topeka  Mail  and  Breeze,  Topcka 
Capital,  Atchison  Globe,  and  other  well  known  western  newspapers,  besides 
having  been  an  editorial  contributor  to  many  different  magazines  and  other 
publications. 

He  has  spent  many  years  in  archaeological  explorations,  principally  in 
northeastern  Kansas  and  northwestern  Missouri,  has  opened  a  number  oi 
ancient  mounds  and  identified  and  explored  old  village  sites  of  the  Kansa 
Indians,  visited  by  Bourgmont  in  1724.  and  Lewis  and  Clark  in  1804,  on  the 
Missouri  river.  He  has  published  a  pamphlet  describing  one  of  the  more 
important  of  these  old  villages,  entitled,  "An  Old  Kansas  Indian  Town  on  the 
Missouri."  In  all,  he  has  discovered  and  examined  more  than  too  old  Indian 
village,  camp,  workshop  and  grave  sites  in  the  region  mentioned  and  gathered 
one  of  the  most  extensive  private  archaeological  collections  ever  assembled  in 
Kansas. 

In  1897  he  was  elected  a  corresponding  member  of  the  \Vestern  His- 
torical Society  upon  the  unsolicited  recommendation  of  Ignited  States  Senator 
George  G.  Vest,  of  Missouri.  In  1901  he  became  associated  with  Hon.  J.  V. 
Brower,  of  St.  Paul,  Minn.,  in  important  archaeological  investigations  rela- 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  509 

tive  to  the  ancient  Indian  province  of  Quivira,  visited  hj-  Coronado  in  1541, 
and  upon  tlie  organization  of  the  Quivira  Historical  Society  by  Mr.  Brower, 
he  was  made  a  life  memljer.  In  1905  he  was  elected  president  of  this  society 
to  succeed  Mr.  Brower,  deceased.  The  Quivira  Historical  Society  erected  a 
number  of  costly  monuments  to  commemorate  historical  events  of  Coronado's 
time  in  Kansas. 

At  the  annual  meeting  of  the  McLean  Historical  Society  of  Illinois  at 
Bloomington  in  1909  he  was  elected  an  honorary  member  in  recognition  of 
his  researches  regarding  the  Kickapoo  Indians,  of  whicli  tribe  the  McLean 
society  is  making  a  special  study.  He  has  thoroughly  explored  the  old  village 
of  the  Kickapoos  near  Ft.  Leavenworth,  occupied  from  1832  to  1854,  and 
visited  these  Indians  on  their  reservation  in  Brown  county,  Kansas,  on  sev- 
eral occasions,  gathering  a  vast  amount  of  ethnologic  and  historic  material 
pertaining  to  the  tribe.  He  is  also  a  memi)er  of  the  Kickapoo  Club,  of  Bloom- 
ington, 111. 

Mr.  Remsburg  is  a  member  of  the  National  Geographical  Society,  hav- 
ing been  elected  at  the  annual  meeting  of  the  society  in  Washington  in  1911. 
He  has  been  a  member  of  the  International  Society  of  Archaeologists  since  its 
organization  in  1909;  was  appointed  an  associate  editor  of  the  Archaeoloi^ical 
Bulletin,  official  organ  of  this  society,  in  igio,  and  elected  vice-president  of 
the  same  society  in  the  same  year.  In  1901  he  was  elected  a  member  of  the 
American  Society  of  Curin  Collectors :  was  elected  vice-president  of  the  same 
in  1902,  and  appointed  a  contriliuting  editor  of  the  society's  official  organ  in 
1906.  He  is  also  an  active  member  of  and  contributor  to  the  Kansas  State 
Historical  Society,  and  is  a  member  of  its  committees  on  archaeolog}'  and 
Indian  history. 

Brower's  "Memoirs  of  Explorations  in  the  Basin  of  the  Mississippi," 
Volume  \']I,  contains  a  summary  account  of  'Slv.  Ivemsburg's  archaeological 
work,  and  says  of  him;  "He  has  long  been  a  capable  and  painstaking 
archaeological  explorer  in  the  Missouri  Valley."  Chappell's  "Histoiy  of  the 
Missouri  River"  says  he  is  an  acknowledged  authority  on  early  western  his- 
tory and  the  archaeology  of  the  Missouri  \alle\-. 

Tie  has  held  a  number  of  local  offices,  such  as  justice  of  the  peace,  mem- 
ber of  school  board,  and  secretary  of  various  clubs  and  societies.  Pie  was 
at  one  time  a  member  of  the  Kansas  National  Guards.  He  is  now  connected 
witJi  the  staff  of  the  Potter  JVeekly  Kansan  and  doing  special  correspondence 
for  se\'cral  newspapers.  His  home  is  at  Potter,  in  this  county.  He  is  a  son 
of  John  E.  Remsburg,  whose  sketch  appears  elsewhere. 


510  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

WIRT  HETHERINGTON. 

Heredity,  undoubtedly  has  an  important  bearing  upon  the  choice  of  a 
life  vocation  for  the  individual  citizen,  and  it  is  evident  that  this  maxim  gov- 
erning the  destiny  of  man  himself  holds  good  in  the  life  of  Wirt  Hether- 
ington,  cashier  of  the  Exchange  National  Bank  of  Atchison.  In  the  city  of 
Atchison,  three  generations  of  bankers  from  the  Hetherington  family  have 
toiled  in  tlie  financial  activities  of  the  city,  the  first  of  whom  was  William 
Hetherington,  grandfatlier  of  W.  Wirt,  the  present  scion  of  the  family,  en- 
gaged in  banking.  Following  ^^'i^iam,  the  pioneer  banker  of  Atchison,  and 
who  established  the  first  banking  concern  in  the  city,  came  Webster  Wirt 
Hetherington,  father  of  him  whose  name  heads  this  review. 

William  Hetherington,  the  first  of  the  line  in  Kansas,  was  Iwrn  in  the 
town  of  Milton,  Penn.,  May  lo,  1821,  and  was  there  reared  and  received  his 
education.  When  he  became  of  age  he  was  married,  at  Pine  Grove,  Penn., 
to  Miss  Annie  M.  Strimphfler,  who  was  born  in  W'omelsdorf,  Berks  county, 
Pennsylvania,  September  24,  1827.  This  marriage  occurred  May  9,  1848, 
and  William  and  his  bride,  shortly  afterwards,  became  residents  of  Potts- 
ville,  Penn.,  where  he  engaged  in  the  operating  of  a  flouring  mill.  Three 
children  were  bom  to  them  in  this  city,  namely:  Mrs.  Balie  P.  Waggener,  of 
Atchison;  Webster  Wirt  and  C.  S.  Hetherington.  In  1859  they  removed  to 
Atchison  and  the  youngest  child  of  the  family,  Mrs.  William  A.  Otis,  was 
born  here.  Mr.  Hetherington  first  located  in  St.  Louis,  when  he  came  west, 
later  going  to  Kansas  City,  and  from  there  to  Leavenworth,  Kan.,  where  he 
purchased  a  bankrupt  stock  of  goods,  which  he  hauled  by  wagon  to  Atchison 
in  1859.  He  at  once  established  the  Exchange  Bank,  which  absorbed  the 
Kansas  Valley  Bank,  at  that  time  owned  by  Robert  L.  I'easc.  When  Mr. 
Hetherington  came  into  possession  of  the  bank  it  was  located  in  a  basement 
at  the  corner  of  Third  and  Commercial  streets.  A  short  time  later  he  moved 
it  to  the  building  now  occupied  by  the  water  works  company,  and  it  was  here 
that  an  attempt  was  made  by  the  outlaw  Cleveland  to  rob  the  bank,  but  the 
attempt  was  unsuccessful,  Cleveland  being  frightened  away  by  some  freight- 
ers wlio  were  working  nearby.  Some  years  later,  Mr.  Hetherington  erected 
a  bank  building  at  the  northwest  corner  of  Fourth  and  Commercial  streets, 
which  was  the  home  of  the  bank  until  tlie  erection  of  the  handsome  Exchange 
National  Bank  Building,  two  blocks  further  west,  in  1885.  In  1882  the 
Hetherington  bank  was  merged  into  a. national  bank,  and  it  was  known  as 
the  Exchange  National  Bank,  one  of  the  successful  banking  concerns  of  the 
State  of  Kansas.    Mr.  Hetherington  was  a  man  of  considerable  ability,  whose 


« 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  5II 

efforts  to  advance  the  growing  city  of  Atchison  were  worth  a  great  deal, 
and  he  became  a  leading  factor  in  the  material  advancement  of  the  city.  His 
influence  on  public  thought  and  movement  was  marked  and  it  was  the  more 
powerful,  for  he  was  largely  unbiased  in  his  judgments.     He  died  in  1890. 

Webster  Wirt  Hetherington,  father  of  the  subject  of  this  review,  was 
born  in  Pottsville,  Penn.,  December  19,  1850.  He  was  educated  in  Gambier 
College  in  Ohio,  and  came  directly  from  his  studies  in  that  institution  to 
enter  the  Exchange  National  Bank  of  Atchison,  of  which  his  father  was 
the  founder  and  president.  He  became  cashier  of  the  bank,  and  upon  his 
father's  demise,  in  1890,  he  became  the  president  of  the  bank,  remaining 
in  this  position  until  his  death.  January  28.  1892.  Wv.  Hetherington, 
during  his  financial  career,  became  widely  known  in  banking  circles,  and  had 
many  valuable  acquaintances  among  New  York  financial  men,  with  whom  he 
had  many  transactions  in  western  securities.  \\"hen  the  Rock  Island  road 
was  building  in  Kansas  and  Nebraska  Mr.  Hetherington  made  arrangements 
to  purchase  all  the  municipal  bonds  the  road  received  from  the  counties  and 
townships  through  which  it  passed.  The  deal  was  successful,  and  won  him 
the  confidence  of  the  New  York  brokers  through  whom  he  sold  the  bonds. 
In  1889  he  received,  as  a  reward  from  \\'.  P.  Rice,  of  New  York  City,  $10,000 
in  cash  and  also  traveling  expenses  for  himself  and  wife  on  a  tour  in  Europe, 
in  payment  for  his  services  in  going  to  London  and  assisting  Mr.  Rice  in 
interesting  English  capitalists  in  investing  in  American  enterprises.  Mr. 
Hetherington  was  married  November  18,  1875,  to  Miss  Lillie  Miller,  the 
oldest  daughter  of  Dr.  John  G.  and  Anna  B.  (Bennett)  Miller,  both  natives 
of  Pennsylvania.  This  marriage  was  blessed  with  five  children  as  follows : 
Ruthanna,  wife  of  Dr.  L.  A.  Todd,  of  St.  Joseph;  Mary  Louise,  wife  of  Lieut. 
J.  G.  Pillow,  U.  S.  A.,  of  Honolulu;  Webster  Wirt,  cashier  of  the  Exchange 
National  Bank  of  Atchison;  Gail,  wife  of  B.  R.  Allen,  of  Atchison;  Harry 
Hale,  Seattle,  Wash. 

Wirt  Hetherington,  third  in  hue  of  the  bankers  of  this  estimable  family, 
was  born  in  Atchison,  February  21,  1881,  and  received  his  education  in  the 
public  schools  of  the  city,  after  which  he  became  a  student  in  the  Military- 
School  at  Orchard  Lake,  Mich.,  from  which  institution  he  was  graduated  in 
1900.  Soon  after  his  graduation,  he  entered  the  Exchange  National  Bank 
in  the  capacity  of  receiving  teller  and  bookkeeper,  and  since  that  time  he 
has  advanced  to  higher  positions  of  trust  and  responsibility  in  this  important 
banking  institution,  learning  the  banking  business  in  a  tliorough  and  pains- 
taking manner  as  he  passed  from  one  position  to  a  higher  one.  In  1905  he 
became  assistant  cashier,  a  position  which  he  held  until  February,  1914,  when 


512  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

he  became  cashier  of  the  liank,  of  wliich  he  is  also  a  chrector.     Mr.  Hethering- 
ton  is  unmarried  and  makes  liis  home  with  his  widowed  mother. 

Pohtically,  Wirt  Hetlierington  is  a  Democrat  as  were  his  father  and 
grandfather  before  him.  He  is  a  communicant  of  tlie  Episcopahan  church, 
whicli  is  the  church  of  his  forefathers,  who  were  of  Enghsh  origin.  He  is 
affihated  with  tlie  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons  and  tlie  Benevolent  and 
Protective  Order  of  Elks.  Mr.  Hetherington  is  destined  to  follow  in  the  foot- 
steps of  his  able  and  distinguished  father  and  grandfather,  and  has  already 
given  decided  evidence  that  he  has  inherited  and  is  developing  marked  finan- 
cial ability  of  a  high  order.  His  demeanor  in  the  conduct  of  the  duties  of 
his  important  position  is  commendatory  and  his  pleasant  and  courteous  manner 
of  greeting  those  with  whom  his  duties  bring  him  in  daily  contact  betokens 
the  innate  gentlemanly  attributes  which  he  possesses  to  a  considerable  degree. 


HARRY  L.  SHARP. 


Harry  L.  Sharp,  secretary  of  the  Atchison  Commercial  Club,  is  one  of  the 
"live  wires"  of  the  city  and  has  given  evidence  of  great  ability  in  his  chosen 
profession.  He  is  industrious,  frugal,  sincere  and  unpretending.  His  accu- 
rate knowledge  as  to  the  departmental  matters  is  a  constant  surprise  to  those 
who  have  occasion  to  consult  him  with  reference  to  any  branch  of  public 
service.  He  realizes  that  facts,  and  not  theories,  must  be  the  working  forces 
in  this  organization.  He  is  not  only  able,  intelligent  and  practical  in  the 
discharge  of  his  duties  as  secretar\-  of  the  Commercial  Club,  but  is  thoroughly 
conscientious  and  always  shows  the  courage  of  his  convictions. 

Harrj'  L.  Sharp  was  born  in  Moravia,  Iowa,  January  14,  1883,  a  son 
of  John  Wilson  and  Cora  Wright  Sharp,  who  trace  their  ancestry  to  Thomas 
Brown  and  Col.  William  Crawford,  of  Pennsylvania.  Thomas  Brown  was  one 
of  the  early  pioneers  in  western  Pennsylvania  and  founded  the  town  of 
Brownsville,  that  State,  in  the  year  1776.  Col.  \A'illiam  Crawford  was  a  con- 
frere of  George  Washington.  Colonel  Crawford  married  a  daughter  of 
Thomas  Brown,  which  closely  related  both  sides  of  Mr.  Sharp's  family,  his 
father's  people  being  the  Crawfords  and  his  mother's  the  Browns.  He  was 
graduated  from  the  Moravia  High  School,  after  which  he  entered  the  restau- 
rant and  baker)'  business  for  himself,  conducting  the  same  for  a  period  of 
three  years.  Disposing  of  this  business,  he  came  to  Atchison  and  was  for  a 
time  associated  with  Sawin  &  Douglass  in  the  undertaking  business,  qualify- 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  513 

ing  and  ol)taiiiing-  a  license  to  do  em1)alming  in  the  State  of  Kansas.  I'ul- 
lowing  this,  he  was  clerk  at  the  Byram  Hotel  for  a  period  of  three  years. 
During  the  following  year  he  wrote  life  insurance  and  resided  in  Hiawatha, 
Kan.  Returning  from  Hiawatha,  he  took  a  position  as  yard  clerk  in  the 
Missouri  Pacific  railroad  yards.  From  this  position  he  worked  up  to  that 
of  claim  clerk  for  that  company,  which  position  he  resigned  to  hecome  traffic 
manager  for  A.  J.  Harwi  Hardware  Company.  Upon  the  death  of  A.  J. 
Harwi,  Mr.  Sharp  succeeded  F.  E.  Harwi,  as  bu},er  of  the  house  furnishings 
goods  department  of  this  concern,  continuing  his  traffic  work.  He  held 
this  position  until  he  was  tendered  and  accepted  the  secretaryship  of  the  Atchi- 
son Commercial  Club.  While  Mr.  Sharp  is  a  Democrat,  he  has  always  been 
inclined  to  be  independent  in  his  views  of  things  political.  He  is  a  Royal 
Arch  Mason  and  a  member  of  the  Elks  and  Eagles  and  other  fraternal  socie- 
ties. In  December,  1906,  Mr.  Sharp  was  married  to  Mary,  daughter  of  Ed- 
ward C.  Wolters.  a  native  of  Germany,  and  a  resident  of  Atchison,  where 
Mr.  Wolters  was  a  contractor  for  many  years.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sharp  have 
one  child,  LeRoy  Edward,  born  May  31,  1909. 

Mr.  Sharp  is  one  of  the  most  capable  and  efficient  experts  in  his  par- 
ticular vocation  that  can  be  found  in  the  West.  He  seems  to  be  naturally 
adapted  for  the  difficult  and  exacting  position  which  he  holds,  and  is  gifted 
with  rare  tact  and  diplomacy  which  is  so  necessary  in  handling  the  various 
affairs  which  are  placed  in  his  hands  in  the  interest  of  Atchison  and  the 
Commercial  Club.  He  is  possessed  also  of  decided  literary  ability,  evidence 
of  wliich  talent  will  lie  readily  seen  in  the  perusal  of  the  cha])ter  on  .\tchison 
Industries  which  was  written  and  compiled  iov  this  \dlume  1jv  Mr.  Sharp. 


HENRY  KUEHNHOFF. 


Henry  Kuehnhoff,  farmer  and  stockman,  of  Lancaster  township,  Atchi- 
son county,  was  born  August  3,  1869,  in  Lancaster  township.  He  is  a 
son  of  Charles  and  Caroline  Kuehnhoff,  who  were  the  parents  of  nine  chil- 
dren, six  of  whom  are  living.  The  father  was  born  in  Germany  in  i8.^i 
and  left  there  when  a  boy  of  sixteen  )-ears,  sailing  for  New  York.  He  re- 
mained there  a  short  time  and  then  went  west,  arriving  at  St.  Joseph,  Mo., 
where  he  enlisted  in  Company  B  of  the  Volunteer  infantry,  serving  in  the 
Civil  war.  He  was  discharged  at  Lexington,  Mo.,  at  the  close  of  the  war, 
haying  made  a  good  military  record. 

33 


514  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

He  returned  to  civil  life  and  worked  at  St.  Joseph,  Mo.,  as  a  laborer  for 
$8  a  month.  Shortly  afterward  he  came  to  Atchison  county,  Kansas,  and 
bought  eighty  acres  of  land  in  section  10,  Lancaster  township.  Using  oxen, 
he  broke  the  ground  on  his  newly  acquired  farm  and  began  to  improve  it 
as  far  as  his  resources  would  permit.  In  1894  he  retired  and  went  to  the 
National  Soldiers'  Home  at  Leavenworth,  where  he  died  in  1903.  The 
mother  was  born  in  Germany,  in  1845,  and  died  in  1899.  Henry  Kuehnhoff 
grew  to  manhood  on  his  father's  farm  and  attended  the  Eden  district  school 
No.  37,  and  also  attended  No.  3  school  for  one  tenn.  He  worked  on  the 
farm  until  he  was  twenty-one,  and,  then  with  his  brother,  William,  rented 
the  old  home  place.  At  the  death  of  his  father  he  became  heir  to  a  share 
of  the  place,  and  in  1905  bought  the  farm  where  he  now  lives  in  section  9. 
Lancaster  township,  Atchison  county.  He  now  owns  157  acres  of  well  im- 
proved land  and  has  a  large  amount  of  graded  stock,  and  is  a  stockholder 
in  a  telephone  company. 

In  1901  lie  was  married  to  Caroline  Kloepper,  who  was  born  July  20, 
1882,  in  Atchison  county.  She  is  a  daughter  of  Crist  and  Caroline  (Dorssom) 
Kloepper,  natives  of  Germany  and  Atchison  county,  respectively.  The  mother 
is  now  dead,  but  her  father  resides  at  DeKalb,  Mo.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kuehnhoff 
have  one  child,  John,  who  lives  at  home.  Mr.  Kuehnhoff  is  a  Republican 
and  a  member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  lodge.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  school  board  of  district  No.  3,  Lancaster  township. 


MRS.  D.  N.  WHEELER. 


The  average  woman,  left  penniless,  destitute,  and  even  burdened  with 
debt  at  the  hour  of  her  greatest  sorrow  in  life,  the  demise  of  a  loved  hus- 
band, is  very  likely  to  throw  herself  upon  the  more  or  less  doubtful  mercies 
of  friends  or  relatives,  and  make  no  attempt  to  take  up  the  burden  of  gaining 
a  livelihood  by  her  own  exertions.  However,  this  may  be  the  case  in  many 
instances,  but  the  exact  opposite  has  been  the  career  of  Mrs.  D.  N.  Wheeler, 
one  of  the  wealthiest  real  estate  proprietors  in  Atchison,  who,  during  the 
thirt)'-four  years  that  have  elapsed  since  the  demise  of  her  husband  which  left 
her  with  a  small  home  burdened  with  debt,  and  otherwise  penniless,  has 
amassed  a  competence  which  has  placed  her  in  the  ranks  of  the  largest  indi- 
vidual taxpayers  in  the  city  of  Atchison. 

She  was  born  in  Chautauqua  county,  New  York,  a  daughter  of  Ezekiel 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  515 

and  Alniirah  (Trowbridge)  Rooks,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  New  York. 
Her  father  died  when  she  was  four  years  of  age,  and  she  was  reared  in  Erie 
county,  Pennsylvania,  where  lier  mother  removed  after  her  father's  death. 
Rooks  county,  Kansas,  is  named  in  honor  of  tlie  Rooks  family  of  New  York, 
who  formed  one  of  the  first  settlements  in  Rooks  county,  during  the  pioneer 
days  of  the  early  sixties  in  Kansas.  While  a  student  in  the  academy  at  Erie, 
Penn.,  she  met  her  future  husband,  who  was  then  traveling  passenger  agent 
for  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern  railway.  After  their  marriage  in  Erie 
in  1869,  they  went  to  Omaha,  Neb.,  where  Mr.  Wheeler  was  connected  with 
the  Union  Pacific  railway.  They  had  the  honor  of  being  the  guests  of 
George  Pullman  of  the  Pullman  Car  Manufacturing  Company,  as  passengers 
on  the  first  Pullman  train  run  over  the  Union  Pacific  tracks,  en  route  from 
Omaha  to  San  Francisco.  Upon  their  arrival  in  San  Francisco  they  attended 
a  reception  at  the  Occidental  Hotel,  after  which  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wheeler 
traveled  in  California  visiting  points  of  interest.  They  had  some  interesting 
experiences  during  their  travels  over  the  country  while  Mr.  Wheeler  was 
engaged  in  his  duties  in  connection  with  the  Union  Pacific  railroad.  S.  PI.  H. 
Clark,  president  of  the  Union  Pacific  railroad,  was  a  very  dear  and  warm 
friend  of  the  Wheelers,  and  after  Mr.  Wheeler's  death,  she  accompanied 
the  Clark  family  to  San  Francisco  and  was  domiciled  at  the  Palace  Hotel  as 
their  guest.  She  was  with  the  Clarks  at  St.  Louis  when  the  Union  Pacific 
railroad  was  sold  for  $60,000,000,  and  she  was  in  New  York  when  Mr. 
Clark  signed  this  transfer.  Mrs.  Wheeler  still  retains  the  friendship  of 
the  Clark  family  and  frequently  visits  them. 

Mr.  W'heeler  had  charge  of  the  expedition  to  North  Platte  when  Generals 
Grant  and  Sherman  made  the  treaty  with  the  Indians,  and  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Wheeler  became  personally  acquainted  with  the  famous  generals.  A  souve- 
nir of  this  experience  is  a  pack  of  playing  cards  which  General  Sherman  gave 
Mrs.  Wheeler  when  the  party  was  on  the  return  trip,  and  which  was  used 
in  playing  Bezique  by  the  two  generals  to  while  awa_\-  the  time.  Mr.  ^Vheeler 
was  the  conductor  of  the  train  which  brought  in  the  survivors  of  the  Plum 
Creek,  Neb.,  Indian  massacre,  in  which  many  of  the  settlers  were  killed  and 
scalped  by  Indians.  Mr.  Wheeler  died  in  1881,  leaving  his  young  wife 
practically  destitute,  in  the  little  three  room  house  which  they  had  undertaken 
to  buy  in  Atchison  for  $600.  At  the  time  of  his  death  there  was  an  incum- 
brance of  $400  on  this  house,  and  Mrs.  Wheeler  was  so  poor  that  a  load  of 
coal  which  she  had  ordered  for  delivery  at  the  home  was  returned  because  it 
was  thought  she  would  be  unable  to  pay  for  it.  She  at  once  began  Ui  dis- 
play the  spirit  which  has  enabled  her  to  triumph  over  all  difficulties,  and 


5l6  ^  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

earned  her  living  by  teaching;  drawing  and  painting  in  the  old  Monroe  Insti- 
tute, supplementing  her  salary  by  giving  private  lessons  at  lier  liDme  im 
Saturdays.  She  managed  by  dint  of  the  strictest  economy  to  pay  off  tlie 
mortgage  on  her  little  liome,  and  has  since  remodeled  it  into  one  of  the  most 
attractive  places  in  Atchison.  This  beautiful  home  is  situated  high  up  on 
the  bluffs,  bordering  the  ^Missouri  river,  and  offers  a  view  from  the  east 
windows  over  broad  reaches  of  tlie  Missouri  wliich  is  unsurpassed  for  beauty 
and  distance  anywliere  in  the  West.  Mrs.  Wheeler,  while  without  business  ex- 
perience of  any  kind  whatever,  at  the  time  of  her  husband's  demise,  embarked 
upon  a  career  of  investing  her  savings  in  residence  properties  until  she  is 
now  the  owner  of  twenty  fairly  valuable  pieces  of  real  estate  in  Atchison. 
She  followed  the  time  tried  plan  of  the  cumulative  metliod  of  buying  houses, 
which  she  would  place  in  good  repair  for  rental  purposes,  going  in  debt  for 
a  house  and  then  gradually  paying  out,  and  eventually  buying  another  and 
so  on,  until  she  is  now  paying  taxes  on  a  property  valuation  of  over  $40,000, 
her  taxes  alone  amounting  to  $2.00  per  day,  or  over  $730  yearly.  At  the 
same  time  she  has  gained  a  valuable  knowledge  of  real  estate,  she  lias  learned 
to  know  and  accurately  judge  human  nature,  a  combination  of  wisdom  which 
is  irresistible  in  achieving  success.  She  is  a  saleswoman  of  great  ability, 
and  has  frequently  been  pitted  against  some  of  the  shrewdest  traders  in  Atchi- 
son, and  has  never  been  worsted  in  an  encounter.  Endowed  witli  a  keen 
observant  mind  and  a  remarkable  memory,  she  has  made  many  prominent 
friends  during  her  career,  and  has  often  been  called  upon  to  assist  them  in 
various  capacities,  an  instance  of  whicli  is  found  in  tlie  aid  which  she  gave 
Bishop  Tuttle  in  tlie  preparation  of  his  reminiscences  of  the  Old  Santa  Fe 
Trail.  To  quote  the  words  of  a  prominent  friend  of  hers,  who  lias  known 
her  for  many  years  and  witnessed  her  struggles  to  attain  affluence.  "Mrs. 
Wheeler  is  a  verv  remarkable  woman." 


NAPOLEON  P..  I'lKK. 


Napoleon  B.  Pike,  farmer  and  stockman,  was  born  May  10,  1856,  in 
Washington  county,  Iowa,  and  is  a  son  of  Ciiarles  and  Maria  (Salers)  Pike, 
and  was  one  of  eleven  children,  seven  of  whom  are  living.  The  father  of 
Napoleon  Pike  was  born  in  New  York  State,  November  13.  1826.  He  came 
to  Ohio  with  his  parents  and  after  his  marriage  went  to  Iowa.  For  a  time 
he  was  engaged  in  a  small  mercantile  business  in  Iowa,  but  later  engaged  in 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  517 

farming.  He  also  fanned  a  place  of  his  own  near  Atchison,  Kan.,  wliere  he 
removed  in  1882,  but  his  larger  holdings  were  in  Iowa.  He  died  in  1903. 
The  mother  was  born  in  New  Jersey  in  1836,  and  died  in  Atchison  county, 
Kansas,  in  1898.     Both  were  members  of  the  Methodist  church. 

Napoleon  Pike  grew  u))  nn  his  father's  Iowa  farm.  He  was  married 
there  and  came  to  Kansas  with  his  father  in  1882.  For  a  year  he  rented  land 
in  Doniphan  county.  Kansas,  when  he  came  to  Atchison  county,  and  rented 
a  fann  in  Lancaster  township.  In  1907  he  bought  the  forty-acre  farm  which 
he  now  works.  When  he  took  the  place  it  had  few  improvements,  but  he  has 
invested  $8,000  since  then,  and  made  a  modern  farm  and  keeps  graded  stock. 

In  1878  he  married  Julia  Utterback,  who  was  born  in  Lancaster,  Iowa, 
July  17,  1856.  She  is  a  daughter  of  Nels  and  Matilda  Utterback,  both 
natives  of  Indiana.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pike  have  been  born  five  children, 
as  follows:  Charles,  Center  township;  Alta  (Higley)  Lancaster  township; 
Walter,  farmer,  Lancaster  township ;  Willard,  farmer,  Center  township,  and 
Warren,  deceased.  Mr.  Pike  is  a  Republican  and  a  member  of  the  Christian 
church  of  Atchison.  He  belongs  to  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America  at 
Atchison. 


JOHN  A.  SCHOLZ. 

During  the  thirty-seven  years  in  which  the  Scholz  familj-  has  resided 
in  Atchison  county,  its  memliers  have  made  a  record  for  each  and  every  one 
which  is  a  credit  to  their  parents  and  themselves,  individually  and  collectively. 
John  and  August  Scholz,  farmers  and  live  stock  breeders  of  Lancaster  town- 
ship, take  high  rank  in  the  county  as  enterprising  and  successful  agricultur- 
ists, and  have  both  achieved  success,  and  attained  a  reputation  a.'i  specialists, 
being  well  known  breeders  of  Shorthorn  cattle.  Their  father,  the  late 
August  Scholz,  was  wise  in  his  day  and  generation,  in  that  when  he  came  to 
Atchison  county,  a  comparatix'ely  poor  man,  he  secured  enough  land  which 
would  require  that  his  sons  remain  at  home  and  become  farmers.  lie  was 
successful  in  his  plan,  and  the  result  is  seen  in  the  enterprising  sons  whom  he 
trained  to  till  the  soil  in  the  best  manner  possible,  and  who  have  been  success- 
ful, as  their  father  had  wi,shed.  John  Scholz  is  a  native  son  of  Kansas,  and 
was  bom  and  brought  u])  on  the  farm  where  he  now  resides.  He  has  one 
of  the  attractive  countr\-  places  in  the  county,  nicel\-  located,  with  a  well  built 
farm  residence,  good  barns  and  outlniildings  for  housing  his  live  stock  and 
storing  the  harvests  of  the  Scholz  fields.     He  and  his  brother,  August,  have 


5l8  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

long  held  their  land  in  common,  and  worked  together  on  a  partnership  basis 
in  a  manner  satisfactoi-y  to  both  and  productive  of  good  results. 

John  A.  Scholz  was  born  November  27,  1879,  '"  Atchison  county,  and  is 
a  son  of  August  and  Johanna  (Seidel)  Scholz,  who  were  the  parents  of  the 
following  children:  Mrs.  Pauline  McCowin,  Renton,  Wash.;  Herman,  Doni- 
phan county,  Kansas;  Charles,  Lancaster  township;  Mrs.  Louise  Thoren,  Los 
Angeles,  Cal. ;  Caroline,  wife  of  J.  \V.  Louthian,  Lancaster  township,  Atchi- 
son county;  George,  Lancaster  township;  Paul,  living  near  Lancaster,  Kan; 
Mrs.  Anna  Stockebrand,  Yates  Center,  Kan. ;  August,  farming  in  partnership 
with  his  brother,  John,  in  Lancaster  township;  John  A.,  farmer,  Lancaster 
township;  Robert,  Lancaster  township.  The  family  was  reared  on  the 
father's  fanti  and  the  sons  were  all  taught  fanning.  The  father  was  born  in 
Schlesien,  Germany,  November  25,  1835.  He  learned  the  blacksmith  trade 
from  his  father,  and  worked  at  tlie  trade  until  he  left  Germany  in  1870.  He 
was  a  son  of  George  Frederick  Scholz.  His  mother  died  when  lie  was  an 
infant.  Coming  to  America  with  his  family  of  six  children,  August  Scholz 
resided  in  St.  Joseph,  Mo.,  for  a  time  wlien  he  bought  a  farm  of  160  acres 
in  Doniphan  countw  Kansas,  which  he  operated  about  si.x  years.  He  broke 
the  soil  on  tliis  place  with  oxen  and  made  all  necessani-  improvements  himself. 
After  leaving  Doniphan  county  he  rented  a  farm  in  Atchison  county,  and  then 
bought  480  acres  of  prairie  and  timber  land  in  Lancaster  township,  .Atchison 
county,  in  1882.  He  bouglit  the  farm  of  Morgan  Osborne,  and  paid  $15,000 
for  it.  The  place  is  known  as  the  "Three  Springs  Farm"  and  is  located  on 
the  northwest  quarter  of  section  9.  This  name  comes  from  the  fact  that  the 
farm  has  a  fine  natural  water  supply  coming  from  springs  located  on  it.  The 
springs  furnisJT  water  enough  for  the  stock  on  the  farm  even  in  the  longest 
drought  and  supplies  the  neighborhood  when  necessary.  The  fatlier  bought 
an  unusuallv  large  farm  for  a  s])ecial  purpose.  He  wanted  his  boys  to  grow 
up  witli  him,  and  did  not  want  to  see  them  go  out  as  hired  hands  for  otlier 
farmers,  so  he  went  into  debt  to  buy  enough  land  .so  that  the  boys  could  work 
it  themselves  and  make  a  living  on  it.  He  had  very  little  capital,  but  he  was 
industrious  and  his  family  was  also  industrious.  This  enabled  them  to  go 
in  debt  for  tlie  farm  without  fear  of  not  being  able  to  pay  for  it.  The  farm 
was  paid  for  in  due  time  and  imjjrovements  were  made  constantly.  The 
father  farmed  until  his  death,  in  1901.  The  mother  of  John  Scholz  was  a 
daugiUer  of  Godfred  and  Rosanna  ( Schwartzer)  Seidel.  She  was  bom  in 
Schlesien,  Germany,  April  10,  1840.  The  father  was  a  farmer  in  his  native 
land.  The  mother  lives  with  John  Scholz.  John  Scholz  attended  the  .\tchi- 
son   Ciiunty    High   Scliool  at   Effingham,    Kan..  ha\  ing  jireviously  gone   to 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  5I9 

school  in  District  Xo.  3,  (jf  Lancaster  township.  He  remained  at  home  after 
leaving  high  school,  and  helped  his  father  on  the  farm.  \Vhen  the  father  died 
John  was  married  and  began  life  for  himself.  He  and  his  l>rother,  August, 
bought  160  acres  each  from  the  heirs,  and  engaged  in  farming.  They  bought 
320  acres  comprising  the  old  home.  March  i,  191 5,  they  bought  eighty  acres 
additional  in  Lancaster  township,  making  400  acres  in  all.  John  and  his 
brother  began  to  take  a  fancy  to  high  grade  stock  and  they  are  now  breeding 
fine  Shortliorn  cattle.  They  have  a  herd  of  twelve  head  of  thoroughbreds. 
They  have  a  graded  stock  of  horses  and  breed  Poland  China  hogs  also. 
John  A.  especially  takes  great  interest  in  mules,  and  at  one  time  had  the 
largest  span  in  the  county.  These  sold  for  $600.  They  were  five  years  old 
and  weighed  3,300  pounds. 

John  Scholz  married  Ida  R.  Meyer,  October  i,  1913.  She  was  born 
March  3,  1882,  in  Center  township,  Atchison  county,  and  is  a  daughter  of 
John  and  Caroline  (Schroeder)  Meyer.  John  Meyer  was  born  in  Switzer- 
land, and  came  to  Atchison  county  when  he  was  four  years  old,  with  his 
parents,  John  and  Verena  (Slaughter)  Meyer,  natives  of  Switzerland.  They 
were  early  settlers  in  Center  township  where  they  died.  John  Meyer  was 
bornr  May  8,  1854,  and  his  wife,  Caroline  (Schroeder)  Meyer,  was  born  in 
Elgin,  111.,  April  2,  1859.  Mrs.  Meyer  was  the  daughter  of  Nicholas  and 
Katherine  Schroeder.  natives  of  Germany.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Scholz  have  one 
child,  Ralph  Edward,  born  August  17,  1914.  Mr.  Scholz  is  a  Democrat,  and 
he  and  his  wife  belong  to  the  Evangelical  church. 


WALTER  E.  BROWN. 


Walter  E.  Brown,  of  the  law  firm  of  Waggener,  -Ciialliss  &  Crane,  and 
the  present  city  attorney  of  Atchison,  is  a  native  son  of  Kansas.  He  was 
born  at  Whiting,  Jackson  county,  Kansas  November  17,  1887,  and  is  a  son 
of  William  E.  and  Martha  W.  (Gilmore)  Brown,  natives  of  Pennsylvania. 
William  E.  Brown,  the  father,  came  to  Kansas  with  his  parents  in  1872  at 
the  age  of  sixteen.  He  is  a  son  of  Michael  Brown,  a  native  of  Ireland.  The 
Brown  family  settled  in  Brown  count}',  Kansas,  where  the  parents  spent  their 
lives. 

In  1879  William  E.  Brown  removed  to  Jackson  county  and  engaged  in 
the  lumber  business  at  Holton,  where  he  is  still  an  extensive  lumber  dealer 
and  one  of  the  substantial  business  men.     To  William  E.  and  Martha  W. 


520  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

(Gilmore)  Brown  were  born  three  children,  as  follows;  A\'alter  E.,  the  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch ;  Bemice  and  Harold. 

Walter  E.  Brown  was  reared  in  Holton  and  educated  in  the  public  schools, 
graduating  from  the  liigh  school  there.  He  then  entered  Kansas  University, 
Lawrence,  Kan.,  and  was  graduated  in  the  class  of  1909  with  the  degree  of 
Bachelor  of  Laws.  He  then  came  to  Atchison  and  became  associated  with 
the  law  firm  of  which  he  is  now  a  member.  Some  few  changes  have  taken 
place  in  the  personnel  of  the  firm  of  Waggener,  Challiss  &  Crane  within  the 
last  few  years,  but  it  substantially  remains  the  same. 

Mr.  Brown  is  a  Republican  and  since  coming  to  Atchison  has  taken  an 
active  part  in  political  matters.  He  was  elected  city  attorney  in  1913  and 
reelected  to  succeed  himself  in  191 5.  He  is  a  Knights  Templar  and  Royal 
Arch  Mason  and  a  member  of  the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks, 
Loyal  Order  of  Moose,  and  the  Fraternal  Order  of  Eagles.  Mr.  Brown  is  a 
ver\-  capable  attorney  and  has  a  wide  acquaintance  in  northeastern  Kansas. 


E.  G.  BURBANK. 


E.  G.  Burbank,  proprietor  of  the  Burbank  printshop,  is  a  native  son  of 
Atchison  county.  In  1905  Mr.  Burkank  founded  this  printing  establishment 
in  a  very  humble  way,  which  within  ten  years  has  developed  into  one  of  the 
leading  printing  plants  of  eastern  Kansas.  Tlie  ]-)henomcnal  success  of  this 
enterprise  is,  no  doubt,  due  to  the  fact  that  Mr.  Burbank  was  an  expert  job 
and  edition  printer  when  he  embarked  in  the  business  for  himself.  Burbank's 
printship  catered  to  high  class  printing  from  the  start,  which  has  been  its 
specialty  and  in  which  it  has  made  a  clean  record.  They  do  a  large  amount  of 
high  class  catalog  printing  and  other  high  grade  work  of  a  kindred  nature. 
They  are  also  well  known  as  liook  printers  and  binders  and  printers  of  high 
class  stationer}-.  The  plant  has  a  floor  space,  30x50  feet  and  is  equipped 
with  all  modem  machinery  and  methods  for  up-to-date  printing. 

When  Mr.  Burkank  started  in  business  for  himself  he  was  able  to  do 
most  of  his  work  alone,  but  he  now  has  ten  people  on  his  payroll,  and  the 
plant  is  now  one  of  the  most  prosperous  concerns  of  .\tcliison. 

E.  (i.  Burbank  was  born  at  Muscotali,  Kan..  January  17,  1881,  and  is  a 
son  of  Heni-y  N.  and  Mina  S.  (Hazlett)  Burbank.  Henry  N.  Burbank.  his 
father,  was  a  native  of  Vermont  and  came  to  .\tchison  county  witli  his  father, 
George  S.  Burbank,  in  the  pioneer  days  of  Atchison  county.    He  died  in  1913, 


11= 


m 


S.    W.    AI>AMS, 
Aetna    Life   Innuranee    Co. 


Ul.irs    DKITSCH 


& 


II.   C.    HANSEN, 
I'enn    .Miitiuil    I.if*"    Irisiirnni-i'    fo. 


m 


K.   (..    ISI  KIlAMv 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  52 1 

and  his  wife  now  resides  at  Billings,  Mont.  E.  G.  Burbank  was  reared  in 
Muscotah,  and  after  receiving  a  high  school  education  began  his  printing 
career  as  "devil"  in  the  office  of  the  Muscotah  Record.  Shortly  afterwai'ds, 
he  entered  the  office  of  the  Atchison  Globe  and  was  connected  with  that  paper 
as  a  printer  for  four  years,  when  he  organized  the  plant  wliich  now  liears  his 
name. 

Mr.  Burbank  was  married  in  1908  to  Miss  Millie  Anderson,  and  they 
have  two  children:  Millie  Ervin,  born  in  December,  1910,  and  John  Max- 
well, born  in  July.  191 2.  Mr.  Burlwnk  is  of  the  type  of  business  men  who 
are  making  Atchison  the  commercial  and  center  that  it  is.  He  is  a  member 
of  Washington  Lodge,  No.  5,  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  and  the 
Bene\-olent  and  Prf)tective  Order  of  Elks. 


H.  C.  HANSEN. 


The  story  of  a  young  man  who  has  been  successful  in  his  chosen  field 
through  sheer  force  and  energy  and  aptitude  is  always  interesting.  Conse- 
quently, it  is  fitting  that  the  biography  of  one  of  the  most  successful  life 
insurance  men  of  northeast  Kansas  have  a  proper  place  in  the  pages  of  the  his- 
tory of  Atchison  count}-.  The  rise  of  H.  C.  Hansen  in  the  insurance  field  has 
been  rapid  and  substantial  until  his  high  place  among  the  business  men  of  his 
home  city  is  assured.  Born  in  the  little  kingdom  of  Denmark  and  reared  on 
American  soil,  he  has  given  evidence  of  possessing  the  sturdy  qualities  pecu- 
liar to  the  Danish  people  which  have  led  them  to  the  forefront  in  America 
wherever  they  have  settled.  It  is  probable  that  no  people  coming  here  from 
foreign  shores  and  speaking  an  alien  tongue  ha\e  shown  greater  adapta))ility 
and  more  acumen  in  being  assimilated  into  the  great  American  body  of  citi- 
zens than  those  who  have  come  from  Denmark. 

H.  C.  Hansen  was  born  in  Denmark  January  17,  1867.  His  parents  were 
Hans  and  Anna  Hansen,  who  left  their  native  land  to  seek  their  fortunes  in 
America  in  1869.  Hans  Hansen  was  a  backsmith.  and  the  family  first  located 
in  Atchison.  From  here  they  went  to  Brown  county,  and  a  few  years  after- 
ward settled  in  Doniphan  county.  Mr.  Hansen  operated  a  blacksmith  and 
wagon-shop  at  Severance,  Kan.,  until  1890.  He  then  removed  to  Graham 
county  and  settled  on  a  farm  where  he  still  resides.  His  first  wife.  Anna, 
died  in  1875.  leaving  four  children,  as  follows :  Mrs.  Mar\-  Kellcnberg.  of 
Brown  county;  Mrs.  Minnie  Knoop.  of  Canton,  Okla. ;  Mrs.  Ellen  Moore,  of 
Cottonwood  Falls,  Chase  county,  Kansas,  and  Hans  Christian. 


522  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY 

H.  C.  Hansen  was  reared  in  Doniphan  county  and  was  forced  by  circum- 
stances to  look  after  his  own  education.  When  still  a  boy  he  learned  the 
blacksmith's  trade  and  also  worked  as  a  farm  liand.  He  had  little  opportunity 
to  secure  an  education  and  received  no  encouragement  from  his  parents  to 
acquire  knowledge.  It  was  necessary  for  him  to  earn  money  to  support  him- 
self \v!:ile  atttndin.i;-  school.  He  studied  tor  twii  years  in  the  Christian  Brothers 
College  of  St.  Joseph  after  he  became  of  age.  Beginning  with  December  20, 
1892,  he  served  twelve  years  as  salesman  for  the  Edward  Heeney  Hardware 
Company,  of  Severance,  Kan.  He  then  Isecame  local  agent  for  the  I'enn 
Mutual  TJfe  Insurance  Comjiaiiy  at  Se\ trance.  So  successful  was  Mr. 
Hansen  in  his  new  vocation  that  in  a  short  period  of  eighteen  months  he  was 
tendered  the  position  of  general  agent  of  the  company,  with  headquarters  in 
Atchison.  He  has  written  as  high  as  $200,000  in  life  insurance  policies 
yearly  and  his  success  still  continues.  A  strong  and  amiable  personality  com- 
bined with  energy  and  persistence  have  been  factors  in  enabling  liim  to  advance 
with  such  rapid  strides  in  a  field  which  is  full  of  able  competitors.  In  addi- 
tion to  his  duties  as  general  agent  of  the  Penn  Mutual  Insurance  Com- 
pany, he  looks  after  his  farm  of  120  acres,  located  five  and  one-half  miles 
east  of  Potter.  Mr.  Hansen  has  purchased  this  farm  with  money  earned  in 
selling  life  insurance,  and  he  is  displaying  the  same  energy  in  developing  his 
farm  acreage  that  placed  him  to  the  forefront  in  the  life  insurance  field.  An 
old.  rundown  orchard  of  about  ten  acres  was  located  on  his  farm.  He  had 
this  orchard  placed  in  shape  for  fruit  bearing  by  trimming  the  trees  and  spray- 
ing with  a  power  sprayer.  The  results  are  seen  in  the  fine  quality  of  fruit 
which  the  trees  have  yielded.  He  has  been  awarded  three  first  prizes  at  the 
Atchison  county  horticultural  display. 

Mr.  Hansen  was  married  August  20,  189 1.  to  Katie  Browning,  a  daugh- 
ter of  Frank  Browning,  an  early  pioneer  settler  of  Doniphan  county.  To 
them  have  been  horn  the  following  children :  Anna,  a  graduate  of  the  public 
school  and  high  school,  and  now  a  teacher  in  the  schools  of  Sparks,  Kan.; 
Bettie,  a  trained  nurse,  who  graduated  from  the  Sisters  of  Charity  Hospital, 
at  St.  Joseph,  in  October  of  1915;  Crystelle,  a  milliner  in  the  Ramsey  store: 
and  William  Penn  or  "Pat."  the  youngest  of  the  family. 

Politically,  Mr.  Hansen  is  an  independent  Republican,  inclined  to  be 
progressive  in  his  ideas  of  government  by  the  people,  and  favoring  those  can- 
didates for  office  who  seem  to  be  capable  of  serving  the  people  to  the  best 
advantage  of  all.  He  is  a  member  of  St.  Benedict's  Catholic  Church,  and  is 
fraternallv  connected  with  the  Knights  of  Columbus. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  523 

JULIUS  DEUTSCH. 

Julius  Deutsch,  retired  merchant  and  capitalist,  of  Atchison,  is  a  citizen 
who  has  made  his  own  way  in  the  world,  and  achieved  a  satisactory  measure 
of  success  in  tlie  mercantile  field.  He  was  born  in  Lorraine,  the  French 
province  of  Germany,  Noveml>er  27,  1858,  a  son  of  Mollingf  and  Melanie' 
Deutsch,  who  were  born  and  reared  in  Lorraine.  Moiling  Deutsch  was  a 
wholesale  gain  and  flour  merchant  in  his  native  town.  Melanie  Deutsch 
was  a  daughter  of  M.  Friend,  a  soldier  in  the  Napoleonic  wars,  and  who  was 
awarded  the  Medal  of  St.  Helena  for  bravery  on  the  field  of  battle.  Both 
parents  lived  their  lives  and  died  in  the  land  of  their  nativity. 

When  Julius  Deutsch  had  completed  his  education  at  the  age  of  four- 
teen years,  in  1872,  he  immigrated  to  America,  coming  direct  to  Atchison, 
where  he  made  his  home  for  a  short  time  with  an  uncle.  L.  Friend.  Later,  he 
entered  the  employ  of  another  uncle,  I.  Friend,  a  merchant,  doing  business 
in  Seneca.  He  worked  in  the  store  at  Seneca  for  two  years,  sold  goods  in 
Atchison  for  another  year,  spent  one  year  in  a  mercantile  establishment  at 
Topeka,  and  then  embarked  in  business  for  himself.  Mr.  Deutsch  estab- 
lished a  general  store  at  Muscotah  in  1878,  which  was  a  successful  \-enture. 
Prosperity  attended  his  efforts,  and  it  was  not  long  until  he  and  his  brothers 
embarked  in  the  mercantile  business  at  Horton,  Kan.,  and  established  a  store 
which  they  still  own.  He  was  associated  in  his  business  ventures  with  his 
brothers,  Sylvain,  Maurice,  Simon,  and  Isaac.  Simon  is  now  a  resident  of 
Cleveland,  Ohio.  Isaac  is  deceased.  The  brothers  established  a  chain  of 
stores  and  operated  them  at  Beloit.  Atchison,  Valley  Falls,  Muscotah,  and 
Concordia,  which  were  generally  successful,  and  made  money  on  the  invest- 
ments. Mr.  Deutsch  continued  in  active  mercantile  pursuits  until  his  retire- 
ment to  AtcJiison  in  1902.  He  first  came  to  Atchison  from  Muscotah  in 
1885,  turned  over  the  business  at  Muscotah  to  his  brother,  and  then  engaged 
in  business  in  this  city.  His  brother,  Maurice,  now  operates  the  store  at 
Horton,  Kan.  Sylvain  Deutsch  makes  his  home  principallv  in  Kansas  City. 
During  later  years  the  Deutsch  brothers  have  disposed  of  a  number  of  their 
various  stores,  and  now  operate  the  Horton  concern  only.  Their  capital 
is  mainly  invested  in  real  estate,  consisting  of  city  property  and  farm  lands 
in  Kansas  and  the  West.  Isaac  Deutsch  was  the  first  of  the  family  to  come 
to  America  to  seek  his  fortune,  and  his  brothers  followed,  and  a  community 
of  interests  which  held  them  together  at  all  times,  resulted  in  all  becoming 
well-to-do. 

Mr.  Deutsch  and  his  brothers  are  interested  in  a  number  of  financial 


524  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

institutions,  and  he  has  many  friends  among  the  substantial  citizens  of  his 
home  city.  He  took  an  active  part  in  the  incorporation  of  the  town  of  Mus- 
cotah,  serving  as  city  councilman.  He  is  of  the  Jewish  faith,  and  is  prone 
to  assist  all  religious  denominations  to  the  extent  of  his  ability,  being  tolerant 
and  broad-minded  in  this  respect.  He  is  fraternally  allied  with  the  Odd 
Fellows  and  the  Elks.  Mr.  Deutsch  possesses  a  likable  personality,  which, 
coupled  with  a  kindly  and  courteous  demeanor  at  all  times,  makes  him  well 
liked  by  his  associates  and  esteemed  for  his  many  excellent  qualities. 


STARK  WILBOR  ADAMS. 


Stark  W'ilbor  Adams,  general  manager  for  the  Aetna  Life  Insurance  Com- 
pany, with  offices  in  the  new  Masonic  Temple,  and  secretary  of  the  Atchison 
County  High  School  board,  is  a  native  of  the  Bucke3fe  State,  born  in  May, 
1866,  at  Huron,  Ohio,  and  a  scion  of  an  old  American  family  which  traces  its 
lineage  back  to  the  colonial  days  of  New  England.  His  father,  Stark  Adams, 
and  his  mother,  Mary  (Chandler)  Adams,  were  born  in  Milan,  Ohio,  and 
Birmingham,  Ohio,  respectively.  Stark  Adams  was  a  son  of  Philo,  a  son  of 
Daniel  Adams,  of  Vermont,  who  was  a  soldier  in  the  Continental  army  during 
the  American  war  of  independence,  and  was  a  brother-in-law  of  Ethan  Allen, 
of  Vermont.  Daniel  was  second  in  command  of  the  "Green  Mountain  Boys" 
at  the  capture  of  Crown  Point  and  Ticonderoga.  In  recognition  of  his  sei-v- 
ices  in  behalf  of  the  new  nation,  he  was  given  a  grant  of  land  in  the  Western 
Reserve.  His  son,  Philo,  rode  horseback  from  Middlebury,  Vt.,  to  the  Huron 
river  valley  in  1816  and  took  possession  of  the  tract  which  had  been  granted 
to  th(,"  family  b)'  the  Government.  He  also  traded  a  horse  for  an  eighty-acre 
tract  in  addition  to  his  own  grant.  He  and  three  brothers  settled  on  the  land 
lying  along  the  course  of  the  Huron  river,  Philo  locating  at  the  mouth  of  the 
river  where  it  flows  into  Lake  Erie,  and  upon  which  the  town  of  Huron  was 
eventually  built.  The  brothers  became  the  owners  of  about  600  acres  of  land 
in  the  neighborhood.  They  cleared  the  land  of  standing  timber,  planted  corn, 
lian-estcd  and  shelled  it  during  the  first  season,  then  crossed  the  lake  to  L'uf  falo 
to  trade  grain  for  supplies,  which  they  again  traded  with  the  Indians  for  furs. 
They  conducted  a  general  trading  business  and  the  settlement  grew  from  this 
beginning,  in  course  of  time  to  be  of  considerable  importance.  Philo  Adams 
was  a  first  cousin  of  John  Quincy  Adams,  and  was  appointed  the  first  collector 
of  the  Port  of  Huron.     The  first  of  the  family  to  come  to  America  was  Henry 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  525 

Adams,  who  came  to  Plymouth  on  the  "Mayflower,"  when  the  good  ship  made 
its  second  voyage  to  bring  over  the  Puritans,  and  he  settled  at  Mt.  W'olaslon, 
(now  Ouincv,  Mass.)  in  1638.  Joseph  Adams  II  was  the  son  of  Henry, 
the  founder  of  the  family  in  America;  Joseph  III,  son  of  Joseph  Adams,  was 
next  in  line,  and  was  the  father  of  Daniel  and  President  John  Adams,  second 
President  of  the  United  States.  Daniel  -\dams  was  the  father  of  Philo  Adams, 
and  direct  ancestor  of  the  Adams  family. 

Stark  Adams,  accompanied  by  his  family,  left  the  old  home  in  Ohio  in 
1878,  crossed  the  country  to  Hays  City,  Kan.,  and  there  homesteaded  on  160 
acres  of  land,  taking  up  a  timber  claim  of  the  same  number  of  acres  at  the 
same  time.  Settlers  were  few  and  far  between  in  tliat  part  of  Kansas  in  those 
days,  and  the  country  was  settling  up  slowly  because  of  the  dmugiits  and  other 
vicissitudes  with  which  the  farmers  had  to  contend.  Ten  years  after  locating 
near  Hays  City,  Mr.  Adams  came  to  Atchison  and  eventually  bought  a  farm 
four  miles  south  of  the  city,  on  which  he  lived  until  his  retirement  to  a  resi- 
dence on  the  corner  of  O  and  Sixth  streets  in  Atchison.  He  was  born  October 
14,  1827,  and  died  August  30,  1909.  His  children  are:  Augusta  J.,  at  home; 
C.  B.,  of  714  Park  street;  James  Otis,  on  a  farm,  eight  miles  southwest  of 
the  city:  Stark  Wilbor;  Margaretta  L.,  at  home,  associated  with  S.  W.  in  the 
office  located  on  the  second  floor  of  the  new  Masonic  Temple;  J.  D.,  at  the 
family  home  in  .\tchison  at  517  South  Seventh  street. 

S.  W.  Adams  and  family  came  to  Atchison  from  the  farm  in  February, 
1908,  and  engaged  in  the  insurance  business,  the  mother  and  father  and  family 
coming  to  the  city  in  December  of  the  same  year.  He  opened  his  present 
office  May  i,  1914,  when  Mr.  Adams  was  appointed  manager  of  the  Aetna 
Life  Insurance  Company  for  northeast  Kansas.  His  career  as  an  insurance 
solicitor  and  manager  has  Ijeen  very  successful.  The  real  estate  and  loan 
business  conducted  in  the  same  office  is  in  charge  of  Ja}-  D.  Adams. 

Mr.  Adams  was  married  December  25,  1899,  to  Miss  Mary  Speck,  who 
was  born  on  a  pioneer  farm  in  Atchison  county  on  Stranger  creek  in  Mt.  Pleas- 
ant township.  She  was  a  daughter  of  Archimides  S.  and  Sarah  E.  Speck,  na- 
tives of  Kentucky  and  North  Carolina,  respectively,  who  emigrated  from  In- 
diana to  Kansas,  driving  a  team  the  entire  di.stance,  during  the  year  1855. 
(Furtiier  data  concerning  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Speck  will  be  found  elsewhere  in  this 
x'olume.)  To  tiiis  unirjn  ha\'e  ])cen  Ixirn,  Dorotli\-  M..  Sarah  \'...  Mildred  |., 
Lorena  Wilberta,  Wilbor  Speck. 

Mr.  Adams  is  a  Repul)lican  in  politics  and  has  taken  a  more  or  less  active 
part  in  political  and  civic  affairs.  For  the  past  five  years  he  has  served  the 
county  as  secretary  of  the  Atchison  County  High  School  board.     He  and  the 


526  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

members  of  his  family  are  affiliated  with  the  Presbyterian  church.  Frater- 
nally he  is  allied  with  the  Odd  Fellows,  Knights  of  Pythias  and  the  Benevo- 
lent and  Protective  Order  of  Elks. 


GEORGE  SCHOLZ. 


George  Scholz,  farmer  and  stockman  of  Lancaster  township,  Atchison 
county,  Kansas,  was  born  in  Germany,  April  22,  1870,  and  is  a  son  of  August 
and  Johanna  (Seidel)  Scholz,  who  were  the  parents  of  seven  children: 
Mrs.  Pauline  (McCowin),  Renton.  Wash.;  Herman,  Doniphan  county,  Kan- 
sas; Charles,  Lancaster  township,  farmer;  Louise,  wife  of  C.  Thoren,  Los 
Angeles,  Gal.;  Caroline,  wife  of  J.  W.  Louthian,  Lancaster  towiisliip;  Paul, 
living  near  Lancaster,  Kansas ;  Mrs.  Anna  Stockebrand,  Yates  Center,  Kan. ; 
August,  farming  with  his  brother,  John,  in  Lancaster  township,  and  John, 
farmer,  Lancaster  township;  Robert.  Lancaster  township.  The  family  was 
reared  on  the  father's  farm  wliere  all  the  sons  were  taught  farming.  The 
father  was  born  Novemljer  25.  1835,  in  Schlesien,  Germany,  and  learned  the 
blacksmith  trade  from  his  father,  and  worked  at  that  trade  until  he  left  Ger- 
many in  1870.  He  was  a  son  of  George  Frederick  Scholz.  His  mother 
died  when  he  was  an  infant.  Coming  to  America  with  liis  family  of  six 
children,  August  Scholz,  resided  in  St.  Joseph,  Mo.,  for  a  time  and  tlien  bought 
a  farm  of  160  acres  in  Doniphan  county,  Kansas,  which  he  worked  about  six 
years.  He  broke  this  place  with  o.xen  and  made  all  necessary  improvements. 
himself.  After  leaving  Doniphan  county  he  bought  480  acres  of  prairie  and 
timber  land  in  Atchison  county,  Kansas.  This  was  in  1882.  He  bought  the 
farm  of  Morgan  Osborne  and  paid  $15,000  for  it.  The  place  is  known  as  the 
"Three  Springs  Farm."  It  is  located  on  the  northwest  quarter  of  section  9. 
The  name  comes  from  the  fact  that  the  farm  has  a  fine  natural  water  supply 
from  springs  located  on  it.  The  springs  supply  water  for  the  stock  on  the 
farm  even  hi  the  longest  drought. 

The  father  bought  an  unusually  large  farm  for  the  reason  that  he 
wanted  his  boys  to  grow  up  on  his  own  farm.  He  did  not  want  to  see  them  go 
out  and  work  for  strangers.  His  capital  was  limited  but  he  and  his  sons  were 
industrious,  and  they  were  able  to  go  into  debt  to  acquire  more  land,  and 
the  farm  was  paid  for  in  due  time  and  improvements  were  made  as  rapidly  as 
possible.  The  father  farmed  his  place  until  his  death,  in  1901.  The  mother  of 
George  Scholz  was  a  daughter  of  Godfred  and  Rosanna  (  Schwartzer)  Seidel. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISOX  COUNTY  527 

and  was  born  in  Schlesien,  Germany,  April  lo,  184.0,  and  is  now  living  with 
her  son,  John.     The  father  was  a  farmer  in  his  native  land. 

George  Scholz  attended  the  Atchison  count)-  schools,  finishing  at  the 
Rock  district  school.  He  remained  at  home  until  he  was  twenty-six  years 
old,  when  he  rented  a  farm  which  he  operated  in  partnership  with  his  brother, 
Charles  A.  In  1905,  George  bought  the  farm  which  he  now  owns,  and  which 
consists  of  120  acres  in  section  24,  Lancaster  township.  The  place  was  com- 
paratively unimproved,  having  only  an  old  house  and  barn.  Since  then  he  has 
built  a  modern  eight-room  house,  electric  lighted  and  modern  in  all  respects. 
In  addition,  he  has  erected  a  fhie  barn,  40x36  feet  in  size.  It  is  electric 
lighted  and  equipped  with  up-to-date  conveniences.  Mr.  Scholz  keeps  graded 
stock  on  his  farm  and  is  a  progressive  farmer  and  conducts  his  farm  in  an 
efficient  manner.  When  he  and  his  brother  were  farming  together,  ten  or 
more  years  ago,  they  sold  corn  from  the  field  as  low  as  fourteen  cents  per 
bushel. 

Mr.  Scholz  was  married  to  Anna  Buttron,  February  10,  1909.  She  was 
born  October  20,  1877,  and  is  the  daughter  of  Henry  and  Rosanna  Buttron. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Scholz  have  two  children:  Gilbert,  born  December  31,  1909, 
and  Karl,  born  January  16,  1914.  Mr.  Scholz  is  an  independent  voter.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  lodge,  of  Lancaster, 
No.  355,  and  attends  the  Lutheran  church,  of  which  his  wife  is  a  member. 
Mr.  Scholz  made  his  first  investment  in  160  acres  in  Sheridan  county,  Kansas, 
for  $1,100  in  1902,  and  sold  it  three  years  later  for  $2,400. 


THOMAS  E.  HORNER,  M.  D. 

Diligence  in  the  pursuit  of  success  is  inevitably  rewarded,  be  it  in  the 
marts  of  finance  or  in  the  ranks  of  the  learned  professions.  The  profession 
of  medicine  has  from  earliest  times  offered  opportunity  for  honor  and  social 
prominence,  as  well  as  giving  its  members  a  chance  for  bettering  the  con- 
dition of  mankind  in  general  as  well  as  physical.  The  physician  is  at  once 
the  friend  in  need  who  alleviates  our  ills  and  is  often  the  family  adviser.  To 
him  very  frequently  are  intrusted  the  secret  troubles  which  beset  his  patients 
many  times  and  he  thus  becomes  a  benefactor  to  mankind  in  more  ways  than 
one.  Thus,  the  needs  of  this  noble  profession  require  a  high  type  of  indi- 
vidual who  is  at  once  a  learned  and  skilled  practitioner  and  gentleman  in 
whom  the  people  can  place  their  trust.    Dr.  Thomas  E.  Horner  is  of  the  type 


528  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

of  physician  in  whom  one  can  have  confidence  and  whose  abihty  in  his  hfe 
work  is  marked,  the  best  evidence  of  w^hich  is  his  large  practice  in  and  near 
the  city  of  Atchison. 

He  is  a  native  born  Kansan,  born  on  a  farm  on  Independence  creek  in 
Doniphan  county  August  8,  1875,  a  son  of  Isaac  and  Ehzabeth  (Farrell) 
Horner,  natives  of  Ireland.  His  father  was  born  in  1836  in  the  tnwn  of 
Coleriyne,  Ireland,  and  his  mother  is  a  native  of  County  Cavan,  Xorth 
Ireland,  born  in  1842.  Isaac  died  in  Atchison  county  in  191 1.  He  immi- 
grated to  America  with  his  father,  James  Horner,  who  bought  a  farm  near 
New-  York  City,  returning  to  Ireland  where  he  resided  for  twelve  years,  after 
which  he  located  in  western  Pennsylvania.  From  there  Isaac  removed  to 
Kansas  in  1859  and  became  a  freighter  across  the  plains,  operating  his  own 
outfit.  He  married  in  1866  and  sctted  on  Independence  creek.  Isaac  left 
the  farm  in  1880  and  removed  to  Atchison  where  he  engaged  in  buying  and 
shipping  live  stock  until  his  death.  He  became  well-to-do  and  was  the 
owner  of  over  1,000  acres  of  land  in  Doniphan  and  Atchison  counties. 
He  was  an  excellent  business  man  and  a  keen  trader  who  w'as  honest  in  his 
dealings  and  enjoyed  the  respect  and  esteem  of  those  with  whom  he  came  in 
contact  during  his  long  life.  .  Coming  of  an  excellent  Irish  family,  he  was  a 
vounger  son  and  had  a  brother  named  Samuel  who  was  educated  in  Oxford 
University,  and  was  an  early  settler  in  .\tchison  county,  dying  in  Jackson 
county.  Kansas,  in  1886.  The  children  bom  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Isaac  Horner 
are  as  follows:  Mrs.  Elizalwth  McGurk,  Frankfort,  Kan.:  Airs.  Ella  St. 
Peters.  Denver.  Colo.;  James,  who  married  Xellie  Deigan  and  resides  in  Par- 
nell.  Kan. ;  Rose,  at  home  w  ith  her  mother,  antl  Dr.  Thomas  E.  Horner,  with 
whom  this  review  is  directlv  concerned;  Mrs.  Marie  Farrell,  widow  of  James 
Farrell,  of  Atchison;  and  Samuel,  who  married  MoUie  Butler,  and  resides 
at  Jarbalo,  Leavenworth  county. 

Dr.  Homer  was  educated  in  the  parochial  schools  and  Christian  Brothers 
College  at  St.  Joseph,  Mo.,  from  which  academic  institution  he  graduated  in 
1893  with  the  highest  honors  of  his  class.  He  then  pursued  the  study  of 
medicine  and  graduated  from  the  Kentucky  College  of  Medicine  in  1897. 
For  two  years  he  practiced  medicine  at  \'liets,  Marsh.ill  county:  then  at  Sev- 
erance, Doniphan  countA'.  for  a  period  which  ended  in  i()i  1,  ])rior  to  his  loca- 
tion in  Atcliison.  He  has  built  up  an  excellent  practice  and  has  a  beautiful 
home  at  1 1 14  Santa  Fe  street. 

In  politics  Dr.  Homer  is  a  Democrat;  he  is  a  member  of  the  Catholic 
church,  and  is  affiliated  with  the  Knights  and  Ladies  of  Security,  the 
Fraternal  Aid  Societies,  the  Mystic  Workers,  and  the  Knights  of  Columbus. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  529 

He  is  likewise  associated  with  the  Atchison  County,  the  Kansas  State  and  the 
American  Medical  associations.  He  served  as  police  surgeon  of  the  cit}'  of 
Atchison. 

Dr.  Horner  was  married  January  ii,  1898,  to  Sadie  E.  Armstrong,  and 
to  them  have  been  bom  three  children:  Elizabeth,  aged  fifteen  years;  Mary, 
fourteen  years  of  age,  and  Thomas,  aged  seven  years.  The  mother  of  these 
children  is  a  daughter  of  Thomas  T.  and  Mary  J.  (White)  Annstrong. 
Thomas  T.  Armstrong  was  born  in  1846  in  Canada  and  came  to  Kansas 
when  a  young  man  and  entered  the  employ  of  the  Missouri  Pacific  railroad. 
He  is  now  living  a  retired  life  in  Atchison.  His  wife,  Mary  J.,  died  January 
9,   1902,  leaving  one  son,  Fred,  a  resident  of  Seattle,  Wash. 


JOSEPH  E.  GIBSON. 


Joseph  E.  Gibson,  farmer,  of  Center  township,  Atchison  county,  Kansas, 
and  a  widely  known  breeder  of  Sliorthorn  cattle,  has  one  of  the  attracti\-e 
and  well  kept  farm  homes  in  Atchison  county,  located  directly  on  the  White 
Way,  a  much  traveled  and  fairly  well  kept  highway,  crossing  Atchison  county 
from  east  to  west.  Mr.  Gibson  was  born  August  22,  1861,  in  Union  county, 
Ohio,  and  is  a  descendant  of  good  old  Virginia  stock.  His  parents  were  John 
and  Susannah  (Westlake)  Gibson,  the  former  a  native  of  Virginia  and  the 
latter  of  the  Buckeye  State.  John  Gibson,  the  father,  was  born  in  West- 
moreland county,  X'^irginia,  June  17,  1824,  and  was  the  son  of  Leven  and 
Mary  (McClure)  Gibson,  who  were  among  the  early  settlers  of  the  State 
of  Ohio,  migrating  from  their  old  homestead  in  Virginia  in  1833  and  settling 
in  Ohio,  where  tliey  lived  on  a  pioneer  f.irm  the  remainder  of  their  days. 
John  Gibson  was  reared  to  young  manhood  on  liis  father's  farm,  and  after 
his  marriage  settled  on  a  farm  of  his  own  in  Union  county,  Ohio,  where 
Joseph  was  born  and  reared.  John  Gibson  was  the  father  of  seven  children, 
namely:  Arthur,  a  farmer  living  in  Union  county,  Ohio;  Joseph  E. :  Mattie. 
deceased;  Mrs.  Rosa  F.  Staley,  of  Union  county,  Ohio;  Tiiomas,  a  farmer 
and  .sawmill  operator  in  Louisiana ;  Mrs.  Uzzie  Scliuler,  residing  in  New 
Dover,  Ohio;  and  Asa,  a  farmer,  of  New  Dover,  Ohio.  The  father  of  these 
children  died  in  1899.  The  mother  was  liorn  in  Belmont  county,  Ohio,  in 
1829  and  departed  this  life  in  1907.  She  was  a  daughter  of  Josiah  and  Chris- 
tena  fKnughouf)  Westlake. 

Joseph  E.  Gibson,  of  whom  this  review  directly  treats,  was  brought  up 

34 


530  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

on  his  father's  fami  in  Union  county,  Ohio,  and  there  attended  the  district 
school.  He  remained  with  his  parents  until  1891  and  then  migrated  to  Kan- 
sas, to  become  a  foreman  in  the  fruit  orchards  owned  by  J.  ^\^  Parker  in 
Atchison  county.  Eight  years  later  he  rented  a  fami  three  miles  north  of 
Shannon,  Kan.,  and  in  1901  purchased  the  farm  of  eighty  acres  which  he  is 
now  cultivating  in  Center  township.  This  tract  of  eighty  acres  lies  in  sec- 
tions 10.  6  anil  19  of  this  township  and  is  well  improved.  The  improve- 
ments which  j\lr.  Gibson  has  placed  on  his  farm  since  laiying  it  will  exceed 
$1,400.  For  some  years  he  has  been  a  breeder  of  pure  bred  Shorthorn  cattle 
and  ships  the  product  of  his  farm  to  all  parts  of  the  country.  He  has  a 
herd  of  high  grade  Shorthorn  cattle  to  the  numlier  of  twenty-eight  head. 
The  cattle  bring  good  prices  at  private  sale,  the  buyers  visiting  the  farm  for 
the  purpose  of  purchase.  He  also  is  a  breeder  of  Big  Type  Poland  China  hogs 
of  the  best  breed  obtainable. 

Mr.  Gibson  was  married  November  8,  1888,  to  Miss  Virginia  I.  Weaver, 
and  to  this  union  the  following  children  have  been  born :  Imogene,  a  grad- 
uate of  the  Atchison  County  High  School;  Walter  S.,  at  home,  attending 
business  college  at  Atchison ;  one  child  died  in  infancy.  The  mother  of  these 
children  was  born  on  April  17,  1864,  near  Lockbum,  Franklin  county,  Ohio, 
a  daughter  of  Samuel  and  Isabella  (Gavel)  \\'eaver,  the  former  a  native  of 
Ohio,  and  the  latter  a  daughter  of  German  parents.  The  mother  of  Mrs. 
Gibson  is  aged  eighty-one  years  and  makes  her  home  with  her  daughter. 

Samuel  M.  Weaver  was  bom  in  Pickaway  county,  Ohio,  May  20,  1826, 
a  son  of  George  and  Isabel  (McConnell)  Weaver,  who  were  the  parents  of 
six  children.  The  father,  George,  was  a  native  of  Berks  county,  Pennsyl- 
vania, where  he  remained  until  1806,  when  he  came  west  and  located  in  Pick- 
away county,  Ohio,  near  where  tiie  city  of  Circleville  is  now  located.  He  was 
a  tailor  by  trade,  and  for  many  years  held  the  office  of  deputy  sheriff  of  that 
county.  He  was  a  soldier  in  the  War  of  18 12.  He  died  in  1848.  Samuel 
Weaver  was  well  educated.  When  twenty  years  of  age  he  went  west  and 
traveled  in  different  states  for  ten  years.  When  thirty  years  old.  while  travel- 
ing in  Iowa  he  met  Isabel  Gavel,  to  whom  he  was  married  Decemlier  16,  1856. 
She  was  born  in  Germany  and  immigrated  with  her  parents  to  .America  when 
one  year  old  and  was  reared  in  Franklin  county,  Ohio.  She  was  born  .\pril 
3,  1835.  Samuel  and  Isabel  Weaver  were  the  parents  of  five  children:  Mrs. 
Catharine  K.  Cunningham.  She  died  at  Cleveland,  Ohio,  in  191 1 ;  Mrs.  \"ir- 
ginia  I.  Gibson:  Mrs.  ]\iary  F.  Southern  died  at  Marysville,  Ohio,  in  1900: 
George  H.   and   Samuel,   deceased.      Samuel,   after  a   residence   in   Fr.nnklin 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  53I 

county,  located  in  Delaware  county,  Ohio,  in  1869  and  farmed  until  his  death, 
July  26,  1904. 

Mr.  Gibson  is  a  Democrat  who  has  taken  an  active  interest  in  political 
and  civic  affairs  in  the  county,  and  is  now  serving  his  third  term  as  trustee 
of  Center  township.  It  is  needless  to  remark  that  he  is  satisfying  the  people 
of  the  township  and  is  an  efficient  and  capable  official  who  looks  after  the 
township  affairs  as  carefully  as  he  does  his  own  personal  affairs.  He  is 
fraternally  affiliated  with  the  Odd  Fellows  lodge,  the  Modern  Woodmen,  and 
the  Central  Protective  Association. 

Mrs.  Gibson  takes  a  just  pride  in  keeping  the  place  in  spick  and  .span 
condition  and  she  has  a  beautiful  lawn  fronting  the  White  Way  road  which 
attracts  the  attention  of  travelers. 


BENJAMIN  PATTON  CURTIS. 

Benjamin  Patton  Curtis  has  been  for  sixty-one  years  a  Kansan.  Looking 
l)ack  what  wonderful  changes  do  tliese  years  present  to  the  onlooker!  Tiie 
privations,  vicissitudes  and  perils  of  those  days  in  which  the  State  was  bom ; 
the  beginning  of  her  commerce  when  the  ox  team  and  flat-boat  were  the 
principal  means  of  transportation ;  the  five  long  drawn-out  years  of  civil  strife 
in  which  the  Union  was  preserved ;  the  era  of  agricultural  development,  when 
the  wild  prairies  were  transformed  into  fruitful  fields  of  golden  grain  :  the 
epoch  in  which  railways  were  keeping  pace  with  tlie  settler,  the  merchant, 
the  manufacturer,  and  steam  and  electricity  displaced  the  ox  team  and  stage 
coach.  Sixty-one  years  in  Kansas,  from  the  days  of  the  prairie  schooner, 
flat-l)fiat  and  pony  express,  to  the  days  of  the  automobile,  air-ship  and  tele- 
phone ;  to  have  done  his  share  in  connection  with  these  great  developments ; 
to  have  through  his  unaided  efforts  and  with  determination  and  energj' 
achieved  success  to  have  so  lived  that  he  is  honored  by  his  friends  and  neigh- 
bors, entitles  the  man  whose  name  initiates  this  review  to  a  prominent  place 
in  this  publication,  the  history  of  the  county  in  which  he  is  passing  the  sunset 
years  of  his  life. 

Benjamin  Patton  Curtis,  pioneer,  successful  farmer  and  Civil  war  vet- 
eran, since  1904  a  resident  of  the  city  of  Atchison,  was  born  on  the  twenty- 
seventh  day  of  Marcli.  1839,  while  his  parents  were  encamperl  in  the  w  ilder- 
ness  of  Missouri,  a  terrific  snow  storm  having  interrupted  their  journev  to 
Illinois.     His  father,  John  M.  Curtis,  was  a  native  of  southern  Tennessee. 


532  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

He  had  married  when  a  young  man,  Mary  Ann  Warren,  also  of  that  State, 
and  with  his  young  wife  had  settled  in  Missouri.  They  were  both  of  Scotch- 
Irish  ancestr}?  and  came  from  a  remarkably  long-lived  line  of  forebears,  one 
of  whom  lived  to  the  age  of  104  years.  In  1839  the  family  removed  from 
Missouri  and  settled  in  Adams  county,  Illinois,  where  they  remained  until 
1854,  when  they  came  to  Kansas  Territory,  settling  just  across  the  Missouri 
river  from  St.  Joe.  John  M.  Curtis  became  a  stanch  Republican  after  seeing 
the  abuse  of  slaves  while  in  Missouri,  and  he  was  one  of  the  fearless  men 
who  came  to  Kansas  for  the  purpose  of  making  her  a  free  State.  He  pre- 
empted a  quarter  section  of  land  and  then  engaged  in  "following  the  river," 
as  it  was  then  termed,  flat-boating,  rafting  and  steam-boating.  His  three 
sons,  among  wdom  was  our  subject,  also  followed  that  occupation  for  a  time. 
Ben  P.  Curtis  spent  the  first  fifteen  years  of  his  life  in  Adams  county, 
Illinois.  His  schooling  was  scant  and  that  little  was  acquired  in  the  country 
schools.  In  his  fifteenth  year  he  came  to  Kansas  Territory  with  his  parents, 
as  has  been  previously  stated,  and  within  a  short  time  was  employed  on  the 
Missouri  river.  The  free  life  of  the  plains  called  him,  but  as  liis  two  brothers 
had  run  away  from  home,  and  he  was  the  only  son  left,  his  longing  to  become 
a  freighter  was  unsatisfied,  as  he  preferred  to  remain  with  his  father.  He 
was  one  of  the  first  in  his  section  of  the  State  to  heed  President  Lincoln's 
call  for  volunteers,  and  in  May.  1S61.  he  enlisted  in  Company  .\.  First  Kansas 
Volunteer  infantry,  under  Capt.  B.  P.  Chenowith.  He  was  with  his  regiment 
in  all  its  engagements,  and  is  Atchison's  only  survivor  of  the  battle  of  Wil- 
son's Creek.  After  the  burning  of  Holly  Springs  with  $2,000,000  worth  of 
supplies;  the  First  Kansas  was  compelled  to  live  off  the  country.  During 
the  march  to  Memphis,  and  while  out  foraging,  Ben  Curtis  was  captured  and 
taken  to  Ripley,  Miss.  He  was  paroled,  and  while  waiting  to  be  exchanged 
he  and  a  companion,  Alverton  Abbey,  decided  to  exchange  their  uniforms  for 
the  rebel  grey  and  join  the  Union  lines  as  deserters  and  reenlist  in  some  regi- 
ment other  than  their  own.  knowing  full  well  they  would  be  shot  if  they  were 
again  capturd  while  serving  with  the  First  Kansas.  They  were  successful  in 
securing  the  rebel  uniforms  and  gained  the  Union  lines,  Curtis  taking  the 
name  of  C.  F.  Barker  and  his  comrade.  Abbey,  that  of  William  Payne.  He 
enlisted  in  the  Fifth  Illinois  cavalry,  and  Ben  Curtis,  under  the  name  of  C.  F. 
Barker.  At  the  time  of  his  capture  he  was  sen'ing  as  sergeant,  and  when 
enlisting  under  Captain  Chandler  he  slunved  him  his  parole  as  Sergeant  B.  P. 
Curtis.  The  captain  assured  him  he  would  not  lose  his  rank  and  he  was  . 
accordingly  made  a  sergeant  and  served  as  such  until  mustered  out  in 
February,  1864. 


1 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  533 

On  conclusion  of  his  military  service  he  returned  to  Doniphan  county 
and  resumed  his  old  employment  of  "following  the  river,"  remaining  in  this 
field  of  occupation  until  1867,  when  he  bought  a  quarter  section  of  land  in 
Doniphan  county  and  engaged  in  farming.  He  made  a  success  as  an  agri- 
culturist, was  an  active  and  influential  factor  in  the  life  of  his  section  and 
reared  a  family  of  six  daughters,  all  of  whom  are  women  of  education,  in- 
tellectuality and  refinement.  In  1901  Mr.  Curtis'  health  failed  and  he  dis- 
posed of  his  farming  interests  and  became  a  resident  of  Troy,  and  in  1904 
came  to  Atchison,  where  he  has  since  resided. 

On  July  23,  1865,  Mr.  Curtis  married  Mary  Eliza  Ashcraft,  a  daughter 
of  Jeddiah  Ashcraft.  She  was  born  July  23,  1844,  in  Larue  county,  Ken- 
tucky, her  marriage  being  on  the  twenty-first  anniversary  of  her  birth.  The 
first  eight  years  of  her  life  were  spent  in  her  native  State,  the  following  three 
in  Missouri,  and  in  1855  her  father  brought  his  family  to  Kansas  and  took 
up  a  claim  near  Mt.  Pleasant,  where  she  lived  until  her  marriage  with  Mr. 
Curtis.  She  was  for  a  time  a  teacher  in  the  Doniphan  school.  They  are 
the  parents  of  the  following  children :  Bird,  the  wife  of  Judson  F.  Thayer,  of 
Stormsburg,  Neb. ;  Anna,  the  wife  of  Julian  Tait,  of  St.  Joseph,  Mo. ;  Mable, 
the  wife  of  William  Maynard,  of  Cologne,  S.  D. ;  Maude,  the  wife  of  A.  W. 
Toole,  of  St.  Joseph,  Mo. ;  Jessie,  the  wife  of  C.  H.  Allison,  of  Chicago,  111. ; 
and  Frances,  the  wife  of  A.  E.   Williamson,  of  Troy,  Kan. 

On  July  23,  1915,  their  children,  sons-in-law,  grandchildren,  friends  and 
acquaintances  gave  them  signal  honor  in  a  fitting  obsei-vance  of  their  golden 
wedding  anniversary.  The  Atchison  Globe  of  that  date  says  in  part:  "Fifty 
years  ago  today  Miss  Mary  Eliza  Ashcraft  and  Benjamin  Patton  Curtis 
were  married  in  Doniphan."  Of  their  first  meeting  it  states:  "The  Ashcraft 
home  was  on  the  old  Military  road,  and  when  Ben  Curtis,  a  soldier  in  the 
Civil  war,  passed  there  Mary  Ashcraft  handed  him  a  cup  of  water  which  he 
drew  up  from  the  well.  However,  that  was  not  the  beginning  of  the  love 
affair  which  culminated  in  the  marriage  of  Mary  Ashcraft  and  Ben  Curtis. 
They  fell  in  love  with  each  other  in  Doniphan,  where  Miss  Mary  Ashcraft 
went  to  teach  school,  and  Mr.  Curtis  does  not  accuse  his  wife  of  'chasing"  him. 
He  as'ked  for  an  introduction  to  the  pretty  school  teacher.  After  he  received 
it  he  never  took  another  girl."  Mrs.  Curtis  is  the  type  of  woman  evervone 
admires.  Her  home  is  her  kingdom  and  she  rules  it  wisely  and  well.  She 
has  never  belonged  to  a  woman's  club,  but  when  there  is  sickness  or  trouble 
at  her  own  home,  or  in  the  neighborhood,  Mrs.  Curtis  is  on  hand,  capable, 
gentle  and  sympathetic.  She  rules  her  home  with  a  velvet  hand,  and  her  hus- 
band says  that  he  notices  as  the  years  glide  by  he  gets  off  at  the  stations  for 


534  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

which  she  has  bought  the  tickets,  not  because  he  has  to,  but  because  he 
wants  to." 

Of  Mr.  Curtis  it  states :  ''If  you  don't  know  Ben  Curtis  there  is  missing 
from  your  acquaintance  one  of  the  most  companionable  of  men.  Friends  who 
have  hunted  and  fished  with  him  say  that  he  is  a  seventy-seven  year  old  prince. 
A  lover  of  wild  life,  he  has  thoroughly  enjoyed  his  retired  life,  which  has 
now  covered  a  period  of  fourteen  years.  In  the  summer  he  hunts  llie  best 
game  and  fishing  resorts  of  the  North,  and  the  winter  is  liable  to  find  him 
down  around  Corpus  Christi,  Texas,  or  some  other  locality  that  is  attractive 
when  this  climate  isn't.  At  Leach  Lake,  Minn.,  a  famous  resort  on  Leach 
Lake,  if  you  tell  the  people  that  you  are  from  Atchison  and  a  friend  of  Ben 
Curtis,  the  place  instantly  belongs  to  you."  Without  sons  of  his  own,  he  has 
naturally  taken  a  great  interest  in  his  nephews  and  is  justly  proud  of  the  posi- 
tion attained  by  the  following,  all  of  whom  are  Doniphan  county  boys :  Ed- 
ward Franklin,  formerly  of  the  Smithsonian  Institute  at  Washington,  now 
professor  of  chemistry  at  Leland  Stanford  University ;  Thomas  Franklin,  a 
prominent  insurance  underwriter,  of  Chicago;  and  Professor  Will  Franklin, 
of  Lehigh  University.  The  latter  is  also  tlie  author  of  several  te.\t  books 
which  are  in  general  use. 

Mr.  Curtis  has  been  a  life-long  Republican,  and  during  his  residence  in 
Doni])han  county  took  an  active  part  in  its  political  affairs.  Political  office 
has  never  appealed  to  him,  and.  although  often  urged  by  his  friends  to  accept 
nomination,  he  refused.  He  is  a  mcmlier  of  Severance  Post,  No.  391,  Grand 
Army  of  the  Republic,  and  is  prominent  in  Masonic  circles.  He  has  attained 
the  Knights  Templar  degree  and  is  affiliated  with  Abdallah  Temple,  Mystic 
Shrine. 


JOHN  W.  ABNER,  M.  D. 


John  W.  Abner,  ]\I.  D.,  although  recently  locating  in  .\tchison,  his  skill 
and  ability  as  a  capable  and  painstaking  physician  has  met  with  ready  recog- 
nition and  he  has  a  large  and  growing  practice.  Dr.  Abner  is  a  native  of 
Kentucky.  He  was  torn  in  Clay  county,  in  1867,  a  son  of  John  and  Matilda 
{ Robinson)  Abner,  both  natives  of  Kentucky.  Dr.  John  W.  .Abner  was 
one  of  a  family  of  three  children  whose  parents  died  when  tliey  were  very 
young  and  the  children  were  reared  by  friends  and  neighljors. 

W  hen  Dr.  Abner  was  fifteen  years  old  he  started  out  to  make  liis  own 
way  in  life.     He  was  always  of  a  studious  turn  of  mind  and  by  his  own  ef- 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  535 

forts  obtained  a  very  good  education.  At  an  early  age  he  determined  to  be 
a  physician  and  bent  his  every  effort  in  that  direction.  He  learned  the  car- 
penter and  cabinet  maker's  trade,  and  after  working  at  his  trade  for  some  time 
he  entered  the  Eclectic  Medical  College  of  Kansas  City,  where  he  was  grad- 
uated in  the  class  of  1912  with  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Medicine  and  Doctor  of 
Philosophy.  He  engaged  in  the  practice  of  his  profession  in  Kansas  City,  Mo., 
where  he  remained  until  February,  1915,  when  he  located  in  Atchison,  Kan. 
He  has  a  fine  suite  of  offices  at  712  1-2  Commercial  street  and  is  meeting 
with  well  merited  success.  Doctor  Abner  was  married  in  1902  to  Ada  Pearl 
Wade,  of  Kansas  City,  Mo.,  and  they  have  one  child,  Dorothy,  born  January 
6,  1905.  Dr.  Abner  is  a  member  of  tlie  Christian  church  and  take^  an  active 
part  in  tlie  work  of  his  denomination  and  lias  served  on  the  board  of  trustees. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and  the  Woodmen 
of  the  ^^'orld.  Dr.  Abner  is  a  past  noble  grand  and  senior  warden  of  vSubor- 
dinate  Lodge,  No.  577,  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  and  past  chief 
patriarch  of  Encampment,  No.  27,  of  Kansas  City,  Mo.,  and  is  a  member  of 
the  Patriarchs  Militant,  No.  14,  Kansas  City,  Mo., 

Politically,  he  is  an  independent  Republican  and  takes  a  keen  interest 
in  political  as  well  as  current  events  generally.  He  is  a  close  student  of  the 
science  of  his  profession  and  aims  to  keep  himself  thoroughlv  posted  in  the 
rapid  advances  that  are  constantly  being  made  in  the  world  of  medicine  and 
surger)'. 


WILLIAM   HENDERSON. 


V 


\\''illiam  Henderson,  one  of  the  most  industrious  farmers  of  Benton 
township.  Atchison  county,  Kansas,  was  born  December  29,  1872,  in  the 
locality  where  he  now  lives.  His  parents,  George  and  .\melia  (Stockwell) 
Henderson,  had  six  children,  of  whom  the  subject  is  the  oldest.  The  others 
are  James,  Atchison,  Kan.,  in  the  employ  of  the  International  Harvester  Com- 
pany ;  Josie  married  Walter  Kelsey,  and  now  dead ;  Ella  married  Clayton 
David.son,  of  Effingham,  Kan. ;  Etta,  wife  of  Arthur  Olinger,  Jefferson 
county,  Kansas;  Tva.  married  Elmer  Grabiel,  Garden  City,  Kan.;  George 
Henderson  was  bmn  in  Platte  county,  Missouri,  in  1844,  and  came  to  Leaven- 
worth county,  Kansas,  with  his  parents  when  eleven  years  of  age.  Seven 
years  later  he  came  to  Atchison  county,  where  he  has  since  lived,  and  is  now 
retired,  making  his  home  in  Effingham.  The  mother  of  William  Hender- 
son was  born  in  Missouri  in  1S46. 


536  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

William  Henderson  was  reared  on  the  farm  and  attended  the  district 
school  near  the  farm,  and  the  Effingham  high  school  one  year.  He  worked 
for  his  father  until  he  was  married  to  Nettie  R.  Jenkins  September  5,  1900. 
His  wife  was  born  in  Mitchell  county,  Kansas,  in  1883,  and  is  a  daughter  of 
James  Q.  Jenkins,  who  came  to  Atchison  county,  Kansas,  in  1894,  from 
Nebraska,  but  was  born  in  Illinois.  Mr.  Henderson  owns  180  acres  of  land 
which  is  all  well  improved,  the  improvements  costing  $5,000.  Of  four  chil- 
dren boiTi  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Henderson,  three  died  in  infancy.  The  living  child, 
Floyd,  was  born  May  28,  1904. 

Mr.  Henderson  is  a  Democrat.  He  belongs  to  the  Elks  lodge  of  Atchi- 
son, Kan.,  and  the  Masonic  lodge  at  Effingham.  Though  not  a  church  mem- 
ber, he  attends  regularly.  Mr.  Henderson  has  made  a  success  by  hard  work 
and  good  management.  He  is  always  in  favor  of  movements  which  benefit 
the  community  and  is  a  public-spirited  citizen. 


LUMAS  M.  JEWELL. 


Potter  is  one  of  the  coming  and  enterprising  towns  of  Atchison  county 
and  Kansas.  During  the  past  few  years  the  town  has  taken  wonderful  strides 
in  the  matter  of  public  improvements  and  new*  buildings.  A  considerable 
portion  of  this  push  and  enterprise  is  directly  due  to  the  energy  and  influence 
of  Lumas  M.  Jewell,  retired  merchant  and  banker,  who  can  well  be  called 
the  "father  of  the  present  day  Potter."  ]\Ir.  Jewell  has  been  a  consistent 
booster  for  the  town  ever  since  his  advent  in  the  town,  and  lias  given  of  his 
time  and  money  toward  its  development.  Mr.  Jewell  is  a  self-made  Kansan, 
who  has  had  an  interesting  career,  and  whose  rise  from  a  poor  boy  to  a  posi- 
tion of  comparative  wealth  and  affluence  is  well  W(Mth  recording  in  the  an- 
nals of  Atchison  county. 

L.  M.  Jewell  was  born  on  a  farm  in  \\ayne  county,  Kentucky,  Decem- 
ber 3,  1861,  a  son  of  Heman  S.  and  Susan  Mary  (Weaver)  Jewell.  His 
father  was  a  native  of  Vermont,  who  immigrated  to  Kentucky  when  a  young 
man,  and  engaged  in  fanning  operations.  He  followed  fanning  during  liis 
life,  until  a  few  years  before  his  demise,  at  the  home  of  his  son,  G.  W.  Jewell, 
at  Kidder,  Mo.,  in  1913.  L.  M.  Jewell  received  a  meager  education  in  the 
schools  of  his  native  State,  and  his  later  success  in  life  has  been  due  entirely 
to  his  own  efforts.  His  gi-eatest  education  has  been  received  in  the  stern 
school  of  experience,  which  is  the  best  after  all,  and  most  useful,  in  develop- 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  537 

ing  the  real  attributes  of  a  man.  When  he  was  seventeeh  j'ears  of  age.  he  left 
home  and  went  to  the  home  of  an  uncle  in  Michigan,  where  he  attended  scliool 
for  a  time.  When  he  had  attained  his  majority  in  1882,  he  went  to  South 
Dakota  and  homesteaded  a  tract  of  prairie  land.  He  stayed  in  South  Dakota 
for  two  years  and  developed  his  homestead  to  such  an  extent  that  he  was  able 
to  dispose  of  it  for  a  good  round  price,  and  lie  then  moved  to  Caldwell  county, 
Missouri,  and  bought  another  farm,  which  he  cultivated  with  a  fair  degree  of 
success.  Later,  he  embarked  in  the  mercantile  business  in  Marvel,  Mo.,  for  a 
period  of  three  years,  disposing  of  his  business  in  1892,  and  locating  in  Pot- 
ter, Kan.  His  first  employment  in  Potter  was  with  the  general  merchandise 
firm  of  Paxton  &  Kemper.  Three  years  after  entering  the  employ  of  this 
firm,  Mr.  Jewell  purchased  Mr.  Paxton's  interest  for  $1,500,  paying  $400 
cash,  and  borrowing  the  remaining  $1,100  with  which  to  complete  his  pur- 
chase. It  is  remarkabe  that  he  could  have  so  established  a  reputation  for 
business  ability  and  integrity  in  that  time  as  to  be  alile  to  command  that 
amount  of  capital  to  swing  his  first  business  deal  in  Kansas.  His  later  suc- 
cesses date  from  that  time  on,  and  in  the  short  time  of  three  years  he  was 
out  of  debt,  and  the  business  had  taken  on  larger  proportions.  W.  T.  Kem- 
per, his  partner,  then  sold  his  interest  in  the  store  to  a  cousin,  Madison  Kem- 
per, from  whom  Mr.  Jewell  purchased  the  remainder  of  the  business  and 
became  the  sole  owiner.  During  this  time  the  stock  of  the  store  had  been 
increased,  and  the  business  had  taken  on  a  wider  and  a  more  general  scope 
through  Mr.  Jewell's  enterprise  and  the  exercise  of  his  decided  business  ability. 
He  became  sole  owner  of  the  store  in  1S97,  and  during  the  next  three  years 
the  business  was  placed  upon  a  permanent  and  staple  footing,  which  yielded 
large  profits  for  its  owner.  In  1900  Mr.  Jewell  conceived  the  idea  of  engag- 
ing in  the  real  estate  business,  primarily  for  the  purpose  of  building  up  the 
town  of  Potter  and  attracting  more  residents  to  the  place.  He  acquired  sev- 
eral business  lots  and  began  to  erect  buildings  to  such  an  extent  that  Potter 
soon  began  to  take  on  the  airs  of  a  growing  city.  Where  there  was  but  one 
store  building  on  the  side  of  the  street  occupied  by  the  Jew'ell  store,  he  erected 
five  new  store  buildings,  which  are  occupied  by  merchants  who  have  moved 
into  the  town  in  the  past  fifteen  years.  It  is  due  to  Mr.  Jewell's  enterprise  in 
this  regard  that  the  business  part  of  Potter  has  been  developed.  Whereas, 
when  he  first  came  to  Potter  the  town  boasted  Init  three  stores — his  own  store, 
a  small  hardware  shop,  and  a  grocery.  All  the  stores  were  small  and  the 
towin  did  not  have  a  bank.  At  the  present  time  Potter  has  two  banks  and 
every  line  of  business  is  represented.  As  Mr.  Jewell's  business  expanded  his 
enterprises  included  a  lumber  yard,  furniture  stock  and  a  grain  elevator.     See- 


538  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

ing  the  need  of  a  bank,  he  started  a  plan  of  organizing  tlie  Potter  State  Bank 
in  1899,  and  after  ahnost  a  year's  effort,  lie  received  the  assistance  of  O.  A. 
Simmons  in  effecting  the  organization,  and  Mr.  Simmons  was  the  first  cashier 
of  the  hank.  Mr.  Jewell  later  served  as  cashier,  and  is  now  the  president 
of  this  hank.  In  1910  Air.  Jewell  disposed  of  his  mercantile  interests,  and 
is  interested  mainly  in  real  estate  and  farm  lands  in  Jackson  county,  Mis- 
souri, and  Atchison  county,  Kansas.  He  has  also  made  a  number  of  large 
trades  in  merchandise  stocks. 

Mr.  Jewell  was  married  in  1897  to  Sinnie  M.  Shaw,  a  daughter  of  Henry 
Shaw,  who  wias  an  early  settler  of  Kansas.  One  child  was  born  to  them, 
Edna  Fern  Jewell,  born  in  1901.  Mr.  Jewell  is  a  Democrat  in  politics,  and 
Mrs.  Jewell  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  church. 

Mr.  Jewell's  efforts  to  advance  Potter  among  the  Kansas  municipalities 
have  not  been  confined  to  commercial  activities  alone,  but  he  has  always  had 
in  mind  the  welfare  of  the  people  along  other  lines.  He  had  not  been  a  citi- 
zen of  the  town  but  a  few  years  when  he  conceived  the  idea  that  a  newspaper 
would  be  of  great  benefit  to  the  community  in  more  ways  than  one.  Conse- 
quently, he  used  every  effort  to  iia^e  a  paper  established  in  the  town,  and  the 
Potter  Kansan,  one  of  the  best  edited  small  weeklies,  and  one  of  the  most  pros- 
perous newspaper  enterprises  in  the  State,  is  the  result  of  his  dream.  He  has 
been  foremost  in  the  cause  of  education,  and  he  worked  unremittingly  toward 
the  erecting  of  the  present  modern  school  building  and  the  establishment  of  a 
graded  school  system  in  the  town.  Such  men  as  Mr.  Jewtell  are  the  kind  of 
citizens  every  town  needs,  and  Potter  has  been  the  gainer  for  his  civic  enter- 
prise and  the  fostering  oi  the  growth  of  his  adopted  city. 


WILLIAM  R.  DONNELLAN. 

William  R.  Donnellan.  hardware  merchant  and  postmaster  of  Lancaster, 
Atchison  county,  Kansas,  was  born  June  25,  1868,  at  Lancaster.  He  is  one 
of  six  children  of  John  .and  Mary  J.  (Davidson)  Donnellan.  as  follows: 
Anna  .A.  (Ostertag),  of  Atchison:  Thomas  E..  Parsons.  Kan.:  \\"illi;un  R., 
the  subject  of  this  sketch,  Lancaster,  Atchi.son  county,  Kansas;  Emma  B.. 
Atchison,  Krm. ;  Margaret  (.V.  Manglesdorf),  Atchison.  I\;in. :  juiiia  (J. 
Cleary),  Sliannon  township  farmer.  John  Donnellan.  the  father,  was  born 
in  Ireland  in  1827.  \\'hen  twenty  years  of  age  he  left  the  iMncrald  Isle  to 
trust  his  fortunes  in  America.     Landing  at  Ellis  Island.  X.  A'.,  he  set  out 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  539 

for  the  interior  of  New  ^'orl-:  State  and  found  employment  on  a  dairy  farm. 
After  a  few  years  of  hard  labor  there  he  went  to  Crawfordsville,  Ind..  and 
worked  in  a  hardware  store.  Tn  1856  he  left  Crawfordsville  and  came  to 
Kansas,  where  he  preempted  160  acres  of  land  in  Lancaster  township,  Atchi- 
son county,  and  built  a  small,  four  room  house  and  lived  in  the  most  prim- 
itive way.  When  he  first  broke  the  soil  on  his  farm  he  used  oxen,  but  later, 
as  he  prospered,  he  used  improved  methods  of  farming.  He  died  on  his  farm 
in  1893.  The  mother  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  in  Harrisburg, 
Pa.,  and  died  in  1892,  a  year  preceding  the  death  of  her  husband. 

William  R.  Donnellan  was  born  and  reared  on  his  father's  farm  in  Lan- 
caster township.  He  attended  the  public  schools  of  Lancaster,  and  at  the  age ' 
of  twenty-one  went  to  Kansas  City,  Mo.,  and  secured  employment  as  a  motor- 
man  and  conductor  in  the  service  of  the  Street  Railway  Company  there. 
Three  years  later  he  became  shipping  clerk  for  the  A.  J.  Harwi  Hardware 
Company  of  Atchison,  Kan.,  and  a  year  later  returned  to  his  home  and  en- 
gaged in  farming  on  the  home  place.  He  remained  on  the  farm  until  1903 
when  he  moved  to  Lancaster  and  purchased  the  hardware  stock  of  H.  O. 
Whittaker.  This  is  a  large  store,  carrying  $8,000  worth  of  stock.  Lt  poli- 
tics Mr.  Donnellan  is  a  Republican.  He  was  elected  mayor  of  Lancaster  in 
1907  and  served  until  191 1.     In  1903  he  was  appointed  postmaster. 

Air.  Donnellan  was  married  in  1893  to  Lillian  M.  Sanders,  who  was  born 
Februarv  12,  1870,  at  Lewisburg,  Pa.  She  is  a  daughter  of  George  L.  and 
Elizabeth  (Harrison)  Sanders,  both  natives  of  Pennsylvania.  They  have  one 
child.  Eva  M.  (Carson),  living  in  Lancaster.  She  is  a  graduate  of  the  high 
school  and  business  college.  Mr.  Donnellan  is  a  member  of  the  In- 
dependent Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  Modern  Woodmen  of  America,  and  the 
Knights  and  Ladies  of  Security  lodges. 


LAFAYETTE  T.  HAWK. 


The  biographical  annals  and  the  history  of  Atchison  county,  Kansas, 
record  three  distinct  periods  of  settlement  in  Kansas  and  Atchison  county. 
The  first  was  the  real  pioneer  era,  when  an  influx  of  settlers  came,  who  were 
the  first  to  break  the  prairie  and  lay  the  foundation  for  future  development. 
The  second  was  directly  after  the  Civil  war,  when  many  people  came  from  all 
parts  of  the  East  and  European  countries.  The  later  period  was  in  the 
eighties,  when  there  came  from  Ohio  and  Pennsylvania  many  excellent  Amer- 


:^40  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

ican  families  who  have  prospered  and  taken  leading  places  in  the  civic  and 
agricultural  development  of  the  county.  Tlie  Hawk  family,  of  old  Pennsyl- 
vania German  stock,  came  to  this  county  in  the  latter  era.  Lafayette  T.  Hawk, 
substantial  and  well  respected,  and  prominent  farmer  of  Benton  township,  was 
among  this  number,  who  can  be  reckoned  among  the  latter-day  old  settlers 
of  the  county,  and  who  has  resided  here  for  over  thirty-four  years,  and  has 
worked  his  wav  upward  from  the  station  of  comparatively  a  poor  man  to  a 
position  of  affluence  in  the  county. 

L.  T.  Hawk  was  born  August  22,  1849,  in  Coshocton  county,  Ohio,  a 
son  of  Jonathan  and  Margaret  (Neede)  Hawk,  both  of  whom  were  born  and 
reared  in  the  Buckeye  State.  Jonathan  Hawk  was  born  in  Coshocton  county, 
Ohio,  in  1822.  and  was  a  son  of  Leonard  Hawk,  born  in  Pennsylvania,  of 
German  parents.  Leonard  Hawk  was  an  earl\  immigrant  in  Coshocton 
county,  Ohio,  and  settled  in  that  county  when  the  whole  region  was  a  wilder- 
ness and  car\red  a  farm  from  the  dense  woods  which  covered  that  part  of  the 
Buckeye  State  in  the  early  part  of  the  nineteenth  centur}'.  He  first  came 
to  Ohio  in  18 14.  Jonathan  Hawk  came  into  possession  of  the  old  home  place 
of  his  parents'  in  Coshocton  county,  but  sold  out  in  1883,  and  came  to  Kansas, 
to  join  his  son,  Lafayette  T.,  who  had  preceded  him  to  Atchison  county  by 
one  year.  During  the  first  year  of  his  residence  here,  he  made  his  home  on 
his  son's  farm,  and  then  purchased  the  Shell  property  in  Effingham,  where 
he  made  his  home  until  his  demise  in  December,  1889.  He  was  the  owner 
of  eighty  acres  of  land  which  he  farmed.  Jonathan  Hawk  was  the  father  of 
eight  children,  namely:  Sarah  died  in  Ohio;  Lafayette  T.,  of  whom  this  re- 
view is  written;  Mary  Jane  Roll,  widow  of  Samuel  Roll,  and  residing  in  Ef- 
fingham ;  Samuel,  living  in  Oklalioma :  Mrs.  Margaret  Denbow,  of  Great 
Bend,  Kan. ;  George  Leonard,  of  Oklahoma ;  Edith  Elzina  died  at  the  age 
of  four  years;  John,  deceased.  The  mother  died  in  January,  1891,  at  the 
age  of  sixty-six. 

Lafayette  T.  was  reared  on  the  ancestral  farm  in  Coshocton  county,  Ohio, 
and  received  his  education  in  the  district  schools  of  his  neighborhood.  He 
learned  in  his  youth  to  do  the  hardest  kind  of  farm  work  and  was  taught  by 
his  parents  the  best  methods  of  tilHng  the  soil.  \\'hen  a  young  man  he  be- 
came imbued  with  the  desire  to  locate  in  the  West  where  opportunities  seemed 
to  be  greater  than  in  his  home  State,  and  he  saved  his  earnings  toward  this 
purpose.  Not  long  after  his  marriage  he  came  to  Kansas,  in  1882,  and  lo- 
cated in  Benton  township,  Atchison  county.  His  cash  capital  being  limited 
to  the  sum  of  $300,  he  deemed  it  advisable  to  rent  land  for  the  first  year,  tlien 
bought  his  first  farm  of  160  acres  at  the  purchase  price  of  $25  per  acre.     This 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  541 

farm  was  necessarily  bought  on  time,  but  with  good  management  and  in- 
dustry, Mr.  Hawk  was  enabled  to  pay  out  and  add  considerably  to  the  im- 
provements of  his  place,  which  is  one  of  the  most  attractive  in  the  county  and 
one  of  the  most  fertile  and  productive.  Mr.  Hawk  also  added  ninety  acres 
to  his  land  holdings  in  later  years,  and  invested  his  surplus  in  western  land 
which  he  traded  for  the  Effingham  Hotel  property  which  he  now  owns.  He 
is  a  stockholder  and  director  of  the  Farmers  and  Merchants  Bank  of  Effing- 
ham, he  is  also  a  stockholder  in  the  Midnight  Oil  Company,  a  producing 
concern  with  headquarters  at  Morris,  Okla. 

Mr.  Hawk  was  married  March  21,  1874,  to  Miss  Harriet  Pitt,  of 
Coshocton  county,  Ohio,  and  who  was  bom  in  Kentucky.  To  this  union  have 
been  born  the  following  children :  Charles,  who  served  in  the  Twenty-second 
regiment.  United  States  infantry,  during  the  Spanish-American  war,  and  is 
at  present  chief  of  police  at  Shawnee,  Okla. ;  John  D.,  a  prosperous  and  pro- 
gressive farmer  in  Benton  township;  Margaret,  wife  of  Clem  Higley,  a  farmer 
living  in  Center  township,  near  Pardee ;  Homer,  who  was  killed  in  a  railway 
accident  in  October,  1913;  Fred,  died  in  April,  1913,  and  who  had  held  the 
position  of  cashier  of  the  Farmers  and  Merchants  Bank  of  Effingham  prior 
to  his  death ;  Wilbur  D.  Hawk,  business  manager  of  the  Atchison  Daily  Cham- 
pion, and  former  deputy  warden  of  the  Federal  penitentiary,  Atlanta,  Ga. ; 
Mrs.  Mary  Foster,  of  Trenton,  Mo.;  Robert,  a  farmer  in  Benton  townsiiip; 
Clifford,  a  farmer  and  auctioneer  in  Benton  township,  and  Vera,  at  home  with 
her  parents.  The  mother  of  these  children  was  born,  November  8,  185 1,  in 
Kentucky,  a  daughter  of  William  and  Frances  (PhilHps)  Pitt,  the  former 
a  native  of  New  Jersey  and  the  latter  of  Vermont.  In  1853  Mi's.  Pitt  and 
their  children  removed  to  Coshocton  county,  Ohio,  Mr.  Pitt  having  died  when 
Mrs.  Hawk  was  an  infant.  Two  of  the  three  children  were  reared:  Mrs. 
Hawk  and  Mrs.  Lenore  (Miller),  who  died  in  September,  1915,  at  Carlton, 
Ohio.  Mrs.  Pitt's  second  marriage  was  with  Dr.  Ephraim  P.  Stewart,  of 
Coshocton  county,  Ohio,  where  he  practiced  after  moving  from  Carroll 
county,  Ohio,  his  birthplace. 

With  the  exception  of  a  few  years  spent  in  Atlanta,  Ga.,  with  his  son, 
Wilbur  D.,  when  on  duty  as  deputy  warden  of  the  Federal  Penitentiary,  Mr. 
Hawk  has  lived  continuously  in  Atchison  county,  since  1882,  and  has  taken 
an  active  and  influential  part  in  the  affairs  of  the  county.  He  is  a  standi 
Republican  in  his  political  affiliations,  but  has  never  .souglit  political  prefer- 
ment. He  and  the  members  of  his  family  are  affiliated  religiously  with  the 
Lutheran  denomination,  which  was  the  faith  of  his  father.  He  is  prominent 
in  lodge  circles  and  is  a  memljer  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows, 


542  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

and  the  Knights  and  Ladies  of  Security.  He  is  one  of  the  original  Central 
Protective  Association  members  and  is  a  charter  member  of  Sunny  Hill  Lodge, 
No.  158,  of  Effingham,  and  is  prominently  connected  in  Central  Protective 
Association  circles  throughout  the  State  of  Kansas,  having  organized  seven 
lodges  in  this  State. 


JAMES  R.  GRAGG. 


For  nearly  fifty-nine  years  James  R.  Gragg,  wealthy  farmer  and  stock- 
man, of  Lancaster  township,  Atchison  county.  Kansas,  and  the  present  town- 
ship treasurer,  has  lived  in  Kansas,  and  is  one  of  the  real  pioneers  of  the 
State.  Since  a  lad  six  years  of  age  he  has  been  a  resident  of  Atchison  county, 
and  has  lived  to  see  the  once  wild  and  barren  prairie  become  one  of  the  garden 
spots  in  America,  and  has  seen  the  towns  and  cities  grow  within  the  lx)rders 
of  the  county  where  once  was  a  wild,  unbroken  waste.  When  a  boy  he  was 
taught  by  his  father  that  the  greatest  returns  from  the  pursuit  of  agriculture 
could  be  obtained  by  the  raising  and  feeding  of  live  stock,  and  he  has  en- 
deavored to  follow  his  father's  teachings  in  this  respect  and  has  met  with 
success,  resulting  from  following  a  definite  plan  of  getting  the  best  results 
from  his  efforts.  He  is  a  descendant  of  a  southern  pioneer  family,  who  were 
among  the  original  settlers  of  eastern  Tennessee,  and  again  were  pioneers  in 
Clay  county,  Missouri,  early  in  the  nineteenth  century.  It  is  a  topic  of  inter- 
est to  compare  the  comfortable  residence  and  farm  buildings  of  Mr.  Gragg,  at 
Jhis  day,  to  the  log  cabin  in  which  he  was  reared,  and  the  stock  shed  made  of 
poles  and  slough  grass,  which  his  father  was  forced  by  necessity  to  erect  in 
the  early  days  of  the  settlement  of  Kansas.  Few  families  settled  in  Lancas- 
ter township  as  early  as  the  Graggs.  and  in  point  of  years  of  residence.  James 
R.  is  probably  the  third  oldest  living  settler  of  the  township. 

James  R.  Gragg  was  bom  February  5,  185 1,  in  Clinton  county,  Mis.souri. 
He  is  a  son  of  Jefferson  and  Mary  (White)  Gragg.  to  whom  fifteen  children 
were  born.  Four  children,  two  sons  and  two  daughters,  are  still  living,  as 
follows :  Mrs.  Mahala  Martin,  Gower,  Mo. ;  James  R. ;  Mrs.  Alice  Muks. 
near  Oklahoma  City.  Okla. :  and  Bisliop  or  Bascomb  Gragg,  Stafford.  Kan. 
The  Graggs  are  of  Irish  descent.  The  father  of  James  Gragg  was  bom  in 
18 14  in  eastern  Tennessee.  When  he  was  a  child  his  parents  removed  to  Clay 
county,  Missouri,  where  he  grew  up  as  a  farmer.  In  the  spring  of  1856  Jef- 
ferson Gragg  came  to  Kansas  and  settled  in  Leavenworth,  where  he  had 
taken  a  claim.     He  sold  this  a  year  later  and  came  to  Atchison  county,  and 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  543 

preempted  i6o  acres  in  section  24,  Lancaster  township,  on  which  James  R. 
is  now  Hving.  He  paid  $1.25  an  acre.  As  soon  as  he  took  charge  of  the  land 
he  built  a  log  house,  twelve  feet  square  and  also  erected  a  hay  barn  with  a 
slough-grass  roof.  He  brought  a  covered  wagon  to  Kansas  and  lived  in  it 
until  the  log  house  was  ready  for  occupancy.  During  the  border  war  he  was 
forced  to  return  to  Missouri  for  three  months,  but  at  the  end  of.,  that  time 
came  back  to  Kansas  and  continued  to  improve  his  farm.  It  was  slow  work,  as 
he  did  most  of  the  plowing  with  oxen  and  this  took  a  great  deal  of  time,  but 
he  was  able  to  accumulate  a  little  money  slowly,  and  in  ten  years  erected  a 
better  house  on  his  place.  He  had  a  hard  fight  for  existence  the  first  few 
years  in  the  face  of  crop  failures,  droughts  and  grasshoppers,  but  when  he 
retired,  about  1890,  he  owned  640  acres  of  land  which  he  divided  among 
his  children,  and  lived  with  them  until  his  death,  April  10,  1910.  His  wife, 
the  mother  of  James  R.  Gragg,  was  born  in  Clinton  county,  Missouri,  in  1816, 
and  died  in  1912.  She  was  the  daughter  of  Robert  White,  and  her  mother 
bore  the  maiden  name  of  Cooley.  Both  parents  were  members  of  the  South 
Methodist  church,  and  helped  to  organize  and  build  the  Bethel  church  in 
Grasshopper  township,  which  was  one  of  the  early  Methodist  churches  in  Kan- 
sas.   Both  parents  are  buried  in  old  Huron  cemetery. 

James  R.  Gragg.  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  reared  on  the  farm 
where  he  now  lives,  and  attended  school  in  Lancaster  and  Huron,  Kan., 
■  although  his  early  educational  opportunities  were  limited.  L:  early  days  the 
father  and  his  son  were  stock  buyers  on  a  large  scale.  The  father  did  the 
actual  buying,  and  the  son  had  charge  of  the  herds  on  the  prairie.  They  did 
a  large  business  in  trading  and  buying  and  selling  stock,  and  the  son  has 
continued  this  until  the  present  time.  James  has  always  lived  on  the  Gragg 
land  and  was  with  his  father  until  the  latter  retired  in  1890  and  the  land 
was  divided.  James  later  bought  out  the  other  heirs  and  now  owns  1,040 
acres  in  Atchison  and  Wabaunsee  counties,  560  acres  of  this  land  being  lo- 
cated in  Atchison  county,  with  three  sets  of  farm  buildings.  He  gives  a  great 
deal  of  attention  to  the  stock  selling  part  of  his  business,  and  feeds  and  win- 
ters 150  head  each  winter.  On  December  25,  1872,  Mr.  Gragg  married  Mrs. 
Viola  A.  Norris,  who  was  born  May  26.  1855,  in  Buchanan  county,  Mis- 
souri. She  is  a  daughter  of  David  and  Martha  (Cook)  Norris.  The  fathei''s 
family  came  from  Kentucky  and  the  mother's  from  Indiana.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Gragg  have  two  children :  Jefferson  K.,  bom  Februan,'  23,  1875.  in  .Atchison 
county,  Kansas:  married  in  October,  1894,  to  Ella  Walls,  and  has  two  chil- 
dren, Paul,  aged  twenty  years,  and  George,  aged  twelve  years.  He  is  now 
engaged  in  the  live  stock  commission  business  in  Kansas  City,  Mo.,  and  Arch, 


544  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

born  Alay  3,  1889.  who  is  farming  on  the  home  place,  married  March  11, 
1914,  to  Edna  Wilson,  of  Lancaster  township,  a  daughter  of  J.  E.  Wilson. 
Jefferson,  the  older  son,  completed  a  course  in  the  Atchison  Business  Col- 
lege. ^Ir.  Gragg  is  a  Democrat,  and  has  been  a  member  of  the  school  board, 
and  is  now  treasurer  of  Lancaster  township.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Meth- 
odist church  and  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and  Modem  Wood- 
men of  America. 


URI   SEELEY   KEITH. 


Uri  Seeley  Keith  is  one  of  the  grand  old  men  of  Atchison.  His  career 
has  been  interesting,  and  borders  upon  the  romantic,  when  many  incidents 
in  which  he  has  figured  are  recounted.  A  valiant  soldier  of  the  Union  dur- 
ing the  Civil  war,  it  fell  to  him  to  perform  the  arrest  of  Vallandingham  in 
Ohio  when  his  activities  in  favor  of  the  Confederacy  had  rendered  him  obnox- 
ious to  the  State  and  Federal  governments.  Few  men  in  Atchison  ha\e  had 
a  more  varied  or  active  life  than  Mr.  Keith.  He  was  born  June  27,  1841,  in 
Massillon.  Ohio,  the  son  of  Fordyce  M.  and  Parthena  J.  (Seeley)  Keith,  na- 
tives of  New  York  and  the  Western  Reserve  of  Ohio,  respectively.  Mrs. 
Keith  was  a  daughter  of  Uri  Seeley.  Fordye  M.  Keith  was  born  in  181 6 
and  died  May  14.  1906.  He  was  a  son  of  Ansell  Keith,  a  native  of  New 
York.  The  Keith  family  is  descended  from  two  brothers  who  were  sons  of 
General  Keith,  at  one  time  a  field  marshal  in  the  Russian  army.  He  was  a 
Scotch-Englishman,  who  quarreled  with  Queen  Elizaljeth  and  left  England 
to  take  service  under  Peter  the  Great  of  Russia.  His  two  sons  immigrattfd  to 
America  in  1690,  one  settling  in  New  York  and  the  other  going  to  the  South- 
land. Two  branches  of  the  family  tlius  sprang  from  these  sons  of  Marshal 
Keith.  Brigadier  General  Keith  served  under  General  \\'ashington  during 
the  Revolution  and  the  General  lived  at  the  Keith  home  in  New  York  for  a 
time,  .\nscll  Keith  served  in  the  \\'ar  of  1812.  The  Seeley  family  originally 
settled  in  Connecticut.  Uri  Seeley  was  l)orn  in  1791  and  settled  in  the  West- 
ern Reserve  on  a  land  grant  of  100  acres  where  he  died.  Ansell,  the  father 
of  Fordyce  !\I..  and  grandfather  of  the  subject  of  this  .sketch,  settled  in  Lnrain 
county,  Ohio,  in  1832,  near  Elyria  and  was  a  contractor  and  builder.  Data 
regarding  the  members  of  the  family  is  as  follows:  Ansell  Keith  was  born 
June  24,  1786,  and  Betsy  M.,  his  wife,  was  born  January  2,  1794;  LIri  Seeley 
was  born  May  25,  1791,  and  died  August  10,  1877,  '^^^  '""^s  wife.  Abbey,  was 
born  October  22,,  1792. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  545 

Fordyce  M.  Keith  was  born  April  27,  1816,  and  died  May  12,  igo6.  His 
wife,  Parthena,  was  born  August  4,  1816,  and  died  at  Seneca,  Kan..  February 
18,  1893.  He  received  an  excellent  education  and  was  admitted  to  the  practice 
of  law  in  Ohio,  practicing  for  some  years  at  Massillon.  He  served  in  the  I'nii  mi 
army,  enlisting  in  the  One  Hundred  and  Seventeenth  regiment,  Ohio  infantry, 
and  later  the  First  Ohio  heavy  artilleiy.  His  service  extended  throughout 
the  war  from  August  30,  1862,  to  August  i,  1865.  He  was  a  major  in  the 
One  Hundred  and  Seventeenth  regiment,  Ohio  infantry,  and  was  created  a 
lieutenant  colonel  in  the  heavy  artillery  August  i,  1863.  He  came  to  Kansas 
in  1866  and  practiced  law  in  Brown  county  where  he  served  as  county  attor- 
ney. In  old  age  he  resided  with  his  granddaughter  in  Oklahoma.  He  was 
the  father  of  the  following"  children  :  Uri  Seeley  ;  Fordyce  M..  Jr.,  who  died  in 
Pueblo,  Colo.,  August  i,  1900;  Clarence  M.,  and  Herbert  Brewster  died  in 
infancy;  Lamar  Burrett,  born  February  22,  1847,  ^"^  lives  at  Seneca,  Kan. 

Uri  Seeley  Keith  was  educated  in  the  common  schools  of  his  native  State. 
He  enlisted  April  20,  1861,  when  Lincoln  issued  his  first  call  for  troops.  His 
first  enlistment  was  in  Company  L  Eighteenth  regiment,  Ohio  infantry,  for 
a  period  of  three  months,  which  was  extended  to  five  months.  He  again  en- 
listed in  Company  E,  Eighty-seventh  regiment.  Ohio  infantry.  June  2.  1862, 
for  four  months.  November  4,  1862.  he  enlisted  in  Company  K,  One  Hundred 
and  Seventeenth  regiment,  Ohio  infantry,  for  a  period  of  three  years,  or  until 
the  close  of  the  war.  He  was  promoted  to  the  second  lieutenancy  of  Com- 
pany C.  First  Ohio  hca\}-  artillery.  December  23.  1863.  The  One  Hundred 
and  Seventeenth  regiment  was  transferred  to  the  heavy  artillerv  organization 
May  2,  1863  with  Mr.  Keith  as  second  lieutenant  and  later  as  first  lieutenant 
of  his  company.  He  was  regimental  quartermaster  sergeaiU  of  the  One  Hun- 
dred and  Seventeenth  regiment,  Ohio  infantry,  and  received  his  final  discharge 
at  Knoxville.  Tenn.,  July  25,  1865,  and  was  mustered  out  at  Camp  Deni.son, 
Ohio,  August  I,  1865.  This  valiant  soldier  participated  in  the  following  en- 
gagements: Chickamauga.  Sejitember  19-20.  1863;  Knoxville.  November  iC)  to 
December  9,  1863;  Campbell  Station,  October  16;  Carter  Station,  December 
21;  Lowden,  October  15,  1863;  Rogersville,  December  19;  Tavlorsville,  De- 
cember 19,  1863;  Seaversville,  Octolier  9.  1864:  Charleston,  October  19,  1864; 
Cleveland,  October  24;  Columbus,  October  27;  Franklin,  November  30: 
Nashville,  December  12  to  16,  and  Duck  River,  December  18,  1864.  He 
served  as  quartermaster  of  the  Second  battalion  of  the  First  Ohio  heav\-  artil- 
lery from  April  i.  1864,  to  the  close  of  the  war.  Other  engagements  in  which 
he  fought  were:  Rich  Mountain,  July  7,  1861 ;  Gainesville,  July  24,  1861  ;  Red 
House,  July  29,    1861    (Eighteenth  Ohio  volunteer  infantry)   and   Harper's 

35 


546  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

Ferry,  September  14  and  15,  1862;  South  Mountain,  September  13,  1862; 
Antietam,  September  17,  1862  (Eighty-seventh  Ohio  volunteer  infantry) 
Paintville,  January  11,  1863  ;  Peach  Orchard,  January  27,  1863  (One  Hundred 
and  Seventeenth  Ohio  volunteer  infantry).  An  interesting  episode  in  ?\lr. 
Keith's  career  which  has  been  published  in  various  newspapers  is  worth  record- 
ing. He  was  the  man  who  arrested  Vallandingham  at  Dayton,  Ohio,  Ma\-  i, 
1863.  Early  in  1863  while  he  was  an  officer  in  tlie  heavy  artillery.  General 
Burnside,  then  in  command  of  the  Department  of  the  Ohio,  issued  general 
order  Number  38,  which  was  especially  obnoxious  to  southern  sympathizers, 
the  Knights  of  the  Golden  Circle,  and  Associated  Sons  of  America,  and  kin- 
dred organizations  which  had  for  their  object  the  placing  of  every  obstacle  in 
the  path  of  the  Federal  Government  and  tlie  overthrow  of  the  Union.  Val- 
landingham made  an  incendiary  speech  at  Mt.  Vernon,  Ohio,  on  May  i.  Cap- 
tain Hutton  of  General  Burnside's  staff  was  detailed  to  effect  the  arrest  of 
Vallandingham,  who  was  to  be  transported  to  the  rebel  lines.  Lieutenant 
Keith  was  second  in  command  of  the  expedition.  They  reached  Vallanding- 
ham's  home  at  midnight,  and  knocked  at  the  door,  but  the  woman  of  the  house 
stated  that  the  object  of  their  capture  was  not  at  home.  Lieutenant  Keith 
did  not  believe  her  and  pushed  open  the  door  and  rushed  up  stairs  to  find 
Vallandingham,  who  was  in  bed.  When  Keith  broke  open  the  bed  room  door 
ris  prisoner  rushed  to  the  window  and  called  "Asa,"  presumably  in  search  of 
assistance,  but  no  one  came  to  his  aid.  He  was  then  taken  to  Cincinnati  and 
sent  through  the  Union  lines  to  the  Confederate  general,  Bragg,  for  safe 
keeping. 

Mr.  Keith  came  west  to  Doniphan  county  September  8,  1865,  and  located 
in  the  town  of  White  Cloud  for  a  time  and  then  came  to  Atchison.  He  bought 
a  farm  a  few  miles  west  of  White  Cloud  which  he  cultivated  until  1872,  and 
then  followed  railroading  for  a  time.  In  1872  he  was  in  the  employ  of  the 
United  States  Government  on  the  Great  Nemaha  Indian  reservation.  In 
1875  he  again  returned  to  White  Cloud  and  from  there  went  to  his  farm, 
remaining  until  1885  when  he  engaged  in  the  hotel  business  at  Hiawatlia  until 
1890.  He  removed  to  Atchison  in  1890,  and  was  employed  for  a  number  of 
years  as  inspector  of  city  contract  work.  He  has  superintended  practically 
all  of  the  paving  and  contract  work  which  has  been  done  in  the  city  except 
during  the  past  few  years  since  his  retirement.  Many  miles  of  paving  have 
been  honestly  done  under  Mr.  Keith's  supervision  and  he  has  had  charge  of 
the  building  of  practically  all  of  the  concrete  culverts  erected  in  the  city.  For 
four  years  he  served  as  deputy  sheriff  of  Atchison  county. 

Mr.  Keith  was  married  September  11,  1866,  to  Mary  Frances  Grossman, 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  547 

who  was  born  in  Massillon,  Ohio,  August  24,  1842,  the  daughter  of  Daniel 
and  Martha  Grossman,  natives  of  Pennsylvania,  and  pioneer  settlers  in  Ohio. 
The  Grossmans  moved  to  Ohio  in  1836  and  both  died  in  Massillon.  To  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Keith  have  been  born  the  following  children:  Minnie  L.  born  July 
24,  1867,  wife  of  J.  R.  Bailey,  of  Enid,  Okla.,  and  the  mother  of  one  child, 
Mildred,  wife  of  Dr.  Lee  J.  Render,  of  Falls  Valley,  Okla.,  and  who  also  has 
one  child,  Bailey  Adrian ;  Mrs.  Ruby  V.  Doyle,  born  April  i,  1870,  and  residing 
in  Lincoln,  Neb.,  the  mother  of  one  child,  Halbert  K. ;  Edward  C.,  and  Charles 
R..  born  June  6,  1875,  of  whom  Charles  R.  died  May  24,  1898,  and  Edward 
C.  married  Elsie  Schmitt.  engaged  in  Lhiited  States  mail  service.  ]\Ir.  Keitli's 
daughter,  Mrs.  Bailey,  is  a  talented  writer  and  has  issued  a  volume  of  poems 
which  has  decided  literary  merit.  She  is  counted  among  the  leading  authors 
of  the  "New  State"  and  is  fast  gaining  a  place  in  the  world  of  letters. 

Mr.  Keith  has  always  been  aligned  with  the  Republican  party  and  has 
been  active  in  its  councils  during  his  long  and  busy  life.  He  is  a  Mason  and 
a  member  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  Post  No.  93,  having  been 
quartermaster  of  the  local  post  for  the  past  eight  years.  He  served  as  post 
commander  at  White  Cloud,  Hiawatha,  and  of  E.  C.  Johnson  post,  of  Atchi- 
son, which  was  later  consolidated  with  Post  No.  93.  Few  men  can  look  back 
over  long  years  crowded  witl:  incidents  and  with  such  activity  as  has  fallen 
to  the  lot  of  Uri  S.  Keith,  one  of  the  last  of  the  Old  Guard  who  offered  their 
lives  that  the  Union  might  be  forever  preserved.  As  the  years  pass  and  time 
rolls  on  the  ranks  of  those  brave  men  who  wore  the  blue  are  becoming  thinner 
and  their  steps  more  feeble.  It  is  only  the  more  vigorous  who  have  survived 
thus  far  and  Mr.  Keith  is  one  of  them. 


CHARLES  H.  BURROWS. 


Charles  H.  Burrows,  Union  veteran  and  clerk  in  the  Missouri  Pacific 
railroad  offices  at  Atchison,  has  had  a  long  and  varied  career  in  the  railway 
service  of  the  countr}-.  He  is  a  native  of  the  Buckeye  State  and  was  born  at 
Cincinnati,  November  19,  1843,  a  son  of  James  H.  and  Nancy  A.  (Lynchard) 
Burrows,  both  of  whom  were  descended  from  old  American  families.  James 
H.  Burrows  was  born  in  Maryland  and  his  wife  was  a  native  of  Kentucky. 
The  Burrows  family  settled  in  America  in  about  the  year  1647.  There  were 
at  first  two  branches  of  the  family,  one  of  whom  settled  in  Maine  and  the 
otlier  on  the  south  shore  of  Maryland.     The  great-granilfather  of  C  harles  H. 


548  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

settled  first  in  Maiyland  and  here  his  grandfatlier,  \\'illiam  Burrows,  was 
born  and  reared.  Tlie  sons  of  the  family  were  sea-faring  men  and  se\eral 
of  the  descendants  of  the  first  Burrows  have  been  officers  in  tiie  United 
States  nnvy.  Xancy  A.,  wife  of  James  H..  was  a  daughter  of  ]Mr.  Lynchard 
of  Virginia,  who  became  a  pioneer  settler  of  Kentucky,  and  married  a  member 
of  tlie  Talbot  family,  of  \'irginia.  He  had  two  sons  and  four  daughters  and 
came  from  Kentucky  to  Hamilton  county,  Ohio,  in  1838.  In  1845  James  H. 
Burrows  was  married  in  Cincinnati  where  he  made  Iiis  residence.  Upon  the 
outl)reak  (if  tlie  Civil  war  both  father  and  son,  C.  H.,  enlisted.  The  family 
removed  to  Springfield,  III,  in  1858  and  here  James  H.  operated  a  cooperage 
shop.  As  before  stated,  father  and  son  enlisted  in  the  same  regiment,  the 
One  Hundred  and  Twenty-fourth  Illinois  volunteer  infantry,  on  September 
10,  1862,  for  a  period  of  three  \ears.  The  father  died  in  the  Union  hospital 
at  Cairo,  III.  after  his  honorable  discharge  on  account  of  sick  disability,  in 
February,  1863.  Charles  H.  fought  in  the  battles  of  Champion  Hills,  Vicks- 
burg,  Spanish  Fort,  Blakely,  and  took  part  in  many  other  engagements  until 
the  close  of  the  war.  He  was  also  engag-ed  in  the  Mobile  campaign.  Charles 
H.  was  the  eldest  of  a  family  of  five  children,  namely  ;  Charles  H.,  James  died 
in  1856;  Mrs.  Alice  A.  Direen,  of  Jacksonville,  III;  \\illiam  C.  deceased; 
Emma  D.,  wife  of  Judge  Henry  Piiillips,  of  Beardstown,  111. 

In  1873  he,  with  whom  this  review  is  directly  concerned,  left  the  old 
home  in  Illinois  and  began  his  railroading  career  which  was  eventually  to 
end  with  his  present  berth  in  Atchison.  Forty-two  years  of  railroading,  or 
rather  fifty  \ears  of  railwa}-  service  with  tlie  exception  of  two  years  in  the 
practice  of  law  at  Mondamin,  III,  is  the  proud  record  of  this  sturdy  patriot. 
During-  this  long  period  he  has  served  as  telcgra])h  operator,  superintendent  of 
telegraph,  engineer,  hrakcman.  conductor,  etc.  He  was  in  the  employ  of  the 
Cliicago  &  Alton  railroad,  tlie  Wabash,  the  Ciilman.  Clinton  X:  Sjiring- 
field  railroads,  while  located  at  Springfield,  111,  and  was  in  the  employ  of 
the  Vandalia  when  it  was  building  out  of  St.  Louis.  As  early  as  1868  he 
was  in  the  employ  of  the  Missouri  Pacific  railroad  and  was  with  the  Denver 
and  Rio  Grande  in  the  earl\-  days  of  its  operation :  was  with  the  Ft.  Scott 
&  Memphis  railroad  one  year;  the  St.  Louis  &  St.  Joseph  road;  was 
station  agent  on  the  old  Hannibal  &  St.  Joe  mad :  served  on  the  Chicagfo, 
Burlington  &  Ouinc\-  railroad  in  Missouri  and  Iowa;  the  Chicago  &  North- 
western; t!ie  Sioux  City  &  Pacific;  the  I'remont,  Elkhorn  &  Missouri  Val- 
lev  roads.  After  a  railroad  experience  in  the  states  of  Illinois.  Iowa.  Mis- 
souri, Nebraska,  Kansas  and  Colorado,  he  came  to  Atchison  in  September  of 
1890,  as  a  clerk  in  the  offices  of  the  Missouri  Pacific  railroad  system. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  j49 

He  was  married  August  lo.  187 1,  at  Lawsoii.  Mo.,  tn  Susan  K.  Morrow, 
a  native  of  Missouri,  and  daughter  of  Vincent  Morrow.  To  this  union  has 
been  born  one  child,  Pearl,  wife  of  Adolph  Frailey.  By  a  former  marriage 
with  B.  F.  Shumalt,  Mrs.  Frailey  had  two  children,  Ruth  E.  and  Frances 
Shumalt.  Mr.  Burrows  has  been  and  is  now  an  independent  voter,  not  allied 
with  any  particular  political  party  or  creed.  He  is  fraternally  connected  with 
the  Suns  and  Daughters  of  Justice,  the  Fraternal  Order  of  Eagles,  and  the 
Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  and  has  served  as  commander  of  the  Grand 
Armv  Post.  Xo.  93,  of  Atchison,  for  the  past  two  years.  Commander 
Burrows  has  the  great  distinction  of  having  been  one  of  the  original  organizers 
of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic  and  has  been  prominent  in  the  affairs  of 
this  great  organization  since  1866.  In  February  of  1866,  he  assisted  in  the 
organization  of  Springfield,  111.,  Grand  Army  Post,  No.  2.  He  served  as 
officer  of  the  day  when  this  noted  post  Cthe  second  in  America)  was  organized. 


JAiMES  EDWARD  WILSON. 

James  Edward  Wilson,  fanner,  of  Lancaster  township,  Atchison  county, 
was  born  December  14,  1865,  on  the  farm  which  he  now  manages.  He  is  a 
son  of  Charles  and  Mary  K.  (Brown)  Wilson,  who  were  the  parents  of  eleven 
children,  as  follows :  Sarah  E.  died  in  infancy ;  Louise  C.  died  when  two  years 
old;  William  M.,  deceased:  Andrew  J.,  Hill  City,  Kan. ;  Martha  E.,  deceased; 
Nancy  J.,  deceased;  James  E.,  stibject  of  this  sketch;  Julia  A.  Martin,  Wa- 
baunsee countv,  Kansas;  Charles  T.,  Atchison  county,  and  Samuel  H.,  de- 
ceased. The  father,  Charles  Wilsort,  was  born  February  7,  1827,  in  Bar- 
tholomew county,  Indiana,  a  son  of  Martin  and  Elizabeth  (Mitchell)  Wilson, 
who  migrated  to  Missouri.  Charles  Wilson  left  the  farm  in  Buchanan  county, 
was  married  and  came  to  Kansas.  In  1855  he  settled  on  the  farm  which 
his  son  now  owns  in  section  14,  Lancaster  township,  Atchison  county.  The 
father  with  his  wife  and  infant  child  went  through  many  hardships  in  their 
pioneering  days. 

The  familv  came  from  Buchanan  county,  Missouri,  in  a  covered  wagon, 
driving  a  yoke  of  oxen.  He  preempted  160  acres,  the  site  of  his  son's  present 
farm.  He  built  a  small  log  cabin  to  shelter  his  family,  and,  with  the  aid  t)f  two 
other  men.  lie  began  to  break  the  prairie.  This  was  slow  work  with  oxen, 
and  during  the  first  year  tliey  cleared  but  ten  acres  each.  Fifty  acres  of  the 
farm  was  in  fine  wooded  land  along  the  creek.     This  furnished  them  plenty 


550  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

of  lumber  with  which  to  build  their  cabin  and  other  buildings.  They  planted 
the  land,  which  was  in  tillable  condition,  in  corn,  and  were  soon  able  to  live 
in  some  degree  of  comfort,  but  it  was  still  a  wild  country.  An  old  trail  ran 
near  the  farm,  now  known  as  the  "Military  trail,"  and  the  Indians  following 
this  frequently  camped  along  the  trail  near  the  farm.  They  prowled  around 
the  house  frequently,  and  the  father  always  kept  close  to  his  house  to  pro- 
tect his  family  from  possible  danger.  Those  were  the  true  pioneer  days, 
and  they  had  to  go  to  Atchison  for  their  provisions.  It  was  a  lonely  trip,  only 
one  house  being  between  the  Wilson  cabin  and  Atchison.  But  in  those  days 
people  only  bought  the  barest  necessities  of  life  which  were  all  that  they  could 
afford.  They  paid  two  dollars  a  bushel  for  com  meal  during  the  second 
spring  there.  Wild  game  was  plentiful  and  furnished  much  of  the  food. 
Badgers  and  wolves  were  numerous  and  gave  danger  to  the  sheep  of  the 
pioneers.  IMany  nights  were  spent  with  loaded  gun  within  reach  in  prepared- 
ness for  the  wolves  which  could  be  heard  howling  about.  On  the  trips  to 
Atchison  to  trade  travelers  and  pioneers  often  stopped  at  Mormon  Grove  for 
a  rest.  The  place  was  about  seven  miles  west  of  Atchison,  and  took  its  name 
from  the  fact  that  the  Mormons,  on  their  way  to  Utah,  frequently  camped 
in  this  grove  over  night.  Travelers  along  this  road  always  watered  their 
horses  from  the  pond  there. 

After  two  years  the  settlers  began  to  feel  the  need  of  educational  ad- 
\antages  for  their  children,  as  there  was  no  school  near  enough  for  the  chil- 
dren of  the  pioneers  to  attend.  For  the  two  years  they  had  lived  here  they 
had  no  school  advantages,  and  the  men  of  the  neighborhood  joined  together 
and  built  a  log  school  house.  It  was  in  the  district  now  known  as  old  Huron 
school  district  No.  24.  A  postoffice  also  was  established  near  the  school 
house,  but  when  the  railroad  was  Iniilt  through  that  section  of  tlie  county, 
the  postoffice  was  moved  to  Huron,  where  the  station  was  located. 

Charles  Wilson  died  in  1897,  ^t  the  age  of  seventy  years.  His  wife, 
Mars-  K.  Wilson,  was  born  October  31,  1831.  in  eastern  Tennessee.  She 
was  a  daughter  of  Joseph  and  Polly  (McCurry)  Brown.  They  were  natives 
of  Tennessee.  The  mother  is  now  living  with  her  son,  James,  the  subject 
of  this  sketch.  She  had  a  great  deal  to  do  with  the  success  of  her  husband. 
\\'hen  she  came  into  the  wild  country  with  her  young  liusband  she  was  fac- 
ing a  new  life,  and  one  which  was  to  test  her  courage  and  strengtli,  but  she 
was  equal  to  the  occasion.  She  toiled  early  and  late  on  the  new  farm  and 
helped  shear  sheep  and  spun  wool.  The  paternal  grandparents  of  James 
\\'^ilson  were  Martin  and  Elizabeth  (Mitchell)  \Vilson.  both  natives  of  Indiana. 

James  W^ilson  was  reared  on  the  farm  where  he  now  resides.     He  was 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  551 

educated  in  the  district  school  and  went  to  work  on  his  father's  farm,  and  is 
now  farming  the  place,  renting  it  from  his  mother.  He  operates  about  115 
acres  of  it. 

Mr.  Wilson  was  married  in  1880  to  Martha  Louisa  Culpepper,  who  was 
born  in  Dallas  county,  Iowa,  September  5,  1867.  She  is  a  daughter  of  Ben- 
jamin and  Amanda  (Lowery)  Culpepper,  natives  of  Alabama.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Wilson  are  the  parents  of  eleven  children:  Chariie,  deceased;  Anna  Edwards, 
Dardanelle,  Ark.;  Archibald,  living  at  home;  Edna  Gragg,  Lancaster  town- 
ship, Atchison  county,  Kansas ;  Frank,  living  at  home ;  Marie,  at  home ;  Eva, 
Thelma,  Leslie  and  Vera,  all  living  with  their  parents,  and  one  child  died  in 
infancy.  Mr.  Wilson  is  a  Republican  and  is  now  a  member  of  the  school 
board  for  his  district.  He  attends  church,  although  he  is  not  a  member  of 
any  denomination.  Mrs.  Wilson,  mother  of  James  E.,  is  the  oldest  living 
pioneer  settler  of  Lancaster  township. 


FREDERICK  W.  KOESTER. 

Frederick  W.  Koester  is  a  native  of  Atchison,  born  April  6,  i860.  He  is 
a  son  of  Fred  and  Anna  (Bertha)  Koester,  the  former  a  native  of  Germany 
and  the  latter  of  Zurich,  Switzerland.  The  mother  immigrated  to  America 
when  she  was  a  young  girl,  coming  to  this  country  with  her  mother.  Fred 
Koester,  the  father,  was  born  in  Minden,  Germany,  January  18,  1835,  and 
came  to  America  when  he  was  about  twenty-one  years  of  age.  He  landed  in 
New  Orleans,  but  remained  there  only  a  short  time  when  he  came  up  the 
Mississippi  river  by  boat,  and  located  at  St.  Louis.  He  remained  there  but  a 
short  time,  however,  when  he  went  to  St.  Josepli,  Mo.  W' hile  there  he  learned 
the  barber's  trade,  and  in  1857  came  to  Atchison,  Kan.,  and  established  one  of 
the  first  barber  shops  in  the  city.  He  was  an  industrious  and  thrifty  man  and 
although  not  highly  educated,  he  was  a  man  of  unusual  foresight  and  good 
judgment.  Soon  after  coming  to  Atchison  he  began  to  invest  his  savings  in 
real  estate  and  became  one  of  the  extensive  properly  owners  of  the  city  in 
the  early  days.  He  built  several  residences  which  lie  sold  at  a  good  profit  and 
he  built  one  of  the  first  brick  houses  in  Atchison.  He  also  built  the  first 
pressed  brick  house  in  the  city.  The  building  is  still  standing  and  is  known 
as  the  Koester  house  situated  on  Second  street,  l>etween  Commercial  and 
Kansas  streets.  This  was  considered  one  of  the  magnificent  residences  of 
Atchison  in  the  earl\-  seventies.     Fred  Koester  owned  a  number  of  business 


552  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

places  in  Atchison  as  well  as  several  residences.  Frederick  W.  Koester  is 
the  older  of  a  family  of  two.  His  sister,  Susie  Bertha,  is  now  the  wife  of 
Carl  Hachette.  and  resides  in  San  Francisco.  Cal. 

Frederick  W.  Koester  attended  the  public  schools  of  Atchison,  and  later 
was  a  student  in  St.  Benedict's  College,  and  also  attended  the  Jesuits"  College, 
St.  Louis,  Mo.  His  father  had  advanced  ideas  in  regard  to  education,  and 
endeavored  to  give  his  children  the  best  that  could  be  obtained.  After  com- 
pleting school  F.  W.  Koester  began  life  as  a  clerk  in  D.  C.  Newcomb's  dry 
goods  store  at  Atchison.  He  remained  there  but  a  short  time,  liowcxer.  when 
he  went  to  work  in  his  father's  barber  shop  and  later  opened  a  six  chair  shop 
of  his  own.  He  then  went  on  the  road  as  traveling  salesman  for  a  barber 
supply  house,  and  was  thus  engaged  for  seven  years.  He  went  to  California 
in  1886  where  he  was  employed  as  timekeeper  for  a  railroad  contractor. 

Mr.  Koester  was  married  in  1883  to  Miss  Bertha  Bracke,  a  daughter  of 
Albert  Bracke,  an  Atchison  county  pioneer,  who  was  engaged  in  freighting 
across  the  plains  in  tlie  early  days.  Later,  he  was  engaged  in  a  cattle  and 
butchering  business  in  Atchison  and  was  a  very  extensive  dealer. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Koester  are  the  parents  of  two  children,  Albert,  bom  on 
Januarv  21.  1885.  is  in  tlie  employ  of  the  Seaton  Foundry.  Atchison,  and  Fred- 
erick William,  Jr..  born  July  25.  1895.  in  San  Francisco,  is  a  student  in  Kansas 
University,  department  of  journalism,  and  during  his  vacations  is  connected 
with  the  Atchison  Champion  as  a  reporter.  Mr.  Koester  was  appointed  by 
Governor  Hodges  secretary  of  the  Kansas  State  Barbers'  Board  in  April,  191 3, 
serving  two  years.  He  is  a  member  of  tiie  Knights  of  Pythias,  the  Red  Men, 
and  secretary  of  the  insurance  department  of  Golden  Cross.  He  and  his 
familv  are  members  of  the  Christian  Science  church.  Mrs.  Koester  died 
Octoljer  13,  1904,  and  on  Octol^er  23,  1915,  Mr.  Koester  was  united  in  mar- 
riage with  Miss  Lillie  Barth  Hood,  a  native  of  Kentucky,  and  daughter  of 
J.  H.  Hood,  of  McCloud,  Okla. 


CHARLES  MYERS. 


Charles  Mvers.  farmer,  stockman  and  contractor,  of  Lancaster  township. 
Atchison  countv,  Kansas,  was  born  May  13.  1864,  in  Buclianan  cdunty.  Mis- 
souri. He  is  a  son  of  Augusta  and  Hulcia  (Snyder)  Myers,  and  one  of  nine 
children,  seven  of  whom  are  living.  The  father  was  torn  in  Germany  in 
1818  and  left  there  with  his  parents  when  a  young  man,  the  family  settling 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  553 

in  Cincinnati,  Ohio.  At  the  age  of  twenty-two  he  came  to  St.  Joseph,  Mo., 
and  learned  the  carpenter's  trade.  Later  he  engaged  in  farming  in  Missouri, 
and  came  to  Atchison  county,  Kansas,  and  bought  the  old  Captain  Kvans 
farm  in  Shannon  township.  He  improved  it  considerably  and  then  sold  it.  and 
moved  to  Atchison,  where  he  resided  until  his  death  in  1903.  The  mother 
was  torn  in  Indiana.     She  died  in  1903,  at  the  age  of  seventj'-four  years. 

Charles  Myers,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm 
in  Shannon  township  and  attended  the  district  school.  He  worked  for  his 
father  until  he  was  twenty  years  old,  and  then  rented  land  in  Doniphan 
county,  Kansas,  and  farmed  for  himself,  and  later  came  to  Atchison  county, 
where  he  rented  a  farm  for  two  years.  Having  accumulated  some  capital, 
he  bought  120  acres  in  section  13.  Lancaster  township,  and  fanned  this  for 
sixteen  years,  meanwhile  making  extensive  improvements.  He  sold  this  land 
and  bought  160  acres  in  section  23,  Lancaster  township,  in  1904.  The  farm 
was  comparatively  unimproved  and  he  set  to  work  building  the  place  up.  He 
erected  a  large,  modern,  nine  room,  brick  house,  superintending  the  work 
himself.  He  also  built  an  excellent  barn  and  a  commodious  ice  house.  These 
buildings  were  planned  by  Mr.  Myers,  who  had  learned  the  carpenter's  trade 
at  odd  times.  He  selected  the  materials  used  in  the  construction  and  by  his 
careful  supervision  thus  insured  the  best  of  buildings.  This  work  comes 
natural  to  Mr.  Myers,  although  he  has  never  spent  much  time  at  the  work, 
but  it  was  so  easy  for  him  that  he  just  naturally  drifted  into  it.  Whenever 
he  had  any  work  to  be  done  he  personally  took  it  in  hand.  Other  important 
improvements  were  made  by  Mr.  Myers.  Several  additions  to  his  farm  land 
were  made,  and  he  ntnv  owns  240  acres  of  good  tillable  farm  land.  Mr. 
Myers  also  keeps  graded  stock  and  takes  pride  in  keeping  up  his  breeds.  Be- 
sides these  activities  Mr.  Myers  holds  stock  in  the  Independent  Harvester 
Company  of  Piano.  111. 

He  was  married  to  Eva  Kenbal  in  1897.  Mrs.  Myers  was  born  August 
19,  1867,  in  Ohio,  and  is  a  daughter  of  Nelson  Kenbal.  Eight  children  have 
been  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Myers:  Ora  (Snyder),  Erazer.  Mo.;  Edna  (Tay- 
lor). Lancaster  township,  .\tchison  county.  Kansas;  Merrel.  .\ugusta.  Glen, 
Hubert,  Irene,  Lafayette,  all  living  at  home.  Mr.  Myers  is  a  Republican  in 
politics  and  has  served  on  the  school  board  of  his  district.  He  belongs  to  the 
Baptist  church,  and  is  a  member  of  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America.  Mr. 
Myers,  in  addition  to  his  occupation  as  a  farmer  and  stockman,  has  found 
time  for  constructing  several  buildings  in  Atchison  county,  and  has  been  re- 
markablv  successful  in  his  construction  work. 


554  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

GEORGE  H.  T.  SCHAEFER. 

George  H.  T.  Schaefer.  contractor  and  builder,  has  achieved  such  a  rep- 
utation in  his  avocation  during-  his  more  than  thirty  years  of  residence  in 
Atchison,  as  to  place  him  in  the  front  rank  of  artisans  in  his  adopted  city. 
History  is  constantly  repeating  itself,  when  we  chronicle  the  fact  that  "from 
small  beginnings,  great  things  have  grown."  Mr.  Schaefer  began  contract- 
ing in  a  small  way.  after  quitting  the  first  job  which  he  held  in  Atchison. 
The  results  of  his  handiwork  are  now  seen  on  every  hand,  and  include  the 
most  stately  and  costly  buildings  of  the  city  and  structures  throughout  Kan- 
sas and  Nebraska.  Through  all  of  his  success  ]\Ir._  Schaefer  has  remained  the 
same,  unassuming,  plain  citizen,  whose  motto  has  been,  "honest  work  for 
honest  money."  There  are  few  men  in  his  profession  who  can  point  to  a 
more  successful  career,  and  who  can  look  back  over  long  3-ears  spent  in  erect- 
ing abiding  places  for  mankind,  and  realize  that  every  contract  was  fulfilled 
faithfully  and  the  work  well  and  consistently  done  to  the  satisfaction  of  the 
owners. 

G.  H.  T.  Schaefer  was  torn  November  ii,  1857.  in  Indianapolis,  Ind., 
and  is  a  son  of  Rev.  J.  George  and  Minnie  Schaefer.  His  father  was  a  native 
of  Stuttgart,  Germany,  and  his  mother  of  Hamburg,  Cxermany.  Both  came 
to  this  countrv  in  youth  witli  their  respective  parents.  The  father  was  edu- 
cated for  the  Lutheran  ministry,  and  in  1863  left  Indianapolis  and  took  charge 
of  a  church  at  Lanesville,  Ind.,  twelve  miles  from  New  Albany,  on  the  stage 
route  in  Indiana.  From  that  time  on  he  filled  various  charges  and  died  in 
the  midst  of  his  pastoral  labors  in  New  Boston,  Ind.  The  mother  now  re- 
sides in  Atchison.  He,  with  whom  this  review  directly  concerns,  left  the 
parental  roof  when  thirteen  years  of  age  and  went  to  Indianapolis,  where  he 
learned  the  trade  of  carpenter.  After  serving  his  apprenticeship  he  spent  two 
years  in  the  vicinity  of  his  father's  home  at  New  Boston,  working  for  an  old 
German  contractor.  This  experience  was  invaluable,  inasmuch  as  his  em- 
plover  took  contracts  for  erecting  barns,  churches  and  bridges  from  the 
standing  timber.  The  future  contract(ir  here  learned  to  create  buildings  from 
the  virgin  timber  of  the  forests.  Desiring  to  gain  a  wider  experience  in  his 
calling,  in  1876  he  went  to  Evansville,  Ind.,  then,  as  now,  an  important  river 
city.  He  spent  one  year  in  this  city,  and  during  that  time  witnessed  the 
great  cyclone  which  swept  this  section  of  the  country  and  destroyed  lives  and 
many  buildings.  Ml.  Canncl.  111.,  was  badly  wrecked,  and  he  arrixed  on  the 
scene  of  the  disaster  in  time  to  help  burj-  the  dead  and  assist  in  the  rebuild- 
ing of  the  city.    In  1879  he  went  to  Greenville,  Miss.,  and  during  the  winter 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  555 

the  yellow  fever,  which  had  been  epidemic  in  New  Orleans,  broke  out  in  Green- 
ville, and  he  managed  to  catch  the  last  1>oat  leaving  the  wharf  for  St.  Louis. 
From  here  he  went  to  Kansas  City,  but  no  sooner  did  he  set  foot  on  the  streets 
of  this  growing  metropolis  than  he  was  besieged  by  real  estate  men  who 
wanted  to  sell  him  property.  He  became  disgusted  with  Kansas  City  and 
took  a  train  for  Atchison.  Here  he  purchased  a  ticket  for  a  point  200  miles 
west  on  the  Central  Branch  railroad  and  landed  at  Cawker  City.  Upon 
alighting  from  the  train  and  making  inquiries  about  work  he  was  informed 
that,  inasmuch  as  he  did  not  belong  to  any  lodges,  and  had  no  connections 
in  the  western  town,  he  could  get  no  work.  However,  he  got  a  job  and  was 
kept  busily  employed  for  two  years,  building  in  the  surrounding  country.  He 
erected  dwellings  and  business  houses  in  Jewell  and  Mitchell  counties,  at  a 
time  when  the  country  was  in  the  initial  stage  of  its  development.  He  in- 
vested his  savings  in  property,  only  to  see  his  hopes  of  gaining  a  permanent 
competence  swept  away,  when  the  hot  winds  came  and  ruined  the  corn  crop 
and  scorching  everything  in  its  path.  Mr.  Schaefer  promptly  left  and  de- 
cided to  locate  in  Omaha.  On  his  way  eastward  he  drew  matches  to  decide 
upon  his  stopping  place  and  the  choice  fell  to  Atchison.  This  was  in  1882. 
On  reaching  this  city  he  saw  in  the  Atchison  Globe  an  advertisement,  reading: 
"Competent  man  wanted  to  take  charge  of  building,"  etc.  The  following 
morning  he  applied  for  the  job,  and  was  given  the  post  of  foreman  by  Mr. 
Jones,  a  contractor,  who  had  undertaken  to  erect  the  Presbyterian  church,  a 
stone  structure.  He  received  two  dollars  per  day  for  his  services  as  foreman, 
with  the  understanding  that  his  employer  was  to  advance  his  wages  accord- 
ing to  his  worth  as  a  foreman.  As  foreman  he  did  not  receive  any  more  pay 
than  the  men  who  were  working  under  him ;  consequently,  when  he  had  super- 
vised the  erection  of  the  stone  structure  as  far  as  the  roof,  he  quit  the  job, 
despite  the  fact  that  his  boss  offered  him  three  dollars  per  day  to  continue 
working  for  him.  Mr.  Schaefer's  first  contract  in  Atchison  was  the  erection 
of  a  barn  on  south  Third  street.  Since  his  first  job  he  has  not  lacked  for 
contracts,  and  he  has  been  employed  repeatedly  by  the  same  patrons  who  were 
well  satisfied  with  the  work  done.  His  most  notable  building  operations  in- 
cluded the  magnificent  Ingalls  high  school  building,  erected  at  a  cost  of 
$125,000;  the  G.  C.  Wattles  residence,  the  Bradley  residence,  the  Blish,  Mize 
Silliman  building,  costing  $125,000:  three  double  officers'  quarters  at  Ft. 
Leavenworth :  thirty  church  edifices  in  Kansas,  Missouri  and  Nebraska :  the 
Presbyterian  church  in  Ottawa,  Kan.,  and  the  Masonic  Temple  in  Atchison, 
built  at  a  cost  of  $65,000,  and  completed  in  December  of  191 5.  He  employs 
from  ten  to  seventy-five  skilled  men,  as  occasion  requires.     He  formerly  op- 


55f>  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

iTated  a  large  planing-  mill  on  Eighth  street,  whieh  was  destroyed  by  fire 
in  1913.  Mr.  Sehaefer  was  married  in  1884  to  Lizzie  Jacobs,  of  Atchison, 
Kan.  To  them  have  been  born  the  following  children:  Clara,  wife  of  John 
Froinnier,  Oak  street,  Atchison;  Minnie,  wife  of  John  Kiiisemark,  ()I5  North 
Eleventh  street;  Etta,  wife  of  AU)ert  I'Vonimer.  St.  Paul,  Minn. ;  Corrine.  wife 
of  Paul  Smith,  merchant,  of  .Vtcliison;  Julia.  Edwin,  Laura,  and  Ruth,  at 
home  with  their  parents.  Edwin  is  a  machinist  in  the  employ  of  the  Railway 
Specialty  Company.  Mrs.  Sehaefer  was  a  daughter  of  J.  H.  and  Catharine 
Jacobs,  who  came  from  Gennany  in  i860,  accompanied  by  their  three  chil- 
dren: Henry,  deceased;  Mrs.  Sehaefer.  and  John  E.,  and  a  son,  Conrad  V., 
was  bom  here.  The  Jacobs  first  located  in  Pennsylvania,  and  then  in  Ft. 
Wayne,  Ind.,  removing  from  there  to  Illinois  in  1865.  and  coming  to  .\tch- 
ison  in  1867.  J.  H.  Jacobs  was  employed  by  the  Hixon  Lumber  Company, 
and  died  Februar)-  8,  1896,  at  the  age  of  se\enty-two  years.  His  wife  died 
Deceml>er  26,  1895,  aged  seventy-three  years. 

Politically,  ]\Ir.  Sehaefer  is  an  independent  Republican,  and  serxed  one 
term  as  city  councilman  from  the  Fifth  ward.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Luth- 
eran church,  belongs  to  no  lodges,  and  is  essentially  a  home  man  when  he  is 
not  engaged  in  building.  His  investments  are  principally  in  .\tchison  real 
estate  and  Te.xas  farm  lands.  His  handsome  resider.ce  at  911  North  Eleventh 
street  was  remodeled  after  his  own  ideas  and  presents  an  attractive  appear- 
ance. 


AMEL  MARKWALT. 


Amel  Markwalt.  fanner,  of  Lancaster  township,  .\tchison  county,  Kan- 
sas, was  bom  in  Germany  July  14,  1864.  He  is  a  son  of  Gottlieb  and  Min- 
nie (Schraum)  Markwalt,  anil  was  one  of  five  children,  as  follows:  Gus- 
tave,  Manistee,  Mich.;  Augiista.  address  unknown;  .Amelia  (Lidkye).  widow\ 
Manistee,  Mich.;  William,  Manistee,  Mich.;  and  Amel,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch.  The  parents  were  both  German,  and  died  when  .\mel  was  but  five 
years  of  age.  He  knows  nothing  of  his  parents,  except  that  his  father  was 
in  the  German  war  of  1866,  when  the  Piiissians  were  fighting  the  Austrians. 

The  schooling  of  .\mel  was  neglected,  ow  ing  to  the  death  of  his  parents, 
and  he  spent  his  youth  working  on  a  farm  in  Germany.  In  1882  he  sailed 
for  America,  and  upon  arri\ing  in  this  country  he  went  to  work  in  the  lum- 
ber mills  at  Manistee,  Mich.,  remaining  there  three  years.  He  then  came  to 
Atchison.  Kan.,  and  worked  in  the  Central  Branch  railroad  shops  as  a  laborer. 


I 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  557 

He  (lid  various  kinds  of  work  of  a  mechanical  nature  during  his  six  years 
of  employment  there.  He  then  engaged  in  the  retail  oil  business  for  himself, 
and  finding  this  profital)le  he  enlarged  his  business  to  include  the  selling  of  ice. 
A  few  years  later  he  sold  his  business,  anfl  in  1903  bought  160  acres  of  land 
in  Lancaster  township  and  moved  there  the  following  year,  where  he  has 
since  resided.  He  has  built  a  fine  residence  and  a  barn  since  buying  the  land, 
and  has  a  two-acre  orchard.  His  barn  is  an  excellent  one,  with  a  capacity  of 
fifty  tons  of  hay. 

Amel  Markwalt  was  married  in  1885  to  Augusta  Stolp,  who  was  born 
in  Germany  August  2,  1865,  and  left  her  native  land  in  1883  and  came  to 
Atchison,  Kan.  She  is  a  daughter  of  August  and  Charlotte  (Weisgean) 
Stolp,  both  now  deceased.  Her  father  came  to  Atchison,  Kan.,  in  1884.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Markwalt  have  six  children :  Ida,  wife  of  J.  Ziegler,  Nortonvillc, 
Kan.;  William,  living  at  home;  Henry,  deceased;  Charlotte,  Elsie,  and  Otto, 
living  at  home.  Mr.  Markwalt  does  not  affiliate  himself  with  any  political 
party,  believing  that  he  can  vote  more  conscientiously  by  voting  independently. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  German  Lutheran  church. 


RUFUS  BEXTOX  PEERY. 


Dr.  Rufus  Benton  I 'eery,  jiresident  of  Midlanrl  College,  Atchison,  is  a 
true  type  of  scholarly  and  progressive  educator,  one  of  that  class  of  men  who 
seem  fitted  or  destined  for  the  high  places,  and  are  adapted  by  profound  learn- 
ing and  natural  endowments  to  be  instructors  and  leaders  of  the  youth  of  the 
land.  His  work  as  the  head  of  Midland  College  is  attracting  favorable  atten- 
tion. He  has  won  fame  as  a  lecturer  and  achieved  a  measure  of  renown  as  an 
author.  Endowerl  with  inherent  powers  of  leadership,  he  occupies  a  place 
among  the  educators  of  the  nation  which  is  unquestioned,  and  he  is  univer- 
sally recognized  as  a  man  of  brilliant  attainments  and  a  strong  personality. 
Although  he  has  occu|)ied  his  present  position  but  a  few  years,  during  that 
time  Dr.  I'eery  has  done  much  toward  advancing  the  interests  of  Midland 
College  and  pushing  this  institution  forward  to  its  rightful  place  among  the 
seats  of  learning  in  the  Middle  West. 

Dr.  Peery  is  a  native  of  Virginia,  bom  April  9,  1868,  at  Burke's  Garden, 
and  is  a  son  of  Thomas  and  Sarah  Henrietta  (Repass)  Peery.  His  father 
was  a  farmer  and  stockman,  who  eventually  Ijecame  an  extensive  buyer  and 
shipper  of  live  stock  in  Virginia  and  Tennessee.     He  traveled  over  the  region 


558  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

in  quest  of  cattle  and  other  live  stock,  buying  it  up  and  sliipping  train  loads  to 
the  New  York  City  markets.  Rufus  B.  early  learned  to  do  farm  work  and 
assisted  his  father  as  other  boys  have  been  wont  to  do  on  the  farm.  After  he 
had  entered  college  he  became  his  father's  assistant  in  the  live  stock  business 
during  his  vacations,  and  thus  earned  the  money  to  continue  with  his  studies. 
During  his  boyhood  on  the  farm  he  raised  a  fine  mare  named  "Gypsy"  which 
was  the  apple  of  his  eye.  He  became  ambitious  to  enter  college,  luit  had  not 
the  means  to  make  the  start.  His  only  recourse  seemed  to  be  to  part  with 
"Gypsy,"  and  thus  get  the  funds  to  realize  his  ambition.  He  sold  his  favorite 
for  the  sum  of  $125,  and  was  enabled  to  matriculate  in  Roanoke  College, 
Salem,  Va.,  from  which  institution  he  was  graduated  with  tlie  degree  of  A.  B. 
in  1890.     He  received  his  j\Iaster"s  degree  from  Roanoke  in  1895. 

Imbued  with  a  desire  to  enter  the  ministiy,  he  continued  his  studies 
in  tlie  theological  seminary  at  Greensburg,  Pa.,  for  the  next  two  years,  and 
was  ordained  in  the  English  Lutheran  ministry  in  1892.  Actuated  by  a  de- 
sire to  assist  the  Japanese  people,  he  became  a  missionary  and  remained  in 
the  Orient  from  1892  to  1903.  For  four  years  he  was  professor  of  theology 
in  Japan,  and  traveled  extensively  in  the  Orient,  including  the  Chinese  Em- 
pire. Being  a  close  student  and  observer  of  condition  in  the  lands  which  he 
visited  while  pursuing  his  missionary  tasks,  he  was  enabled  to  write  enter- 
tainingly, the  results  of  his  observations,  and  embody  them  in  an  interesting 
volume  "Gist  of  Japan,"  in  1897,  which  has  run  through  eight  editions.  He 
has  also  written  and  published  a  volume  entitled  "Lutherans  in  Japan,"  issued 
in  1900.  His  "Lectures  to  Young  Men"  (Japanese)  was  issued  in  1902. 
Dr.  Peery  is  a  regidar  contributor  to  religious  and  secular  journals.  His 
work  has  decided  literary  merit,  and  lie  has  attained  higli  rank  as  a  writer  on 
religious  subjects.  In  the  year  1895  ^^  received  the  degree  of  Ph.  D.  from 
the  Pennsylvania  College  at  Gettysburg.  He  took  the  non-resident  course  in 
theology  and  homiletics  in  Chicago  University  from  1898  to  1901.  In  1909 
Dr.  Peer}-  received  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity  from  Midland  College. 
Upon  his  return  from  the  far  East  he  lectured  in  America  on  Oriental  and 
missionary  subjects  from  1903  to  1905.  In  1905  he  received  a  call  and 
accepted  the  pastorate  of  St.  Paul's  Lutheran  Church  at  Denver.  He  had 
charge  of  the  Denver  churcli  until  1012  when  he  came  to  Atchison  and  be- 
came president  of  Midland  College.  \\'hile  in  Denver  he  served  as  president 
of  the  Denver  Ministerial  Association  from  1Q09  to  1910.  inclusive.  Dr. 
Peery  is  a  trustee  of-  the  Tabitha  Home  at  Lincoln,  Neb. ;  a  member  of  the 
Red  Cross  Society  of  Japan ;  member  of  the  Sons  of  the  American  Revolu- 
tion Society,  and  the  Phi  Gamma  Delta. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  559 

He  was  married  to  Letita  Rich,  of  Wytheville,  Va.,  August  21,  1905. 
To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Peery  have  Ijeen  born  six  sons,  namely :  Harold  Rich, 
Thomas  Benton  and  Rob  Roy,  born  in  Japan ;  Paul  Denver,  and  William  Wal- 
lace, bom  in  Denver,  Colo. ;  Donald  Lee,  born  in  Atchison.  Dr.  Peery,  like 
many  other  college  heads,  began  at  the  bottom  rung  of  the  ladder,  and  is  essen- 
tially self-made.  His  first  teaching  experience  was  in  the  district  schools  of  his 
native  State.  While  a  student  at  college  he  served  as  private  tutor  to  the 
student  son  of  a  wealthy  man  and  thus  earned  sufficient  funds  to  continue 
his  studies.  His  father  gave  him  a  share  of  the  proceeds  of  the  live  stock 
business  which  lie  earned  in  New  York  City,  during  his  vacations.  Notl)ing 
develops  the  individual  more  than  the  necessity  of  striving  for  himself,  and 
thus  developing  his  own  powers  by  combining  the  gaining  of  a  livelihood 
with  the  attaining  of  a  higher  education.  Dr.  Peery's  aspirations  have  been 
noble,  and  he  has  been  actuated  by  the  high  and  unselfish  purpose  of  being  of 
service  to  his  fellow  men.  Atchison  is  proud  of  Midland  College  and  the  great 
work  being  done  within  its  walls,  and  the  reputation  of  the  college  is  growing 
under  Dr.  Peery's  management. 


JOHN  L.  RATERMAN. 


From  office  boy  to  manager  for  one  of  the  most  widely  known  concerns 
in  the  United  States,  or  the  civilized  world,  is  the  story  of  the  hfe  of  him  of 
whom  this  review  is  written.  The  history  of  J.  L.  Raterman,  manager  for 
R.  G.  Dun  &  Company,  Mercantile  Agency,  shows  what  can  be  accomplished 
by  beginning  at  the  lowest  rung  of  the  ladder,  learning  every  detail  of  the 
business,  and  eventually  fitting  himself  for  the  important  and  responsible 
position  of  manager. 

The  business  of  R.  G.  Dun  &  Company  was  first  established  in  Atchi- 
son in  1886,  with  G.  T.  Bolman  as  manager.  Other  managers  succeeded  Mr. 
Bolman  in  the  course  of  time,  but  Mr.  Raterman  has  held  the  position  longer 
than  any  of  his  predecessors.  He  began  as  office  boy  in  1890,  when  but  four- 
teen years  of  age,  it  being  necessary  for  him  to  leave  his  school  studies  when 
a  pupil  of  the  sixth  grade.  During  his  idle  moments  around  the  office,  young 
Raterman  practiced  on  the  typewriter,  and  it  was  not  long  until  he  was  able 
to  do  typist's  work  efficiently  and  satisfactorily.  He  was  soon  promoted  and 
became  a  regular  typist,  and  mastered  shorthand  at  the  end  of  three  years 
of  study.  Seven  years  later  he  was  advanced  to  the  post  of  chief  clerk,  and" 
in  1900  was  promoted  to  the  important  post  of  manager  of  the  Atchison 


560  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

branch  of  R.  G.  Dun  &  Company.  As  manager,  Mr.  Raterman  travels  over 
seven  counties,  collecting  necessary  data  regarding  the  l)usiness  concerns  of 
his  territory,  including  the  six  counties  of  northeast  Kansas  and  DeKalb 
county,  Missouri.  He  is  personally  acquainted  with  practically  every  business 
man  in  his  district. 

J.  L.  Raterman  was  born  in  Atchison,  Kan.,  October  25,  1876,  a  son  of 
John  and  Elizabeth  (Myers)  Raterman,  both  of  whom  were  born  in  Germany, 
immigrated  to  this  country  in  youth  and  were  married  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 
John  Raterman  came  to  Atchison  in  1857,  and  was  one  of  tiie  well  known 
pioneer  merchants  of  the  city,  operating  a  grocery  store  here  in  tlie  early 
davs.  He  conducted  his  grocery  store  for  twenty-five  years,  and  died  Decem- 
ber 21,  igo2.  Mrs.  Raterman  is  living  in  Atcliison  at  the  adxanced  age  of 
eighty  years.     Mr.  and  Mrs.  Raterman  left  a  family  of  seven  children. 


ULYSSES  B.  SHARPLESS. 


Ulysses  B.  Sharpless,  treasurer  of  Atchison  county,  is  one  of  the  most 
successful  citizens  and  business  men  of  the  county.  He  is  the  son  of  pioneer 
parents.  Reared  on  a  pioneer  farm,  successful  as  a  merchant  and  public  offi- 
ical,  he  is  uni\'ersally  recognj^^ed  as  one  of  the  most  influential  n;en  of  .\tchi- 
son  county  today.  Mr.  ShaqDless  is  a  descendant  of  old  American  stock,  his 
ancestors  having  been  among  the  original  ico  Quaker  families  brought 
over  from  England  by  William  Penn,  and  colonized  near  and  within  the  city 
of  Pliiladelpbia,  in  1082.  Joseph  Sliarpless,  the  direct  ancestor  of  I".  R. 
Sharpless,  erected  a  stone  house  on  the  ancestral  farm  of  the  family  in  1700, 
near  the  city  of  Chester,  Pa.,  which  is  still  standing-  in  an  excellent  state  of 
preservation.  One  room  of  this  old  and  stanch  dwelling  is  still  in  exactly 
the  same  condition  as  the  original  bm'lder  left  it.  The  timbers  and  boards 
of  this  house  were  drawn  together  by  means  of  wooden  pins  instead  of  nails. 

U.  B.  Sharpless  was  born  January  18,  1870,  in  Delaware,  a  son  of  Benja- 
min T.  and  Susan  (Green)  Sharpless,  the  fonner  of  whom  was  a  native  of 
Delaware,  and  the  latter  a  native  of  Pennsylvania.  The  family  resided  in 
Delaware  until  1878  and  then  migrated  to  the  West,  settling  on  a  fami  near 
Pardee  in  Atchison  county,  Kansas.  Here  Benjamin  T.  lived  and  reared  his 
family  of  six  children,  as  follows:  Mrs.  Cora  E.  (Burdick),  deceased;  Mrs. 
Olivia  R.  (Pfouts).  deceased;  Mrs.  Susan  Ella  (Shifflet),  of  .\tchison : 
Ulysses  B.,  with  whom  this  narrative  is  directly  concerned;  Carrie  died  in 


m 


C.    M.    VOEI.KER. 

County  Clerk. 


m 


I  .    15.    SIIAKri.ESS. 

('oimty   Treasiir«T. 


S.   S.   KING, 
County    ComntiNwioner 


CIIAS.    T.    <;iM>v. 

City    'UuIko. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  561 

infancy;  Mrs.  Emma  M.  Rulings,  Center  townsliij),  Atchison  county.  Benja- 
min Sharpless  died  in  1894,  ar.d  the  mother  of  tlie  foregoing  cliildren  dejjarted 
this  life  in   1908. 

He  of  whom  this  review  is  written  was  eight  years  of  age  wlien  the 
Sharpless  family  came  to  Atchison  county.  He  was  reared  to  young  manhood 
on  his  father's  farm  and  learned  to  cultivate  the  soil  under  the  tutelage  of  his 
father,  who  was  a  successful  farmer.  He  was  educated  in  the  common  schools 
and  early  learned  to  apply  his  education  to  the  best  advantage  for  himself. 
When  twenty-one  years  of  age  he  obtained  his  first  position  as  manager  of  a 
general  store  at  Monrovia,  Kan.  This  position  entailed  a  number  of  duties 
which  kept  him  busily  employed  for  a  number  of  years.  From  1891  to  1903 
Mr.  Sharpless  managed  the  Monrovia  store,  served  as  postmaster,  and  per- 
fomied  the  duties  of  station  agent  for  the  railroad  company.  However,  he 
found  time  to  take  an  interest  in  politics  and  became  active  in  the  affairs  of 
the  Republican  party  when  yet  a  young  man.  In  1903  he  removed  to  Effing- 
ham, Kan.,  and  engaged  in  the  liardware  and  implement  and  grain  business 
•with  considerable  success.  He  still  retains  his  interest  in  this  busmess,  al- 
though now  a  resident  of  Atchison.  Mr.  Sharpless  has  also  become  a  land 
owner  in  the  county  and  has  farm  lands  near  Effingham. 

He  was  married  in  1892  to  Sadie  A.  Cook,  born  and  reared  in  Atchison 
county,  and  a  daughter  of  Thomas  F.  and  Margaret  Cook,  who  were  pioneer 
settlers  of  this  county,  coming  here  from  Missouri  in  i860.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Sharpless  have  been  born  five  children:  Gladys  A.,  Margaret  S..  Edith  \u- 
bine  died  at  the  age  of  seven  years;  Lois  A.,  and  Alice  Marie.  .\11  i>f  tlie 
living  children  are  attending  the  Atchison  public  schools. 

The  civic  and  political  career  of  Mr.  Sharpless  has  been  an  interesting 
one  and  he  has  risen  from  the  rank  and  file  of  the  Republican  party  to  become 
one  of  the  recognized  leaders  of  his  party  in  Atchison  county  and  Kansas. 
His  first  civic  office  was  as  police  judge  of  Effingham.  He  also  served  a 
term  as  mayor  of  that  city.  He  was  elected  a  member  of  the  State  legisla- 
ture from  legislalix'e  district  Xo.  3,  in  Atchison  count\-  in  njio  and 
again  elected  to  succeed  himself  in  191 2.  He  was  also  a  member  of  the  Atchi- 
son County  High  School  board  and  served  as  treasurer  of  this  organization. 
In  the  fall  election  of  19 14  he  was  elected  to  the  office  of  county  treasurer 
by  a  large  and  handsome  majority — evidence  of  his  great  personal  popularity 
among  all  classes  of  citizens.  He  assumed  the  duties  of  the  treasurer's  office 
in  October  of  191 5,  and  is  bestowing  the  same  care  and  application  in  the 
discharge  of  his  public  duties  in  this  capacity  as  he  lias  always  taken  in  tlie 
conduct  of  his  personal  business  affairs. 

36 


562  HISTORV  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

Mr.  Sharpless  is  affiliated  with  the  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons, 
Bkie  Lodge,  Xo.  48.  and  is  a  Kniglits  Templar  and  R(iyai  Arch  Mason.  He  is 
past  noble  granfl  of  Spartan  Lodge,  No.  250,  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fel- 
lows, of  Effingham,  Kan.,  and  is  a  member  of  the  Modern  Woodmen  of 
America,  of  the  latter  city.  He  is  also  fraternally  allied  with  the  Benevolent 
and  Protecti\e  Order  of  Elks,  the  Fraternal  Order  of  I'lagies,  and  the  l-'ra- 
ternal  Aid  L'nion  of  Atchison. 


COXRAD  M.  VOELKER. 


It  is  certainly  a  distinction  to  be  known  as  the  youngest  county  clerk. 
and  in  all  probability  the  youngest  county  official  ever  elected  in  the  State  of 
Kansas.  Such  is  C.  M.  Voelker,  the  efficient  and  justly  popular  county  clerk 
of  Atchison  county.  Political  honors  and  preferment  rarely  come  to  a  really 
young  man,  unless  he  is  especially  qualified  for  the  work,  and  has  a  host  of 
friends  who  are  willing  and  able  to  support  him  and  his  candidacy.  Although 
young  in  years,  Mr.  Voelker  is  performing  his  duties  in  a  manner  which 
would  reflect  distinct  credit  upon  an  older  individual. 

Conrad  M.  Voelker  is  a  native  of  Atchison  county,  liaving  been  born 
May  20,  1889,  on  a  farm,  four  miles  north  of  Atchison,  in  Shannon  town- 
ship. His  father  is  Conrad  Walker,-  who  was  born  in  Germany  November 
20,  1856,  a  son  of  Karl  and  Christiana  Voelker,  who  immigrated  to  America 
in  1861,  and  settled  on  a  farm,  two  miles  north  of  the  city,  where  he  operated 
a  dairy  and  truck  farm  until  his  demise.  To  Karl  and  Christiana  Voelker 
were  bom  the  following  children  :  Conrad;  Mrs.  Joseph  Biddle,  of  Atchison; 
Henry,  residing  in  New  Orleans;  Karl  Voelker  was  twice  married,  Mrs.  S.  L. 
Loyd,  of  Shannon  township,  being  a  daughter  of  the  second  marriage. 
Conrad,  father  of  C.  M.  Voelker,  was  reared  to  manhood  in  Atchison  county, 
and  when  he  became  of  age,  settled  on  a  160  acre  farm,  four  miles  north  of 
Atchison,  which  is  now  one  of  the  best  improved  farms  in  tlie  State  of  Kan- 
sas. For  a  number  of  years  he  specialized  in  the  cultivation  of  cabbage, 
making  a  success  of  the  venture,  and  accumulated  considerable  money.  He 
became  known  far  and  wide  as  the  "Cabbage  King"  of  Kansas,  always  hav- 
ing the  first  cabliage  on  the  market,  and  shipped  the  product  of  his  fields  to 
points  in  Kansas  and  Nebraska  in  carload  lots.  The  Voelkers  have  a  beauti- 
ful, well  appointed  home,  with  excellent  out  buildings.  Conrad  Voelker  mar- 
ried Jennie  Mueller,  who  was  born  in  Cooper  county,  Missouri,  November 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISOX  COUNTY  563 

15,  1862,  a  daughter  of  German  parents.  To  Conrad  \'oelker  and  wife  were 
born  tlie  following  children:  Fred  C.  W.,  a  farmer,  living  north  of  Atchison; 
Conrad  ]\1.     Tlie  \'oelkers  are  members  of  the  Lutheran  church. 

Conrad  AI.,  with  whom  this  narrative  is  directly  concerned,  was  edu- 
cated primarily  in  the  district  schools,  his  education  being  supplemented  with 
one  year's  studv  in  the  German  school  in  Atchison,  and  a  course  in  Midland 
College,  where  he  w-as  graduated  with  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Science  in 
1909.  He  then  completed  a  course  in  commerce  and  bookkeeping  in  the  Atch- 
ison Business  College.  W'hile  a  sophomore  of  Midland  College  he  won  first 
lionors  in  the  oratorical  contest,  and  represented  his  alma  mater  at  the  State 
oratorical  contest,  held  in  Salina.  Kan.  W'hile  yet  a  student  he  received  the 
appointment  of  deputy  county  clerk  under  Edward  Iverson,  March  13.  1910. 
He  was  elected  to  the  office  on  the  Republican  ticket  in  November.  19 12.  and 
again  elected  without  any  opposition  in  the  fall  of  1914. 

A  more  intimate  personal  view  of  this  rising  young  man  \\as  published 
in  the  Atchison  Champion  just  previous  to  assuming  the  duties  of  his  office 
after  his  election : 

"Conrad  M.  Voelker,  county  clerk  elect,  wdien  he  takes  office  January  i, 
1913,  will  have  the  distinction  of  being  the  youngest  man  ever  elected  to  the 
office  of  countv  clerk  in  Kansas.  Mr.  A^oelker.  while  he  appears  to  be  much 
older,  is  but  twenty-three  years  old.  He  is  popular;  this  was  pri)\-en  In-  the 
fact  that  he  was  elected  by  a  majority  of  955  votes. 

"Mr.  \^oelker  is  the  son  of  Conrad  Voelker.  He  was  born  four  miles 
north  of  Atchison.  He  ne\'er  passes  up  an  opportunity  to  learn  something. 
When  four  years  old  ]\Ir.  \^oelker  started  to  school.  He  was  graduated  from 
the  eighth  grade  at  ten  years  of  age,  and  in  1909  he  was  graduated  from 
Midland  College.  When  be  finished  the  common  schools  he  studied  in  a 
German  school  for  one  year;  so  he  both  reads  and  writes  German.  He  com- 
pleted a  double  course  at  the  Atchison  Business  College  in  five  months,  grad- 
uating in  March,  1910,  and  a  few  days  later  he  was  appointed  deput}-  county 
clerk.  When  Mr.  Voelker  was  eighteen  years  of  age  he  took  part  in  the  Kan- 
sas intercollegiate  oratorical  contest,  which  was  held  at  Salina.  There  were 
nineteen  other  contestants,  several  of  them  being  men  twice  the  age  of  Voel- 
ker, wdio  were  going  through  college  for  the  second  time.  Voelker  won 
fourth  place  in  the  contest,  which  in  addition  to  being  quite  an  honor,  dem- 
onstrated that  he  has  great  ability  as  a  public  speaker. 

"There  is  no  doubt  that  he  will  be  re-elected  two  years  hence.  He  un- 
doubtedly will  prove  to  be  one  of  the  most  efficient  county  clerks  in  the  his- 
tory of  the  count}'." 


564  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

The  last  paragraph  was  prophetic,  as  Mr.  \''oelker's  second  election  to  the 
office  in  1914  will  testify.  His  re-election  was  the  best  evidence  of  his  suc- 
cess and  strong  personal  popularity.  Mr.  Voelker  is  affiliated  with  several 
fraternal  societies,  an  active  part}-  worker,  what  is  known  as  a  good  mixer, 
and  a  rising  young  citizen  of  the  county,  whose  future  career  will  be  well 
worth  watcliing,  inasmuch  as  lie  is  bound  to  gain  greater  honors  in  the 
years  to  come,  and  to  climb  to  a  still  higher  place  in  the  civic  life  of  his  home 
county  and  State. 


SAMUEL  S.  KING. 


Samuel  S.  King,  a  member  of  the  board  of  county  commissioners  of  Atch- 
ison countv.  was  born  in  Moorcstown.  N.  J..  May  16.  1856.  One  year  later, 
in  1857,  he  came  to  Atchison  with  his  parents,  John  and  Violet  King,  on  a 
boat  owned  bv  Dr.  Challiss.  The  King  family  arrived  at  Atchison  in  April 
of  1857.  John  King  soon  afterward  settled  on  a  farm  six  miles  southwest  of 
Atchison,  where  Samuel  S.  lived  until  he  was  fifteen  years  of  age.  He  then 
came  to  Atchison  for  the  purpose  of  attending  the  city  schools.  During  vaca- 
tions lie  worked  for  McPike  &  Allen  (later  McPike  &  Fox).  After  finish- 
ing his  public  school  education  Mr.  King  was  employed  as  bookkeeper  for 
some  time  by  WTiite.  Waslier  &  King,  now  the  S.  R.  Washer  Grain  Company. 
He  was  also  employed  as  tookkeeper  by  McPike  &  Fox,  W.  F.  Dolan  and 
others  until  1881.  In  that  year  he  was  appointed  by  Senator  John  J.  Ingalls 
to  a  position  in  the  United  States  railway  mail  service  and  was  sent  to  New 
Mexico  and  .Arizona  as  railway  mail  agent.  Here  he  remained  in  the  United 
States  Government  service  for  about  two  years  and  then  resigned  to  enter  the 
employ  of  P.  E.  Brannen  &  Company  as  bookkeeper  and  manager  at  Flagstaff, 
Ariz.  This  firm  conducted  a  jobbing  hou.se  at  Flagstaff  which  was  then  the 
largest  town  on  the  raih-oad  between  .\lbu(|ucr(|uc,  X.  M..  and  Los  .\ngeles, 
Cal.  In  June,  1886.  he  and  his  family  returned  to  Atchison  and  Mr.  King 
became  the  confidential  bookkeeper  of  McPike  &  Fox.  wliolesale  druggists, 
and  remained  with  this  concern  until  the  fall  of  1807.  when  he'  resigned  to 
take  up  his  duties  as  county  clerk. 

Mr.  King  had  always  been  more  or  less  interested  in  politics  and  he  was 
elected  to  the  office  of  county  clerk  on  the  Republican  ticket  in  the  fall  of 
1897.  K^  ^^'35  subsequentlv  reelected  and  held  the  office  for  nine  years,  or 
until  January.  1907.  He  then  engaged  in  the  real  estate  and  insurance 
business  which  he  still  follows  with  offices  at  106  North  Fifth  street.      Mr. 


HISTOKY  Ol'  ATCHISON  COUNTY  565 

King  was  elected  mayor  of  the  city  of  Atchison  in  April,  1907,  and  served  as 
the  city  executive  for  two  years,  and  later  was  appointed  city  clerk  to  fill 
out  the  unexpired  term  of  C.  A.  Hawk,  who  resigned.  In  the  fall  of  1914 
he  was  elected  county  commissioner,  an  office  which  he  is  at  present  filling 
in  a  capable  and  efficient  manner. 

Mr.  King  was  married  April  14,  18S5,  at  Flagstaff,  Ariz.,  to  Miss  Sarah 
Hawks,  of  Newton,  Kan.  Two  children  have  been  born  of  this  marriage, 
namely,  Grace  and  Victor.  Mr.  King  is  affiliated  with  the  Ancient  Free  and 
Acce])iC(l  Masons.  tlie  P>ene\olent  and  Protective  (Jrder  of  Elks,  the  l-'raternal 
Order  of  Eagles,  of  which  lodge  he  is  a  trustee,  the  Modern  Woodmen  of 
America,  the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen,  the  Mystic  Workers,  and 
the  Central  Protective  Association.  There  are  few  citizens  who  are  more 
highly  esteemed,  and  Atchison  county  has  not  a  more  popular  pubic  official 
than  S.  S.  King. 


CHARLES  T.  GUNDY. 


This  iiistory  of  Atchist^n  county  is  issued  not  only  for  the  purpose  of 
inscribing  a  record  of  those  who  have  built  up  the  county  and  were  here  dur- 
ing the  pioneer  days  and  endured  the  hardships  of  the  pioneer  life,  but  for 
recording  as  well  the  life  stories  of  those  who  came  later  and  have  won  places 
of  merit  and  distinction  in  the  affairs  of  the  city  and  county  of  Atchison.  It 
is  probable  that  few  men  have  attained  such  eminence  as  Judge  Charles  T. 
Gundy  of  the  city  court  of  Atchison  during  his  brief  residence  here.  The 
esteem  in  which  he  is  held  and  the  successful  manner  in  which  he  has  per- 
formed tlie  duties  of  his  judicial  position  are  decided  evidences  of  his  ahilit\'. 
His  standing  among  the  members  of  the  legal  fraternity  is  high  and  he  well 
merits  the  confidence  of  his  fellow  citizens.  The  conduct  of  his  court  is 
marked  for  the  fairness  of  his  decisions  in  suits  of  equity  and  the  settlement 
of  such  cases  as  come  under  his  jurisdiction  have  been  accomplisiied  to  the 
satisfaction  of  the  parties  concerned. 

Judge  Charles  T.  Gundy  is  a  native  of  Scotland  county,  Missouri,  and 
he  was  born  and  reared  on  his  father's  farm,  eight  miles  northwest  of  the 
thriving  and  progressive  city  of  Memphis.  He  evinces  much  of  the  character- 
istics of  the  good  people  of  Scotland  county,  wlio  are  noted  for  their  liosj)iial- 
ity  anfl  kindliness.  He  was  born  lHl)ru;iry  ro,  187X.  and  is  a  son  of  George 
M.  and  Margaret  M.  fNecdham)  Gundy,  natives  of  Illinois  and  Missouri, 
respectively.  George  M.  Ckindy  was  l)orn  in  1843  rmd  is  a  son  of  Jacob 
Gundv,  a  nati\e  of  I  loll;ind.  wlio  settled  in  Sc<itland  C'ountv,  Missouri,  as  earlv 


566  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

as  1846.  George  M.  still  resides  on  the  nld  home  place  of  the  (iundy  famil\'. 
This  farm  consists  of  160  acres  of  well  tilled  land  on  which  have  been  reared 
six  children  out  of  a  family  of  seven,  as  follows:  Charles  T..  with  whom  this 
review  is  directly  concerned:  Louis  W.  and  Jacob  R.,  farmers  of  Scotland 
county,  Missouri ;  Mrs.  Corda  Crawford,  of  Scotland  county ;  Gladys,  de- 
ceased :  Pearl  and  Merl  at  home  with  their  parents.  The  mother  of  these 
children  is  a  native  of  Scotland  county,  and  was  born  in  1858.  a  daughter  of 
David  Xeedham.  a  veteran  of  the  Civil  war  and  a  scion  of  an  old  Kentucky 
family.  He  served  three  years  as  a  soldier  in  the  late  rebellion,  and  after 
returning  home  met  an  accidental  death  by  a  falling  tree.  The  ancestral  home 
of  'lie  Needhams  is  near  Frankfort,  Ky.  The  Gundy  family  is  held  in  high 
esteem  in  their  home  county  and  the  members  of  the  family  are  well  respected 
by  their  friends  and  acquaintances. 

Charles  T.  Gundy  was  educated  in  the  rural  schools  and  attended  the 
Memphis  Academy  for  one  year.  Circumstances  were  such  that  he  found  it 
necessary  to  do  considerable  studying  at  home  and  "burned  tlie  midnight  oil" 
in  the  pursuit  of  an  education.  He  fitted  himself  for  teaching  and  taught 
for  four  years  in  the  schools  of  his  native  county.  In  the  meantime  he  read 
law  and  was  successful  in  being  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1902.  For  three  years 
thereafter  he  jiracticed  his  profession  in  Memphis.  He  then  secured  a  Gov- 
ernment ])osition  in  the  postoffice  department  at  AX'ashingtim.  D.  C.  and 
pursued  his  law  studies  in  the  National  University  at  Washington.  He  grad- 
uated from  that  institution  May  30,  1908.  Having  small  desire  to  liecome  a 
mere  cog  in  a  great  machine,  as  seemed  to  be  the  U it  of  thousands  of  Gdvern- 
ment  em]ilo\es.  he  resigned  his  position  in  October  of  the  same  year  and  lo- 
cated in  Keokuk,  Iowa,  and  had  charge  of  the  farm  loan  department  of  the 
State  Central  Savings  Bank.  He  resigned  this  position  in  Marcli  of  kjio  and 
came  to  Atchison,  opening  an  office  in  the  .\uld  building  on  Commercial  street. 
Since  this  time  he  has  built  up  an  e.xcellent  practice.  He  was  appointed  city 
judge  in  December  of  1910  to  fill  a  vacancv  caused  bv  the  resignation  of 
Judge  J.  P.  -Xdams.  He  was  elected  to  the  office  in  1912  and  again  elected 
in   i()i4. 

Judge  Gundy  was  united  in  marriage  with  Eleanor  M.  McCormick  on 
.\ugust  12.  iqcA).  Mrs.  Gun(I\-  was  a  resident  of  Washington,  D.  C.  and  is 
a  daughter  of  John  McCormick,  who  died  in  1905.  Judge  Gundy  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Baptist  church  and  he  and  Mrs.  Gundy  have  a  wide  circle  of  friends 
who  esteem  them  for  their  many  likable  qualities. 

The  Repuljlican  party  has  always  claimed  the  allegiance  of  Judge  Gundy 
and  he  takes  an  active  and  influential  interest  in  political  affairs. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  567 

LOUIS  R.  KUEHNHOFF. 

Louis  R.  Kiiehnhoff,  farmer  and  stockman,  of  Lancaster  town- 
ship, Atchisdn  Cdunt}-,  Kansas,  was  Ijorn  January  i,  1880.  on  the 
farm  where  he  now  resides.  He  is  a  son  of  Charles  and  Caroline  Kuehnhoff, 
and  is  one  of  nine  children,  six  of  whom  are  living.  The  father  was  horn 
in  Germany  in  1841,  and  left  there  when  a  boy  of  sixteen  years  and  sailed  for 
Xew  York.  He  remained  there  a  short  time  when  he  went  west,  arriving  at 
St.  Joseph,  Mo.  He  had  not  been  there  very  long  when  the  Civil  war  broke 
out  and  he  enlisted  at  St.  Joseph  in  Company  B  of  the  Volunteer  infantry. 
After  the  war  w-as  over  he  was  mustered  out  at  Lexington,  Mo.,  having  won 
a  praiseworthy  military  record  in  his  country's  service.  He  then  returned  to 
civil  life  in  St.  Joseph,  Mo.,  where  he  worked  for  a  time  as  a  laborer,  receiv- 
ing eight  dollars  a  month.  Shortly  afterward  he  came  to  .\tchison  county, 
Kansas,  and  bought  eighty  acres  of  land  in  section  10,  Lancaster  township. 
Losing  oxen,  he  broke  the  ground  on  his  newly  acquired  farm  and  began  to 
improve  it  as  rapidly  as  his  resources  would  permit.  In  1894  he  retired  and 
went  to  live  at  the  National  Soldiers'  Home  at  Leavenworth,  Kan.,  where  he 
died  in  1903.     The  mother  was  born  in  Germany  in  1845,  and  died  in  1899. 

Louis  R.  Kuehnhoff  grew  up  on  his  father's  farm,  and  attended  Eden 
district  school,  and  also  District  No.  3,  Lancaster  township.  He  remained  at 
home  until  he  was  nineteen  years  of  age,  and  the  next  five  years  worked  as 
a  farm  hand,  and  then  he  bought  the  old  home  place  of  200  acres.  Louis 
Kuehnhoff  is  an  industrious  worker.  He  keeps  graded  stock  of  all  kinds  and 
takes  a  special  interest  in  fine  mules.  He  always  attends  the  county  fairs  in 
Vtchison  county  and  occasionally  makes  entries.  On  April  26,  1905,  he  was 
married  to  Lena  Werner,  who  was  horn  in  Germany  November  2,  1881.  Her 
parents  were  John  and  Marie  (Earhart)  Werner.  The  father  was  born  in 
Germany  in  1815.  He  lielonged  to  the  Masonic  lodge  in  Germany.  In  1889, 
when  he  was  quite  an  old  man,  he  came  to  America  and  settled  at  Leaven- 
worth, where  he  died  in  1891.  The  mother  was  born  in  fiermany  January 
17.  1843,  and  is  ncjw  living  with  her  children,  of  whom  there  are  si.x,  as 
follows:  Adam,  teamster,  Leavenworth,  Kan.;  Martha  Nolan,  deceased;  Liz- 
zie hnrSin.  Bowling,  Kan. ;  Katherine  Weimer,  Wallula,  W'yandotte  county, 
Kansas;  Lena,  wife  of  Mr.  Kuehnhoff,  of  this  review.  Mrs.  Kuehnhoff 
attended  the  Pleasant  Ridge  school  and  the  German  school,  north  of  Potter, 
Kan.  She  is  a  good,  loyal,  hard-working  mother,  and  has  three  children : 
^larie,  Edna  and  Edwin.  The  last  two  are  twins  and  are  three  years  old. 
In  ])iilitics  .Mr.  Knehnlidff  is  independent.     He  is  a  member  of  the  Independent 


568  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

Order  of  Odd  Fellows.  He  is  a  progressive  farmer  and  is  constantly  on  the 
lookout  for  improvements  in  agricultural  methods.  He  has  a  fine  eight-room 
house  and  a  large  barn  equipped  with  modern  conveniences.  He  also  has  a 
stone  milk-house  which  was  built  by  his  father  years  ago.  He  has  a  small  but 
thriving  orchard  and  has  twelve  head  of  fine  cattle.  Besides  these,  he  has 
four  horses  and  a  span  of  excellent  mules.  Mr.  Kuehnhoff  takes  a  lively 
interest  in  his  stock  and  in  his  farm  generally. 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  SANDERS. 

All  honor  to  the  pioneer  settlers  of  Kansas.  It  was  they  who  broke  the 
way  in  the  unpeopled  wilderness  and  endured  the  hardships  and  privations 
on  the  frontier  of  advancing  civilization  in  order  that  the  path  of  empire 
might  be  pushed  steadily  westward,  ever  onward  toward  the  setting  sun. 
Their  work  is  done ;  the  halcyon  pioneer  days  when  this  broad  land  was  but 
a  vast  unbroken  wilderness  of  waving  prairie  grass,  dotted  here  and  there 
with  belts  of  timber  along  the  streams,  is  no  more;  towns  and  cities  have 
sprung  up;  the  locomotive  shrieks  its  way  over  the  ribbon-like  rails,  hauling 
the  products  of  the  land  to  the  millions  in  need  of  sustenance,  where  once 
the  hardy  freighters  drove  their  mule  teams  and  guarded  the  precious  freight 
overland  to  the  homes  of  the  settlers  in  the  West.  Benjamin  Franklin  San- 
ders is  one  of  the  few  remaining  members  of  the  "old  guard,"  who  sixty 
years  ago  began  the  task  of  reclaiming  a  wilderness.  He  is  one  of  the  ranking 
old  pioneer  settlers  of  Atchison  count}'  and  has  lived  a  record  which  is  thrill- 
ing and  interesting  to  a  high  degree.  He  is  the  only  living  "ye  old  time 
fiddler"  in  Atchison  county,  who  with  his  comrade  was  wont  to  play  at  the 
old-time  dances  and  "hoe  downs"  in  northeast  Kansas  fifty  years  and  more 
ago. 

Benjamin  Franklin  Sanders  is  now  living  retired  in  Center  township, 
.\tchison  county.  He  was  born  August  8,  1833.  in  Franklin  county,  Mis- 
souri, and  is  a  son  of  George  and  Elizabeth  (Graham)  Sanders,  who  were 
the  parents  of  the  following  children :  Nancy  married  William  McQuillan, 
and  by  her  second  marriage  became  Mrs.  William  Burns,  and  died  in  Benton 
county,  Missouri ;  Robert,  deceased ;  Oliver  died  in  Jewell  county,  Kansas ; 
Lydia  married  Fred  Wilming,  and  died  in  Shannon  township,  Atchison 
county;  William  died  in  Franklin  county,  Missouri,  and  Benjamin,  the  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch.     Benjamin  F.  Sanders  was  sent  to  the  country  school  in 


B.  P.  Sanders  and  His  Gieat-Granddau,!':liter,  Gail  .Maxine   Keirns, 
Daughter  of    Mr.   and    Mrs.    Art   Keirns. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  569 

Franklin  county,  Missouri,  but  the  school  was  poor  and  the  roads  were  bad 
in  the  winter  time,  and,  altogether,  he  had  little  opportunity  to  learn.  His 
whole  time  in  school,  he  estimates,  did  not  amount  to  more  than  three  months. 
His  father  was  a  Kentuckian  and  followed  farming  all  of  his  life,  and  died  in 
1856,  at  the  age  of  fifty-five  years.  The  mother  was  a  native  of  Missouri  and 
of  Scotch  descent.  She  died  in  Kansas,  in  1872,  at  the  age  of  seventy-six 
years. 

At  the  age  of  twelve  Benjamin  F.  Sanders  was  apprenticed  to  a  carriage 
and  wagon-maker  in  St.  Louis,  Mo.  He  remained  there  twelve  years,  com- 
ing to  Kansas  in  1856.  He  returned  to  Missouri  for  a  short  time  and 
then  came  back  to  Kansas  the  following  year.  He  opened  a  wagon-maker's 
shop  at  Monrovia,  Atchison  county,  which  he  operated  for  two  years.  He 
then  engaged  in  farming,  taking  up  a  claim  near  where  Effingham  now  stands. 
This  was  ten  miles  from  any  settlement  then  and  Mr.  Sanders  fearing  that 
the  district  would  not  be  settled,  gave  up  his  claim  and  preempted  eighty  acres 
one  and  one-half  miles  north  of  where  he  now  lives,  in  Center  township,  and 
began  his  life  as  a  real  farmer.  He  hired  a  man  from  Iowa  who  had  six 
yoke  of  oxen  to  break  up  his  land.  He  lived  in  the  most  promitive  way  dur- 
ing the  first  years  on  this  place.  Coffee,  for  one  thing,  was  very  high  in 
price  at  that  time,  and  there  also  was  very  little  money  in  the  territory,  so  a 
substitute  for  coffee  was  used.  They  mixed  wheat  and  rye,  calling  it  essence 
of  coffee,  and  used  this  as  a  beverage  in  place  of  the  regular  coffee.  It  was 
the  same  way  with  flour.  When  he  needed  flour  he  would  take  a  quantity  of 
wheat  to  the  grist-mill  where  it  would  be  ground  into  coarse  flour,  nearest  mills 
being  at  Valley  Falls  and  Kickapoo.  His  nearest  postoffice  was  at  Oceana, 
just  north  of  Pardee,  where  the  postoffice  was  located  later.  In  i860  Mr. 
Sanders  bought  more  land.  At  one  time  he  owned  as  high  as  400  acres  of 
land  in  Center  township,  Atchison  county,  Kansas.  He  went  through  the 
whole  evolution  of  civilization,  beginning  in  a  little  log  house  on  his  first 
eighty  acres  of  land  and  passed  through  the  wild  days  of  the  liorder  war. 
In  1863  he  was  a  member  of  Captain  Whittaker's  company  of  Colonel  Mc- 
Ouigg"s  regiment  of  the  Kan.sas  State  militia.  He  participated  in  several 
skirmishes  and  was  honorably  discharged  at  Ft.  Leavenworth  in  1864. 

In  1859  Mr.  Sanders  married  Margaret  Ramsey  in  Putnam  county,  Ohio, 
who  was  born  in  1840.  She  was  a  daughter  of  John  and  Elizabeth  ("Dorothy) 
Ramsey,  natives  of  Ohio.  She  died  in  1868,  leaving  the  following  children: 
Ira,  farmer,  Whiting,  Kan.;  Bertha  (Mrs.  C.  G.  Moore),  deceased;  William 
and  Little  Joy,  both  deceased.  Mr.  Sanders  was  married  a  second  time  in 
1870  to  Mrs.  Elizabeth  (Ramsey)  Keirns,  a  sister  of  his  first  wife.    She  died 


570  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

in  May,  1904.  She  was  the  \vido\v  of  Rufus  Keirns.  and  by  lier  last  mar- 
riage three  children  were  born:  Henry  R.,  farmer,  Pardee,  Kan.;  Mrs.  Etta 
C.  Browne,  Pardee,  Kan. :  Benjamin.  Jr.,  died  when  seventeen  years  of  age. 
^Ir.  Sanders  is  a  Republican  and  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
cliurch.  He  is  now  living  with  .Arthur  Keirns.  a  son  of  his  step-son.  In 
these  days  his  life  is  rather  quiet  compared  with  the  early-day  existence 
which  he  passed  through.  Indians  camped  near  his  farm  when  he  first  came 
to  Kansas.  The  trail  to  the  Kickapoo  reservation  passed  near  his  farm  and 
the  Indians  were  constantly  traveling  back  and  fortli  along  it.  He  has  a 
hobby  of  "fiddling."  He  calls  himself  a  "fiddler"  in  distinction  from  a 
violinist.  He  played  at  the  first  corn  carnival  held  in  Atchison  and  won  a 
prize.  He  used  to  play  with  Samuel  King,  a  well  known  "fiddler."  and  they 
player  for  all  the  old  "hoe  down"  or  "break  down"  dances.  Although  he 
is  eighty-three  years  old,  he  still  plays  his  "fiddle"  with  as  much  vim  as  ever 
and  his  ear  is  just  as  ready  as  it  was  when  he  was  a  young  num.  In  addition 
to  being  a  farmer,  Mr.  Sander  has  done  a  large  amount  of  carpenter  work 
in  Kansas.  He  has  built  a  number  of  bams  and  other  buildings.  ^Ir.  San- 
ders was  elected  to  the  office  of  township  trustee  and  held  the  office  two 
terms,  having  been  reelected  at  the  close  of  his  first  term. 


KARL  AUGUST  KAMMER. 

Karl  August  Kammcr.  farmer  .ind  stockman,  Lancaster  township,  .\tchi- 
son  county,  Kansas,  was  born  on  the  farm  where  he  now  li\es,  October  12, 
1869.  and  is  a  son  of  Karl  and  Joehanna  (Hida)  Kammer.  He  is  one  of 
six  children:  Joehanna  (Gutzman).  deceased;  Emma  (Fuhrman).  Lancaster 
township;  Karl,  subject  of  this  sketch:  Julius.  Lancaster  township;  Bertha  H. 
(Buttron).  Lancaster  township;  one  child  who  died  in  infancy.  The  father 
was  born  in  Germany  in  1840.  Leaving  there  in  1862.  he  came  to  .\tchison 
county,  i\ansas,  where  he  worked  in  a  vineyard  for  two  \ears.  The  follow- 
ing four  years  he  was  employed  in  a  brewery  at  .Vtchison,  and  then  farmed 
two  years  in  Lancaster  township.  .\t  that  time  he  had  a  chance  to  buy  160 
acres  in  section  16  of  Lancaster  township,  and  with  the  aid  of  a  partner,  the 
land  was  Ixiught.  He  built  a  onc-ror)m  shanty  and  a  thatched  b.un.  and  broke 
prairie  with  the  oxen  and  jilanted  the  first  crop.  Later  a  better  house  and 
barn  were  built,  and  gradually,  other  im])ro\ements  were  added  and  a  fine 
orchard  planted.     .\t  the  time  of  his  death,  in  October.  19 10,  Mr.  Kainmer 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 


?/' 


owned  240  acres  of  land.  The  mother  was  hmn  in  Germany,  h'ebruary  20. 
1840.  and  married  in  lier  native  land  jnst  before  coming  to  America.  She 
died  in  1904. 

Karl  Kammer,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm 
in  Lancaster  township.  He  attended  High  Prairie  district  school,  No.  3,  and 
remained  on  the  home  farm  until  he  was  twenty-six  years  old,  when  he  rented 
some  land  from  his  father,  and  si.x  years  later  he  was  able  to  buy  the  land 
he  had  been  renting.  He  improved  the  farm  cnnsiderabl}-  and  stocked  it  with 
graded  cattle,  and  now  has  an  excellent  farm,  modern  in  every  respect,  con- 
sisting of  160  acres  of  land,  and  also  has  a  fine  orchard  of  two  acres. 

Mr.  Kammer  was  inarried  October  23,  1895,  to  Einma  Buttron,  a  native 
of  Lancaster  township,  Atchison  county,  born,  August  14,  1870.  She  is  a 
daughter  of  Henry  and  Rosa  (Scheu)  Buttron,  the  father  a  native  of  (ier- 
many,  born  in  1833.  When  a  young  man  he  left  his  native  land  and  came  to 
America,  locating  in  Pennsylvania  where  he  worked  as  a  blacksmith.  From 
there  he  went  to  Elgin,  111.,  and  continued  at  his  trade,  and  in  1857,  he  moved 
to  Atchison,  Kan.,  following  blacksmithing  for  a  short  time.  He  then  pre- 
empted 160  acres  of  land  in  Lancaster  township,  where  he  built  a  house.  The 
first  crop  was  destroyed  by  grasshoppers,  and  he  was  forced  to  return  to 
his  trade  during  tlie  following  winter.  \\'hen  spring  came,  he  went  back  to 
his  farm  and  that  year  was  successful  and  his  start  was  assured.  Mr.  Buttron 
bought  more  land  and  continued  to  make  improvements,  and  after  a  long 
and  prosperous  career  he  died  in  1914.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kammer  are  the  par- 
ents of  three  children :  Katherine,  Rosa  and  Henrietta,  all  living  at  home  with 
their  parents.  Mr.  Kammer  is  a  Republican,  and  is  a  member  of  the  Independ- 
ent Order  of  Odd  Fellows.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kammer  and  family  are  members 
of  the  Evangelical  Lutheran  church  of  High  Prairie  neighborhood. 


MARSHALL  J.  CLOYES. 

The  demise  of  Mar.shall  J.  Cloyes  May  5,  191 5,  marked  the  passing  of 
one  of  the  sturdy  figures  who  assisted  in  developing  .Atchison  county,  and 
was  one  of  the  grand  old  men  of  the  city.  At  the  time  of  his  death  he  was 
probably  the  oldest  li\ing  pioneer  settler  of  Atchison  county,  in  ]-)oint  of  age 
and  years  of  residence  in  the  county.  For  over  half  a  century  he  had  been  one 
of  the  well  known  and  distinguished  characters  whom  people  trusted  and  re- 
spected.    In  the  days  when  strong  men  were  required  to  redeem  a  wilderness 


572  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

and  make  it  habitable  for  men  and  their  progeny,  Marshall  Cloyes  was  one  of 
those  who  never  gave  up  the  fight.  During  the  terrible  drought  of  i860,  when 
scores  of  families  deserted  their  homes  and  left  the  State  he  and  his  family 
were  among  those  who  decided  to  remain  and  win  out  over  the  vagaries  of 
nature.  His  faith  in  the  future  of  Kansas  was  amply  justified  as  the  years 
rolled  on  and  ever  increasing  prosperity  came  to  him  and  his,  as  a  just  and 
equitable  reward  for  a  faith  and  confidence  bestowed  upon  the  new  country 
during  a  time  which  tried  men's  souls  and  caused  weaker  mortals  to  give 
up  the  fight. 

He  was  born  at  Salisbuiy,  Vt..  October  24.  1826,  and  descended  from 
sturdy  New  England  ancestry.  His  parents  were  Elijah  and  Mary  (Beach) 
Cloyes.  On  his  father's  side  his  ancestry  can  be  traced  back  in  the  centuries 
to  two  brothers  who  settled  in  New  England  in  the  seventeenth  century.  His 
grandfather  was  William  Cloyes,  who  fought  for  his  country  in  the  War  of 
1812.  The  boyhood  days  of  Marshall  were  spent  in  the  town  of  Salisbury, 
where  he  attended  the  public  schools  and  later  pursued  his  education  in  a  pri- 
vate school.  He  learned  the  trade  of  shoemaker  but  did  not  follow  it  to 
any  great  extent.  In  1847  he  engaged  in  the  lumber  business  at  Ripton,  Vt., 
and  was  there  for  twelve  years  prior  to  coming  to  Kansas.  From  the  town  in 
which  he  was  born  he  came  to  Kansas,  arriving  here  in  Atchison  June  2,  1859. 
The  following  autumn  his  wife  and  sons  followed  him  and  during  the  ensu- 
ing winter  the  family  lived  in  a  two  room  hut,  on  the  rear  of  the  lots  where 
Mrs.  Jacob  Leu's  residence  now  stands.  On  February  21.  i860,  they  loaded 
all  their  goods  in  a  wagon,  and  with  an  ox  team  moved  to  a  farm  north  of 
Lancaster.  During  the  night  an  old-time  Kansas  blizzard  gave  them  a  cold 
reception  in  their  new  home.  W'hen  Mr.  Cloyes  had  agreed  to  pay  $650  for 
his  first  quarter  section  of  land  he  was  still  shy  $2.50  of  the  necessary  amount, 
and  was  forced  to  borrow  this  small  sum  from  a  kind  neighbor.  During  the 
following  summer  he  worked  in  Oliver  Davis'  sawmill  and  got  enough  lumber 
to  build  a  shanty  on  his  farm.  While  this  was  building  the  family  lived  in 
two  rooms  in  the  home  of  John  S.  Rust.  In  the  fall  of  the  bad  year  of  i860, 
Mr.  Cloyes  decided  to  try  to  cash  in  on  the  reputation  he  had  left  behind  him 
in  Vermont,  and  applied  to  an  uncle  for  a  loan  of  $400.  The  uncle  readily 
responded  with  the  statement  in  his  letter,  "If  you  are  ever  able,  I  know  you 
will  pay  it  back ;  if  you  are  never  able  to  pay  it  back  I  can  get  along  without 
it."  During  tlie  summer  Mr.  Cloyes  put  in  his  spare  time  cutting  prairie  hay 
and  stacking  it.  Wlien  fall  and  winter  came  on  the  returning  freighters  from 
Pike's  Peak  were  willing  to  sell  their  oxen  and  wagons  for  almost  any  price. 
Mr.  Cloyes  invested  a  part  of  his  $400  capital  in  these  outfits,  wintered  the 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  573 

cattle  on  the  hav,  and  in  the  spring  was  able  to  dispose  of  the  oxen  for  more 
than  double  the  purchase  prices.  During  the  next  two  years  he  was  enabled 
to  pay  off  all  of  his  debts,  and  prosperity  attended  his  efforts  from  that  time 
on.  By  the  hard  work  and  good  management  of  himself  and  his  two  sons 
he  increased  his  holdings  to  an  entire  section  of  land.  He  remained  on  the 
farm  until  1872,  then  gave  the  fann  to  his  sons  and  removed  to  a  home  at 
417  North  Seventh  street  in  Atchison. 

On  July  5,  1848,  Mr.  Cloves  was  married  to  Miss  Betsy  Henderson,  of 
Middleburv,  Vt.,  wlio  died  in  Atchison  in  1893,  leaving  two  sons,  Frank  E. 
and  Mark  S.  On  September  15,  1909,  he  took  a  second  wife,  the  bride  being 
this  time  Mrs.  Matilda  Franke,  of  Atchison.  She  was  born  at  Thuringen, 
Germany,  November  16,  1855,  a  daughter  of  John  and  Christiana  (Temme) 
Franke,  who  immigrated  to  America  in  1858,  making  the  long  sea  voyage  in 
a  sailing  vessel  which  took  six  long  weeks  to  make  a  trip,  w^hich  is  now 
made  in  six  days.  From  New  York  City  the  Frankes  came  directly  to  St. 
Louis,  and  there  made  their  home  until  their  removal  to  Atchison.  At  the 
outl)reak  of  the  Civil  war,  John  Franke  volunteered  his  services  in  defense  of 
the  Union  which  had  given  him  a  home.  He  served  in  a  Missouri  regiment  of 
volunteers  for  one  year,  and  was  then  discharged  on  account  of  serious  dis- 
ability, caused  by  the  hardships  which  he  had  undergone.  He  was  never 
the  same  man  afterwards,  and  died  in  1865  as  a  direct  result  of  his  disabilities 
incurred  in  behalf  of  his  adopted  country.  The  mother  and  family  lived  in 
St.  Louis  until  1883  when  they  removed  to  Atchison.  Mrs.  Franke  died  some 
years  later  at  the  home  of  her  daughter,  Mrs.  Clones.  Matilda  Franke  was 
first  married  to  Theo  A.  Franke,  a  native  of  Saxony,  Germany,  in  1879,  and 
who  came  to  America  when  a  youth  of  eighteen  years  of  age,  and  settled  in 
Pittsburgh,  Penn.  Theo  A.  Franke  was  also  a  veteran  uf  the  Ci\il  war,  hav- 
ing enlisted  in  1861  in  Company  D,  Seventy-fourth  regiment,  Pennsylvania 
infantry.  He  served  throughout  the  great  conflict  and  was  wounded  several 
times  while  participating  in  tlie  battles  fought  by  the  Army  of  the  Potomac. 
He  enlisted  again,  after  being  discharged  on  account  of  a  serious  wound,  and 
was  a  brave  and  valiant  soldier  who  fought  for  sheer  love  of  liis  adopted 
country.  Mr.  Franke's  first  trip  to  Atchison  was  made  in  1859,  but  he  re- 
turned to  Pittsburg  upon  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  war  and  there  proffered 
his  services  as  stated  above.  Fie  returned  to  Atchison  after  the  close  of  the 
war  and  here  met.  in  the  course  of  years,  Matilda,  wlio  was  visiting  friends  in 
Atcliison.  Tiieir  accjuaintance  ripened  into  a  warm  friendsliip  which  gave 
place  to  love  and  they  were  married  March  10,  1879.  A  happy  w-edded  life 
endured  until  Mr.  Franke's  death  in   1882.     Children  blessed  lliis  union  as 


574  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

lows:  Rose  M..  wife  of  Bert  Gilmore,  an  electrician  of  Atchison:  Elsa, 
wife  of  Fred  Moore,  a  railway  engineer  of  Falls  City,  Neb. ;  Theo  Franke.  of 
Pierce.  Ariz.  During  Mr.  Frankes  first  year  of  residence  in  Atchison  he 
was  a  freighter  across  the  pains.  Upon  his  return  in  1865  he  entered  the 
grocery-  business  and  prospered,  accumulating  considerable  property  interests. 
He  was  well  known  in  Atchison  and  was  considered  to  be  one  of  the  city's 
most  substantial  men. 

Mr.  Cloves  was  prominently  identified  with  the  political  affairs  of  the 
county  and  was  an  intluential  leader  of  the  Republican  party  for  many  years. 
Even  before  coming  to  .\tchison  from  the  farm  he  had  taken  an  active  in- 
terest in  politics  in  his  home  township  and  county.  He  was  elected  to  repre- 
sent his  district  in  the  State  legislature  in  1867.  leaving  the  impress  of  his 
individuality  upon  laws  passed  in  the  following  session.  For  eight  years  he 
sened  in  the  Atchison  city  council  and  in  1S91  was  elected  mayor.  Two 
years  later  he  was  reelected.  Honorable  and  thoroughly  upright  in  all  his 
dealings,  his  administrations  were  characterized  by  integrity,  sound  judg- 
ment and  an  unusual  amount  of  good  sense.  He  was  a  member  of  \\'ashing- 
ton  Lodge,  Xo.  5.  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  and  all  who  knew 
him  respected  him  for  his  sterling  worth. 


MARK  D.  SXYDER. 


Mark  D.  Snyder,  retired  fanner,  living  in  Monrovia.  Atdiison  county, 
Kansas,  is  a  native  son  of  Kansas,  having  been  born  in  .\tchison  county 
November  2,  1858.  He  is  a  son  of  Hon.  Solomon  J.  H.  Snyder,  one  of  the 
influential  figures  of  the  early  pioneer  days  of  Kansas,  and  who  was  a 
stanch  and  uncompromising  adherent  of  the  Free  State  principles.  The  father 
of  Mark  D.  was  bom  in  Washington  county.  Maryland.  Februar}-  7.  18 12. 
and  died  at  Monrovia,  Atchison  county.  November  28.  1873.  ^^  hen  eiglit 
vears  of  age  he  accompanied  his  father  to  TuscaraAvas  county,  Ohio,  where 
he  was  educated  in  the  district  schools  and  a  graded  school  at  Canton.  Ohio. 
Between  1830  and  1833  he  cleared  a  farm  of  160  acres  of  heavily  timbered 
land.  In  1838  he  married  Susan  Winklepleck  and  then  cleared  and  cultivated 
a  tract  of  timber  land  which  he  purchased  until  1848.  His  wife  died  in  that 
year,  leaving  him  with  three  small  cliildren.  He  sold  all  of  his  holdings. 
placed  his  children  with  neighborhood  families  and  then  traveled  4,000 
miles  in  an  endeavor  to  forget  his  great  loss  and  overcome  his  grief  over 


1 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 


0/J 


tlie  death  of  his  wife.  Later,  he  married  Eliza  Fisher,  and  in  1852  removed 
to  Indiana,  and  then  came  west  to  Ft.  Leavenworth  in  1854.  On  the  morn- 
ing of  May  4,  1854.  he  made  the  first  legal  homestead  claim  ever  entered 
in  the  State  of  Kansas,  comprising  the  land  upon  which  the  southern  part  of 
the  city  of  Leavenworth  now  stands,  and  then  returned  to  Indiana  for  his 
family.  On  his  return  to  his  homestead  he  found  his  claim  "jumped"  and  the 
country  in  the  hands  of  Ixjrder  ruffians.  He  was  driven  from  the  polls  at 
the  first  election  held  in  the  Territory  on  account  of  his  Free  Soil  principles. 
Two  other  claims  wliich  he  bought  were  wrested  from  him  by  a  pro-slavery 
"squatter  court,"  his  life  threatened,  and  he  sought  refuge  in  an  unsettled  part 
of  the  State  where  Monrovia  now  stands.  Here  he  made  his  home  and  be- 
came prominently  identified  with  the  politics  of  the  new  State  of  Kansas. 
In  1862  Mr.  Snyder  was  elected  to  the  State  legislature  and  served  for  two 
terms  in  the  house  of  representatives,  and  one  in  the  senate,  where  he  did 
faitliful  and  conscientious  work  in  behalf  of  the  people  of  Kansas. 

Solomon  J.  H.  Snyder  w-as  a  devoted  Christian,  and  was  one  of  the  or- 
ganizers of  the  first  Lutheran  church  organization  in  the  State,  at  Monrovia, 
of  which  he  remained  a  member  until  his  demise.  He  was  a  great  Sunday 
school  worker  and  wrote  two  very  interesting  and  valuable  Sunday  school 
books,  "The  Lost  Children"  and  "Scenes  in  the  Far  West,"  and  at  the  time  of 
his  death  was  engaged  in  the  preparation  of  a  work  entitled,  "The  Evidences 
of  Christianity."  His  influence  was  ever  in  behalf  of  the  betterment  of  man- 
kind and  his  Christianity  was  of  the  practical  kind  which  introduces  helpful- 
ness, kindness  and  forbearance  into  our  daily  lives.  The  children  of  S.  J.  H. 
and  Eliza  (Fisher)  Snyder  were  as  follows:  Angeline  (Conley),  deceased; 
^Irs.  Sarali  Dunn,  of  Anadarko.  Okla. :  Mrs.  Cora  Shifflet,  deceased,  and 
Mark  D.  The  three  children  by  his  first  wife  were :  Mrs.  Susan  Reck,  de- 
ceased ;  Mrs.  Anna  Berndt,  of  Mexico  City,  and  J.  H..  San  Diego,  Cal.  The 
mother  of  these  children  was  born  in  Ohio  in  1838,  and  died  at  her  home  near 
Monrovia,  in  1896. 

Mark  D.  Snyder,  with  whom  this  review  is  directly  concerned,  was  born, 
reared,  and  reared  his  own  family  in  Atchison  county.  He  is  one  of  the  real 
native  bom  citizens  of  the  county.  Upon  the  death  of  his  father  he  took 
charge  of  the  old  home  place,  and  when  his  mother  died  he  purchased  the 
family  estate.  By  the  exercise  of  industry  and  economy,  aided  by  good 
financial  judgment,  he  has  become  the  owner  of  240  acres  of  excellent  land 
which  is  well  improved  and  one  of  the  most  productive  tracts  of  land  in  north- 
east Kansas.     He  cultivated  his  broad  acres  assiduously  until  1909,  when  he 


5/6  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

turned  over  the  management  of  his  farm  to  his  son,  and  retired  to  Monrovia, 
where  he  now  resides. 

Mr.  Snyder  was  married  November  30,  1881,  to  Helen  M.  Maxfield,  and 
this  union  has  been  blessed  with  eight  children,  namely :  Elsie  and  Minnie, 
deceased ;  John,  who  is  farming  the  home  place;  Mark,  living  in  Omaha,  Neb.; 
Mildred,  deceased;  Margaret  and  Marguerette,  twins,  deceased;  James,  a  boy 
twelve  years  old,  living  with  John  on  the  home  farm.  The  mother  of  these 
children  was  born  in  Henry  county,  Illinois,  a  daughter  of  David  and  Anna 
(Freeze)  Maxfield,  who  first  emigrated  from  Illinois  to  Sedgwick  county, 
Kansas,  and  in  1873  came  to  Atchison  county.  Mrs.  Sn\der  died  in  1909. 
Mr.  Snyder  has  always  been  a  loyal  supporter  of  the  Republican  party,  is  an 
attendant  of  the  Lutheran  church,  and  is  a  member  of  the  Ancient  Order  of 
United  Workmen,  of  Effingham,  Kan. 


EDWARD  PERDUE. 


Edward  Perdue,  president  of  the  First  National  Bank  of  Atchison,  and 
extensive  farmer,  of  Huron,  Kan.,  has  been  a  resident  of  Atchison  county 
for  the  past  forty-five  years.  Like  other  successful  men  who  were  pioneers 
in  Kansas,  he  arrived  here  from  Canada  when  a  young  man  of  twenty  years 
of  age  without  money,  but  possessed  of  strength,  a  willingness  to  work  at 
honest  labor  and  an  ambition  to  succeed.  How  well  he  has  succeeded  is  seen 
in  the  substantial  fortune  which  he  has  accumulated  and  the  honors  which 
have  been  conferred  upon  him  by  his  fellow  citizens. 

Mr.  Perdue  was  born  on  a  farm  in  Peterboro  county,  Ontario,  Canada. 
June  27,  1850,  a  son  of  Thomas  and  Catharine  Perdue,  natives  of  Ireland, 
who  left  the  Emerald  Isle  in  their  youth  and  settled  in  Canada.  Edward 
Perdue  was  reared  to  sturdy  young  manhood  on  the  parental  farm  and  at- 
tended the  country  school  in  the  vicinity  of  his  home  as  opportunity  afforded. 
In  March  of  1870  he  arrived  in  Atchison,  and  during  his  first  year  worked 
at  any  odd  jobs  which  were  presented,  including  labor  on  the  streets  and  har- 
vesting on  the  nearby  farms.  During  the  following  five  years  he  was  em- 
ployed as  a  construction  foreman  on  the  grading  and  building  of  the  Santa 
Fe  railroad  from  Atchison  to  the  Colorado-Kansas  State  line.  He  saved  his 
money  and  by  the  exercise  of  strict  economy,  which  meant  the  denial  to  him- 
self of  all  but  the  actual  necessities  of  life,  he  was  enabled  to  accumulate  suf- 
ficient funds  to  invest  in  a  farm  near  the  town  of  Huron,  on  which  he  resided 


^^)^iiuj-t4^>^*C~     /eA.A<,c^ 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  577 

for  the  next  five  years.  He  then  sold  this  farm  and  bought  another  one  about 
one  and  one-half  miles  east  from  Huron,  which  remains  his  home  to  the 
present  time.  Mr.  Perdue  has  given  his  attention  mostly  to  the  raising  and 
feeding  of  live  stock  in  his  farming  operations  and  has  succeeded  in  amassing 
a  comfortable  fortune  during  the  forty  years  he  has  been  an  agriculturist.  He 
has  increased  his  land  holdings  until  at  the  present  time  he  is  the  owner  of 
1,040  acres  of  splendid  farm  lands  in  Lancaster  township.  His  home  fann 
is  one  of  the  Ijest  improved  tracts  of  farm  land  in  the  county  and  all  of  his 
farms  show  the  results  obtained  from  soil  conservation  and  advanced  methods 
of  farming. 

\\'hile  Mr.  Perdue  has  been  primarily  a  farmer,  he  has  given  his  atten- 
tion to  other  matters  as  betokens  a  man  of  influence  and  substance.  In  the 
year  1891  he  assisted  in  the  organization  of  the  Huron  State  Bank  and  is 
president  of  this  thriving  concern.  In  1906  he  took  part  in  the  organization 
of  the  Commercial  State  Bank  of  Atchison,  which  was  succeeded  later  by  the 
First  National  Bank,  of  which  banking  institution  he  has  served  as  president 
since  1900.  He  is  also  a  stockholder  of  the  State  Savings  Bank  of  Leaven- 
worth, Kansas. 

Mr.  Perdue  was  married  in  1878  to  Mary  Viola  Davey,  of  Brown  county, 
Kansas,  a  daughter  of  Charles  Davey,  which  marriage  has  resulted  in  the 
birth  of  seven  children,  as  follows :  Mrs.  Maria  Walters,  living  on  a  farm 
near  Huron;  Edna,  wife  of  J.  M.  Delaney,  merchant,  of  Huron,  Kan.;  Mrs. 
Mabel  Schmidt,  wife  of  the  assistant  cashier  of  the  Huron  State  Bank;  Charles, 
who  is  cultivating  the  home  farm;  Thomas  Hendricks,  at  home;  George,  a 
farmer  in  North  Dakota ;  and  Edward,  Jr. 

Mr.  Perdue  has  been  a  life-long  Democrat,  who  has  ahva\s  taken  a 
more  or  less  active  part  in  the  ])olitical  affairs  of  the  county.  He  was  elected 
county  commissioner  in  1897  and  served  one  term.  In  1904  he  served  one 
term  as  a  member  of  the  State  legislature,  representing  this  district,  declin- 
ing reelection  when  his  term  of  office  expired.  While  he  was  reared  in  the 
Catholic  belief,  Mr.  Perdue  is  tolerant  of  all  creeds  and  takes  a  broad-minded 
view  of  religious  matters.  He  belongs  to  the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Work- 
men and  the  Modern  Woodmen. 


DR.  CHARLES  L.  HIXON. 


Dr.  Charles  L.  Hixon.  a  leading  denial  practitioner  of  Atchison,  is  a 
native  son  of  Kan.sas  and  comes  of  a  pioneer  family  of  the  State.  He  was 
bom   on   a   farm   in  Jackson   county,   Kansas,  January    14,    1872,   and    is   a 

17 


5/8  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

son  of  John  S.  and  Alice  (Clark)  Hixon.  His  father,  John  S.  Hixon,  was 
born  in  Ohio  in  1850,  a  son  of  Jacob  and  Cassandra  (Stonebraker)  Hixon, 
who  resided  in  Ashland  county,  Ohio,  until  their  removal  to  Putnam  county, 
Indiana,  in  the  early  pioneer  days  when  that  part  of  the  Hoosier  State  was 
being  settled  by  large  numbers  of  Ohio  people.  Alice  Clark  Hixon,  mother  of 
Dr.  Hixon,  was  likewise  bom  in  1850  in  Putnam  county,  Indiana,  a  daugh- 
ter of  Andrew  Jackson  and  Harriet  (Mann)'  Clark,  natives  of  New  York 
State,  and  also  pioneer  settlers  of  Putnam  county,  Indiana.  While  John  S. 
Hixon  and  Alice  Clark  were  attending  the  district  school  in  the  neighborhood 
of  their  respective  homes,  they  became  great  friends,  and  the  warm  friendship 
ripening  into  love  which  culminated  in  their  marriage  several  years  later  in 
Jackson  county,  Kansas. 

The  Hixons  and  Clarks  were  essentially  pioneers,  and  the  history  of  the 
family  for  generations  shows  that  some  member  of  the  family,  or  several  of 
them,  have  lieen  continually  pushing  westward  and  settling  in  the  newer 
countries.  Jacob  Plixon  w'as  one  of  the  first  men  in  his  neighborhood  to 
hearken  to  the  call  of  the  West,  and.  after  disposing  of  his  land  holdings  in 
Putnam  county,  Indiana,  he  with  all  of  his  family  migrated  to  Kansas,  set- 
tling in  Jackson  county.  They  arrived  in  Atchison  during  the  stormy  days 
of  the  Civil  war,  and  at  a  time  when  the  local  vigilance  committee  was  in 
control  of  community  affairs  and  were  naturally  very  suspicious  of  all 
strangers.  There  had  been  considerable  lawlessness  in  Atchison  and  neigh- 
boring towns  and  many  outrages  had  been  perpetrated  by  border  ruffians  and 
outlaws.  The  \<igilance  committee  had  taken  charge  of  the  affairs  and  had 
summarily  lynched  three  men  on  the  banks  of  White  Clay  creek  just  previous 
to  the  arrival  of  the  Hixon  family.  Mr.  Hixon  was  interrogated  as  to  his 
loyalty  to  the  Union  and  asked  his  intentions.  His  replies  being  satisfactory 
to  the  memlicrs  of  the  committee,  he  was  allowed  to  proceed  on  his  way  to 
Jackson  county  and  arrived  at  Holton,  Kansas,  without  further  delay.  Jacob 
Hi.xon  settled  on  a  fine  farm  near  Holton,  developed  it  and  prospered  as  the 
years  rolled  on  and  the  country  l>ecame  more  and  more  settled.  He  died  in 
1905,  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-four  years,  his  wife,  Cassandra,  depart- 
ing this  life  in  1885. 

The  Clark  family  came  to  Kansas  from  Indiana  in  1868,  and  Andrew 
Jackson  Clark  naturally  settled  in  that  part  of  Jackson  county  where  his  old 
friend  and  neighbor  had  chosen  his  place  of  residence.  The  intimacy  which 
had  existed  between  the  two  families  in  Putnam  county,  Indiana,  was  re- 
newed, and  as  time  went  on.  John  S.  Hixon  and  Alice  Clark  grew  to  ma- 
turity and  were  united  in  marriage.     Their  married  life  has  been  a  happy 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  579 

and  prosperous  one,  and  five  children  have  blessed  this  union  :  Dr.  Charles 
L.  Hixon,  with  whom  this  review  is  directly  concerned ;  Mrs.  J.  C.  Neeley, 
of  Weiser,  Idaho ;  Ernest  H.  Hixon,  of  Kansas  City,  Mo. ;  one  child  died  in 
infancy.  John  S.  Hixon  became  prominently  identified  with  the  civic  life  of 
Jackson  county  and  is  serving  his  county  well  and  faithfully  as  treasurer 
for  two  terms,  having  been  elected  on  the  Republican  ticket  in  19 12  and  again 
in  1914.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  S.  Hixon  reside  in  Holton,  in  Jackson  county, 
and  are  prosperous  and  well  respected  in  the  neighborhood. 

Dr.  C.  L.  Hixon  spent  his  boyhood  days  on  the  farm  and  early  learned 
to  assist  in  the  farm  work.  He  received  his  elementary  education  in  the  dis- 
trict schools,  and  was  ambitious  to  secure  a  higher  education.  He  has  prac- 
tically educated  himself,  and  after  learning  all  that  was  possible  for  him  to 
learn  in  the  country  school,  he  attended  Campbell  College,  at  Holton,  Kan., 
for  two  years.  His  ambition  was  to  become  a  dentist,  and  with  this  end  in 
view  he  matriculated  in  the  University  of  Iowa  in  1895.  After  spending  two 
profitable  years  in  this  institution  in  the  study  of  dentistry  he  returned  home, 
and  a  short  time  later  opened  an  office  in  Atchison,  where  he  has  practiced 
continuously  for  the  past  eighteen  years.  After  seven  years  of  practice  in 
his  first  location,  he  opened  well  equipped  offices  at  519  Commercial  street, 
and  remained  there  until  his  removal  to  his  present  location  at  613  Com- 
mercial street,  where  he  has  offices  equipped  with  all  the  latest  appliances  for 
facilitating  his  work.  Dr.  Hixon  is  kept  ver\'  busy  attending  to  the  calls 
made  upon  him  in  the  practice  of  his  profession,  and  during  the  many  years 
he  has  been  located  in  Atchison,  he  has  built  up  an  extensive  and  lucrative 
practice.  He  finds  time,  however,  to  keep  abreast  of  the  latest  developments 
made  in  his  profession,  and  is  ever  seeking  to  better  his  skill  and  knowledge 
of  dentistry.  He  has  been  distinctly  honored  by  the  members  of  his  profes- 
sion, having  served  as  president  of  the  Northeast  Kansas  Dental  Association, 
and  is  at  present  an  active  member  of  this  association.  He  is  a  leading  meiii- 
I)er  of  the  Atchison  Dental  As.sociation,  and  ranks  high  in  his  profession, 
not  only  as  a  successful  practitioner,  but  as  a  citizen  who  has  the  best  inter- 
ests of  his  home  city  at  heart.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Ancient  Free  and  Ac- 
cepted Masons.  Washington  Lodge,  No.  3,  and  is  fraternally  affiliated  with 
the  Odd  Fellows,  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America,  the  Rebekah  and  Eastern 
Star  lodges. 

Dr.  Hixon  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Inez  B.  Horn  in  1902,  and 
one  child  has  been  born  to  this  union,  Charles  Horn  Hixon,  born  May  25, 
1907.    Mrs.  Inez  B.  Hixon  was  born  in  Atchison  county,  a  daughter  of  J.  H. 


580  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

and  Catharine  (Wallick)  Horn,  who  reside  at  1126  North  Third  street,  Atch- 
ison. Mrs.  Horn  is  a  daughter  of  Benjamin  Walhck,  who  served  as  sheriff 
of  the  county  during  the  time  of  the  Civil  war. 


LOUIS  KLOEPPER. 


Louis  Kloepper,  farmer  and  stockman  of  Lancaster  township,  Atchison 
county,  was  born  Januar}-  18,  1888,  on  the  farm  where  he  now  hves.  He  is  a 
son  of  ^^'i^iam  and  Fredericka  (Von  Derahe)  Kloepper,  who  were  the  par- 
ents of  four  children  as  follows:  Louis,  subject  of  this  sketch;  Emma,  de- 
ceased ;  William,  deceased ;  Pauline,  living  at  home.  The  fatlier  was  bom 
in  Germany,  December  14,  1853.  He  left  there  in  1883  and  came  directly 
to  Atchison  county,  Kansas,  where  he  bought  eighty  acres  of  land  in  section 
27,  Lancaster  township.  He  farmed  this  one  year,  and  in  1885  returned  to 
Germany  to  be  married.  In  1886  he  returned  to  his  farm  and  began  to 
improve  it,  building  a  large  eight-room  liouse  in  1899  in  place  of  the  little 
three-room  affair  which  stood  on  the  place.  In  1903  he  built  a  fine  32x40 
feet  granary,  and  in  1904  he  erected  a  large  barn,  40x48  feet.  The  follow- 
ing year  he  bought  more  land  and  put  up  additional  buildings,  building  in 
1908  another  barn,  32x40  feet.  At  the  time  of  his  death,  February  7.  1913, 
he  owned  240  acres  of  well  improved  land  under  cultivation,  and  thirteen 
acres  of  fine  timber  land.  This  achievement  is  the  more  remarkable  in  view 
of  the  fact  that  he  landed  with  only  $1,200.  But  he  was  industrious,  and 
worked  faithfully  to  improve  his  fami.  He  was  a  member,  trustee  and 
steward  of  the  German  Lutheran  church.  His  wife  was  born  in  Germany, 
February  15,  1858,  and  is  a  daughter  of  Henry  and  Fredericka  (Von  Behren") 
Von  Derahe,  natives  of  Germany.  The  mother  is  now  living  with  her  son, 
Louis. 

Louis  Kloepper  attended  the  old  Huron  school  of  Lancaster  township, 
and  grew  to  manhood  on  the  fann  which  he  now  operates.  Since  the  death 
of  his  father  he  has  had  charge  of  the  farm  and  has  worked  to  the  extent  of 
his  ability  in  installing  modern  improvements  on  his  place.  He  owns  160 
acres  in  section  27,  Lancaster  township,  in  addition  to  the  home  place,  and 
has  three  acres  of  orchard  and  grove.  He  also  has  a  vineyard  which  was 
the  feature  of  the  place  which  Louis,  and  his  father  before  him,  always  loved 
most.  Sjjecial  attention  has  been  given  to  the  vineyard  when  other  things 
had  to  be  neglected,  perhaps.     It  is  the  pride  of  Mr.  Kloepper's  place.     He 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  58  1 

keeps  graded  stock  and  is  a  practical  farmer.  He  now  is  operating  400  acres 
of  land,  114  acres  of  which  are  in  corn,  and  ninety-three  acres  are  in  clover, 
the  latter  ha\'ing  been  unusually  successful.  He  owns  a  threshing  outfit  and 
two  clover  hullers,  a  corn  shredder,  and  three  gas  engines.  He  utilizes  these 
engines  in  numerous  ways,  including  pumping  and  threshing  and  plowing. 
Mr.  Kloepper  has  a  modern  farm  in  every  way  and  has  all  up-to-date  improve- 
ments of  a  labor  and  time  saving  kind,  as  well  as  an  automoljile.  He  is  a 
stockholder  in  the  Farmers'  Mercantile  Association  of  Effingham.  Kan.  He 
is  a  practical  farmer,  of  the  progressive  type. 

In  igii  he  married  Marie  Meier,  a  native  of  Germany,  born  July  3,  1888. 
She  is  a  daughter  of  Henry  and  Fredericka  (Finke)  Meier,  and  was  educated 
in  Germany  and  left  her  native  land  at  the  age  of  seventeen.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Kloepper  have  two  children,  Fredia,  born  November  13,  191 1,  and  Emma, 
born  x^pril  21,  1913.  Mr.  Kloepper  is  an  independent  voter.  He  belongs  to 
the  German  Lutheran  church. 


CHARLES  \y.  FERGUSON. 


Charles  W.  Ferguson,  vice-president  of  the  Atchison  Savings  Bank,  is 
one  of  the  best  known  men  in  financial  circles  of  northeastern  Kansas,  and 
he  is  equally  as  well  known  over  a  large  section  of  western  Missouri.  Mr. 
Ferguson  was  born  at  Plattsburg,  Mo.,  December  29.  1862,  and  is  a  son  of 
William  L.  and  Fannie  A.  (Carpenter)  Ferguson,  both  natives  of  Kentucky, 
whose  parents  were  Virginians  and  very  early  settlers  of  the  Blue  Grass  State. 
The  Ferguson  family  removed  from  Kentucky  to  Missouri  about  1831.  They 
came  up  the  Missouri  river  by  boat  as  far  as  Liberty  Landing,  and  later  located 
in  Clinton  county,  Missouri.  The  father  was  a  merchant  and  also  engaged 
in  the  grain  business,  and  was  an  all  around  progressive  business  man.  He 
was  a  Republican,  and  in  1862  A\as  elected  sheriff  of  Clinton  county,  being 
the  first  Republican  elected  to  office  in  that  county  within  a  period  of  twenty- 
five  years.  During  the  Civil  war  he  was  captain  of  the  Home  Guards.  He 
died  in  1893,  age  64  years.  Charles  W.  Ferguson  is  one  of  a  family  of  six 
children,  as  follows  :  John  L.,  assistant  general  passenger  agent  of  the  Chicago 
&  Northwestern  railroad,  Chicago,  111.;  Mary  F.,  widow  of  M.  B.  Riley,  and 
resides  in  St.  Joseph,  Mo. ;  Adelia  M.,  Plattsburg,  Mo. ;  Katherine,  Plattsburg, 
Mo. ;  Charles  W.,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  and  Louis,  a  conductor  on  the 
Chicago  &  Northwestern  railroad,  resides  at  Highland   Park.   111.      Charles 


583  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

W.  Ferguson  attended  the  public  schools  in  Plattsburg  until  he  was  thirteen 
years  old,  and  at  that  early  age  went  to  work  in  the  express  office  at  Platts- 
burg, where  he  remained  about  five  years.  He  then  entered  the  employ  of 
Stonum  Brothers,  remaining  with  that  company  two  years.  He  then  accepted 
a  position  in  the  Plattsburg  Bank,  as  bookkeeper  and  assistant  cashier,  remain- 
ing with  that  institution  for  seven  years.  He  then  went  with  the  Schuster- 
Hax  National  Bank,  St.  Joseph,  Mo.,  as  receiving  teller,  and  served  in  that 
capacity  for  four  years.  He  resigned  that  position  in  June,  1894.  to  become 
bookkeeper  of  the  Exchange  National  Bank  of  Atchison.  He  served  with 
that  institution  in  the  capacity  of  paying  teller,  assistant  cashier  and  cashier, 
resigning  the  latter  position  February  i.  1914.  In  November,  1914,  he  ac- 
cepted a  position  with  the  Federal  Reserve  Bank,  of  Kansas  City,  Mo.,  and 
was  with  that  institution  for  eight  months,  and  in  July.  191 5,  became  vice- 
president  of  the  Atchison  Savings  Bank.  Mr.  Ferguson  has  had  a  vast  ex- 
perience in  the  field  of  banking,  and  is  well  posted  on  the  intricate  problems 
of  finance,  and  possesses  the  keen  discriminating  qualities  of  the  successful 
banker.  Mr.  Ferguson  was  married  April  28,  1892,  to  Miss  Sallie  Clay,  of 
Plattsburg.  Mo.  She  is  a  daughter  of  James  M.  Clay,  a  member  of  the  Ken- 
tucky branch  of  the  Clay  fam'ily.  Mr.  Ferguson  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic 
lodge,  the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks  and  the  Modern  Wood- 
men of  America. 


EARL  V.   TONES. 


Signal  success  in  any  one  field  of  endeavor  is  worthy  of  recognition 
bv  the  public,  whether  it  be  professional,  inventive,  mercantile  or  of  an  in- 
dustrial nature.  Some  men  are  naturally  gifted  with  the  ability  to  become 
successful  in  the  industrial  and  manufacturing  field,  and  are  mentally  equipped 
with  a  certain  amount  of  mechanical  genius,  along  with  decided  business 
ability  to  take  hold  of  a  proposition,  and  makes  it  succeed,  despite  difficulties. 
E.  V.  Jones,  treasurer  and  manager  of  the  Bailor  Plow  Company,  of  .Atchi- 
son, is  one  of  the  latter  type  who  is  fast  cliniliing  to  a  place  of  eminence  in 
his  chosen  field  of  endeavor,  and  holds  a  high  place  among  the  manufactur- 
ing and  mercantile  interests  of  Atchison  and  the  Middle  West. 

Mr.  Jones  was  born  in  Lixingston  county,  Missouri,  January  21,  1878.  a 
son  of  Charles  Jones,  a  Iniilding  contractor,  who  was  a  native  of  Kentucky  and 
a  son  of  William  Jones,  owner  of  a  large  plantation  in  Kentuck\-.  which  was 
lost  as  one  of  the  misfortunes  which  befell  the  family  as  a  result  of  the  Civil 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  583 

war's  ravages  in  Kentucky.  Desirous  of  making  a  new  start  in  a  land  further 
removed  from  internecine  strife,  and  where  opportunities  for  success  seemed 
greater,  William  Jones  removed  to  Missouri,  and  here  Charles,  the  fatlier  of 
E.  v..  was  reared  and  became  successful  in  agricultural  pursuits,  the  son, 
Earl  v.,  being  reared  on  the  family  estate  in  Livingston  county,  Missouri. 
The  Jones  family  is  originally  of  Scotch-Irish  stock,  the  founder  of  the  family 
emigrating  from  the  north  of  Ireland  to  this  country  several  generations  ago. 
Charles  Jones  married  Miss  Jennie  Wills,  a  daughter  of  John  Wills,  native 
of  the  east  coast  of  England,  and  who  immigrated  to  this  country  with  his 
brother,  George,  and  followed  his  trade  of  wagon  maker  successfully.  John 
Wills  owned  and  operated  an  extensive  blacksmith  and  wagon  maker's  shop 
at  Chillicothe.  Mo.,  which  did  a  large  business  and  made  moderate  wealth 
for  its  proprietor. 

Earl  V.  Jones,  with  whom  tins  review  is  directly  concerned,  was  edu- 
cated in  the  common  and  high  schools  of  his  native  county,  and  attended  the 
military  school  at  Paylmra,  Mo.,  supplementing  his  academic  education  with 
one  year's  study  in  business  college  at  Atchison,  Kan.  For  some  years  be- 
fore the  outbreak  of  the  Spanish-American  war.  he  had  been  a  member  of 
the  Missouri  State  militia.  Company  H,  Fourth  infantry  regiment.  When 
the  war  broke  out  and  troops  were  called  for  to  fight  the  Spaniards  in  Cuba 
and  the  Philippines,  he  responded  with  his  company  and  regiment,  and  went 
to  the  front  immediately,  serving  at  Camp  Alger,  near  Washington,  D.  C, 
on  the  Potomac  river,  and  Camp  Meade,  at  Harrisburg,  Pa.,  and  at  Green- 
ville, S.  C.  After  the  close  of  the  war,  and  receiving  his  honorable  discharge 
at  Greenville,  S.  C,  and  being  mustered  out  of  the  service,  he  returned  to  his 
home  city,  Chillicothe,  and  entered  the  employ  of  the  Jackson  Woodenware 
Companv  as  a  workman  in  i8f)g.  His  capacity  for  work  and  an  inherent 
genius  for  detail  and  management  here  asserted  itself  and  his  rise  in  this 
concern  was  rapid  and  substantial.  It  was  not  long  until  his  faithfulness  and 
decided  ability  was  recognized  by  his  employers  and  he  was  promoted  to  the 
post  of  superintendent  of  the  factory.  When  the  Jackson  \\'oodenware  Com- 
pany was  removed  to  Atchi.son  in  1902,  Mr.  Jones  came  along  in  the  capacity 
of  shipping  clerk,  and  later  served  as  superintendent  of  tlie  company  until  its 
dissolution  in  19TO.  During  this  time  Mr.  Jones  had  made  a  reputation  as 
a  manufacturer  and  organizer,  which  had  become  generally  recognized 
throughout  this  section  of  the  country,  and,  although  many  flattering  offers 
came  to  him  to  accept  executive  positions  of  importance,  he  decided  to  cast 
his  lot  with  tlie  Bailor  Plow  Company  as  treasurer  and  manager  in  1910, 
when  a  company  was  organized  for  the  purpose  of  locating  the  factory  in 


584  HISTORY  Of  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

Atchison.  His  judgment  in  this  respect  was  essentially  sound,  inasmuch  as 
the  Bailor  Plow  Company,  under  his  management,  is  one  of  the  flourishing 
manufacturing  concerns  of  the  city.  The  company  and  Mr.  Jones,  the  man- 
ager, have  made  good,  the  large  pay-roll,  and  the  constantly  increasing  output 
of  the  plant  having  fully  justified  the  decision  of  the  A,tchison  men  who  were 
instrumental  in  locating  the  plant  in  this  city.  A  great  future  is  decidedly  in 
store  for  the  Bailor  Plow  Company  and  its  manager. 

Mr.  Jones  was  united  in  marriage  with  Katherine  Barton,  of  Livingston 
county,  in  1901.  To  this  union  have  been  born  two  sons:  Raymond  and  Earl. 
Mrs.  Jones  is  a  daughter  of  Prof.  John  ^^^  Barton,  widely  known  educator 
of  Missouri,  who  formerlv  served  as  city  superintendent  of  various  schools,  and 
was  fomierly  a  member  of  the  faculty  of  the  University  of  Missouri. 

Mr.  Jones  finds  time,  aside  from  his  duties  as  manager  of  the  factor}', 
to  take  an  active  part  in  the  social  and  civic  life  of  Atchison,  and  has  identi- 
fied himself  with  the  city's  institutions  in  a  substantial  manner,  as  befitting  a 
man  of  his  position  and  attainments.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  lodge, 
the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks,  the  Knights  of  the  Maccabees, 
and  is  affiliated  with  the  United  Commercial  Travelers. 


MRS.  JULIA  E.  ADAMS  BOYINGTON. 

Mrs.  Julia  E.  Adams  Boyington  comes  of.  parents  wiio  were  important 
factors  in  the  early  history  of  Atchison  county.  Her  father.  William  Adams, 
came  to  Kansas  in  the  fifties  for  the  purpose  of  lielping  make  Kansas  a  free 
State.  He  was  a  leader  of  tlie  Cayuga  settlement  and  he  was  intimately  con- 
nected with  tlie  making  of  Kansas  history  f(ir  many  years.  Mrs.  Boyington 
was  born  May  15,  1849,  in  Skaneateles,  Onondaga  county.  New  York.  Hei 
parents,  William  and  Mary  Ann  (Elisbury)  Adams,  were  Ijoth  born  in  Eng- 
land. The  father  was  born  October  6,  1820,  in  Summersetshire,  England, 
and  was  a  son  of  George  Adams,  wlio  married  Miss  Thayer,  also  a  native  of 
England. 

At  the  age  of  seventeen,  William  Adams  left  his  native  country  and  came 
to  New  York.  He  farmed  there  until  1856,  when  he  came  to  Kansas  and  set- 
tled in  Atchison  count\-  lor  the  express  purpose  of  helping  J.olm  Brown  in  his 
fight  along  the  border,  and  assisting  tlie  Free  State  party.  He  passed  througli 
many  thrilling  experiences  during  these  trouI>le(l  years  and  though  lie  was 
often  subjected  to  great  bodily  danger,  he  never  wavered  in  liis  convictions 


■/fr. 


i 


Hxtreme  Left-SAMUEL  ADAMS 

Right-MRS,  clULIA  E.   BOYINGTON 
FRANK  W.   BO^INGTON 


W  II  I  I  \M    -\I)\MS. 


II      \|  \R>-    \\\     \|i\M- 


ITISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  585 

and  was  always  ready  t"  fif^l'l  f"i'  his  cunvictions.  lli-  ])rft'iii])lc(l  ci^hly 
acres  of  land  which  he  increased  to  800  acres  during  his  life  lime.  When  he 
took  his  first  land  tlie  country  was  wild  and  undeveloped,  and  lie  Imilt  a  log 
cabin  on  his  place  and  used  a  yoke  of  oxen  in  breaking  the  land.  1  le  was  a 
great  stockman  and  kept  a  large  number  of  animals  and  I'arnu'd  nnlil  his 
death  in  1889,  remaining  in  active  life  until  within  a  short  lime  of  his  death. 
Mr.  Adams  was  a  Republican  and  was  loyally  devoted  to  the  welfare  of  his 
party.  He  always  took  a  great  deal  of  interest  in  the  activities  (jf  his  party 
and  helped  it  at  every  opportunity,  though  he  never  desired  rm  nffice  as  a  re- 
ward for  his  work,  and  never  held  a  political  job. 

On  July  4,  1848,  Mr.  Adams  was  married  to  Mary  A.  Ell.sbury,  als(j  a 
native  of  Summersetshire,  England.  She  was  born  October  10.  1825,  and 
died  December  15,  1895.  Mrs.  Boyington,  though  a  small  girl  when  she 
came  to  Kansas,  reinembers  many  incidents  of  that  early  life  with  remarkable 
vividness.  She  still  keeps  a  rifle  and  an  old  .shot  gun  which  her  father 
brought  from  New  York,  and  ])rizcs  them  very  highly.  They  were  the  means 
of  protecting  her  and  her  mother  many  times  from  the  depredations  of  ibe 
Indians,  who  were  numerous  in  that  section  then,  and  livcrl  on  a  reservation 
only  four  miles  from  the  Adams  home.  They  passed  the  little  Adams  cabin 
when  they  went  after  whiskey.  As  the)-  would  return  completely  intoxicated, 
they  would  quarrel  and  disturb  the  neighborhood,  often  frightening  the 
women  whose  husbands  were  working  out  in  the  fields.  The  Cayuga  settle- 
ment numbered  about  forty  people  during  the  early  days.  The  township 
elections  in  Grasshop])er  township  were  always  held  in  tlie  Adams  hou.se.  and 
Mr.  Adams  was  always  generous  in  helping  public  affairs  along. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Adams  were  parents  of  five  children:  Julia,  the  subject  of 
this  .sketch;  Georgia  Anna,  deceased;  Samuel,  of  Grasshopper  township;  .Milli- 
rent,  who  died  in  infancy;  Julia,  born  a  twin,  but  the  other  child  died  in  in- 
.(■ancv.  Samuel,  married  Mrs.  Ida  Hitchcock,  a  native  of  Scranton,  i'enn.,  in 
California,  May  31,  1887.  By  her  marriage  to  Mr.  Aflams  she  w.is  the 
mother  of  tw(j  children  :  William  J.,  who  was  born  March  K),  iS(;().  and  l''.;irl, 
who  was  horn  October  ic,  1891.  These  two  children  were  ]nrtly  reared  bv 
their  aunt,  Mrs.  Boyington,  and  she  is  very  fond  of  them.  Though  she  has 
no  children  of  her  own,  she  has  made  these  two  nephews  her  favorites  and  has 
treated  them  as  though  they  were  her  own  children.  iMank  W.  Boyington, 
the  husband  of  Julia  E.  Adams  Boyington,  was  born  hebruary  15,  [845,  in 
Pennsylvania,  and  was  a  .son  oi  Edwin  C.  and  Susan  (Smith)  Boyington,  the 
former  a  native  of  Litchfield,  Comi.,  and  the  latter  a  native  of  Pennsylvania. 
In  their  old  age  they  came  to  Kansas  and  lived  w  ith  tlieir  son.  lM;nik  W..  ;nid 


586  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

died  here.  The  father  died  1872,  and  tlie  mother  died  in  1875.  He  left 
there  in  1867  and  settled  in  Grasshopper  township,  Atchison  county,  wlicre 
Samuel  Adams  was  reared  to  manhood  in  Grasshopper  township ;  lived  for 
ten  years  in  California  and  returned  to  his  farm  in  Grasshopper  township  in 
19 1 3.  He  was  married  to  Mrs.  Julia  Bartlet  before  his  marriag-e  to  Miss 
Adams.  His  first  wife  was  a  school  teacher  in  Grasshopper  township  before 
her  marriage.  Three  children  were  born  to  them,  Edward,  of  Atchison, 
United  States  mail  clerk,  Alice  Spangler,  Marion  county,  Kansas,  and  one 
deceased.  After  her  death  in  1899,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Julia  E.  Adams, 
tlie  subject  of  this  sketch. 

Mr.  Boyington  was  an  early  settler  in  Kansas  and  has  been  a  successful 
farmer.  His  wife  owns  480  acres  of  land  whicli  once  was  a  part  of  the  old 
home  place.  Mr.  Boyington  owns  160  acres  in  Marion  county,  Kansas.  He 
has  lived  in  Kansas  since  1867  and  has  seen  muci:  histor}-  made  during  tliat 
time.  Mr.  Royington  is  a  Republican  and  is  a  member  of  the  Ancient  Free 
and  Accepted  Masons.  Although  he  is  not  a  church  member,  he  attends 
services.  Mr.  Boyington  is  one  of  the  most  successful  farmers  of  Atchison 
county,  and  with  his  wife,  who  is  also  a  good  manager,  has  made  a  financial 
success  of  farming. 


JOHN  L.  BLAIR. 


The  historian  must  e\'er  take  cognizance  of  the  facts  C(inceriiing  tiie  lives 
of  those  wlio  have  contrilnited  most  to  the  upbuilding  and  tlie  welfare  of  their 
communit}".  In  looking  backward  over  the  Iialf  century,  and  more,  whicli  has 
elapsed  since  the  Kansas  Territory  was  thrown  open  to  settlement,  it  is  found 
that  there  arc  quite  a  numlier  of  men  and  women  who  are  deserving  of  more 
tlian  mere  casual  mention  in  the  history  of  .Vtchison  count)-.  Among  these 
are  John  L.  and  Amanda  (Meeker)  Blair,  whose  names  will  go  down  in  his- 
tory as  having  taken  a  very  prominent  part  in  the  social,  political  and  intel- 
lectual development  of  Doniphan  and  .\tcliison  counties.  Mrs.  Blair  has  the 
honored  distinction  of  having  been  the  first  public  .school  teacher  in  Atchison 
and  she  and  her  husband  were  prominently  identified  with  the  historical 
course  of  events  in  northeast  Kansas  for  a  long  period  of  years.- 

John  1..  Blair,  deceased,  was  torn  in  Fayette  county,  Pennsylvania,  April 
25,  1833,  a  son  of  .Mexander  and  Rachel  fLynch)  Blair.  The  family  is  of 
Irish  origin.  Alexander  Blair  was  a  minister  of  tlie  ^letliodist  Episcopal 
church  in    I'ennsxlvania.      He  died  in  I'ennsvl\'ania,  antl  in    1860  the  widow 


tf 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  587 

joined  Jolm  L.,  whn  had  come  to  Kansas  in  1838.  They  settled  in  Doniphan 
county,  near  tlie  Atchison-Doniphan  line.  Mr.  Blair  developed  a  fine  farm 
and  made  quite  a  reputation  as  a  breeder  of  fine  live  stock,  being;  one  of  the 
pioneer  stock  breeders  of  Kansas.  In  1863  he  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Amanda  Meeker.  This  was  after  he  had  sei'ved  some  time  in  the  Civil  war 
as  a  member  of  Company  D,  Seventh  regiment,  Kansas  cavalry,  as  a  sergeant, 
enlisting  at  the  beginning  of  the  war  and  serving  for  two  years.  After  being 
mustered  out,  he  returned  home  and  was  married  in  June  of  1863.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Blair  immediately  moved  to  a  farm  in  Doniphan  county,  Kansas,  and 
were  successful  from  the  start.  Both  being  endowed  with  more  than  ordinary 
intelligence  and  thrift,  they  foresaw  the  inevitable  rise  in  land  values  and  in- 
vested all  of  their  earnings  in  land,  accumulating  over  600  acres  of  land  which 
was  located  in  Doniphan  count}-  and  since  Mr.  Blair's  demise  Mrs.  Blair  lias 
purchased  320  acres  in  Lyon  county,  Kansas.  Mr.  Blair  was  an  active  and 
influential  figure  in  the  civic  and  political  life  of  Doniphan  county,  and  fre- 
quently stumped  the  county  in  the  interest  of  the  Republican  party  candidates. 
He  was  a  public  speaker  of  power  and  ability,  and  was  a  warm  adherent  of 
the  cause  of  women  suffrage,  stumping  Atchison  and  Doniphan  counties  in 
1884  in  the  interest  of  the  suffrage  movement  in  Kansas.  He  filled  the  office 
of  count}'  commissioner  of  Doniphan  county  for  two  terms,  and  was  at  one 
time  a  candidate  for  State  senator.  During  the  years  1873  and  1874,  when 
the  Grange  movement  was  spreading  over  Kansas,  Mr.  Blair  was  the  official 
organizer  for  Atchison  and  Doniphan  counties.  He  had  a  good  knowledge 
of  parliamentary  law  and  this  came  in  very  useful  in  his  work  among  the 
different  granges.  It  was  in  the  Grange  meetings  that  tlie  movement  for 
woman  suffrage  first  gained  headway  in  Kansas,  and  the  women  learned  how 
to  vote.  ]Mr.  Blair  died  in  iSqi,  February  4.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Blair  were 
born  the  following  children :  Mamie,  widow  of  James  Hunter,  of  Doniphan 
county,  and  mother  of  two  children;  Alexander,  a  farmer  in  Doni]ihan  county, 
and  father  of  seven  children;  Kate,  wife  of  Thomas  Evans,  a  breeder  of  fine 
Hereford  cattle,  hackney  horses  and  pure  bred  hogs,  in  Lyon  county,  and  who 
is  the  owner  of  the  famous  hackney  mare  formerly  owned  by  Jay  Gould. 
Mrs.  Evans  was  educated  in  the  schools  of  Doniphan  county,  and  the  old 
Monroe  Institute  of  Atchison,  and  is  a  graduate  of  Holton  University,  at  Hoi- 
ton,  Kan.,  and  graduated  from  the  Kansas  State  University  at  Lawrence  in 
1893.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Evans  have  one  daughter,  Mary  Frances.  Mrs.  Blair 
has  ten  grandcliildren  and  seven  great-grandchildren.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Blair 
belonged  to  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  and  he  was  an  Odd  Fellow. 
Mrs.  Amanda  (Meeker)  Blair  was  born  in  Franklin  county,  Ohio,  near 


588  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

the  city  of  Columbus,  June  24,  1837.  She  was  a  daughter  of  Caleb  and  Mary 
(Grant)  Meeker,  her  mother  being  a  relative  of  Gen.  U.  S.  Grant,  and  her 
father  being  a  member  of  the  famous  Meeker  family  of  America.  Ezra 
Meeker,  who  crossed  the  continent  en  route  to  Oregon  with  an  ox  team,  was 
a  second  cousin  of  Caleb  Sleeker.  Caleb  Meeker  was  born  in  X'ew  Jersey,  a 
son  of  Aaron,  who  was  born  in  New  Jersey,  of  German  origin.  Caleb  Meeker 
was  bom  in  Essex  county,  New  Jersey,  August  9,  1807,  a  son  of  Aaron 
Meeker,  also  of  New  Jersey,  who  had  eight  sons  and  four  son-in-laws  in  the 
Meeker,  also  of  New  Jersey.  Aaron  was  a  brother  of  Timothy  Meeker, 
who  had  eight  sons  and  four  sons-in-law  in  the  American  army  dur- 
ing the  Revolutionary  war.  Mary  Grant  Meeker  was  born  in  Penn- 
sylvania. In  1808  the  Meeker  family  migrated  from  New  Jersey  to  Ohio 
and  resided  there  until  1857,  when  they  went  to  Fulton  county,  Illi- 
nois, stopping  for  one  year.  In  November  of  1858  Amanda  Meeker  came  to 
Atchison  to  take  a  position  as  teacher  ifl  the  first  public  school  in  Atchison. 
Caleb  came  in  Januarv'  of  1859  to  visit  his  daughter  and  invested  in  a  tract 
of  land  near  Huron,  Kan.,  moving  his  family  in  March.  1859.  He  lived  on 
his  farm  all  the  rest  of  his  life,  dying  in  September,  1886.  Amanda  was 
educated  in  the  district  schools  of  her  native  county  in  Ohio  and  received  a 
certificate  to  teach  school  when  but  fifteen  years  of  age.  She  taught  three 
months  in  1852  for  $9.00  per  month  and  then  attended  school  for  the  re- 
mainder of  the  season.  The  following  year  she  taught  six  months  for  $20 
per  month,  after  which  she  studied  for  two  years  in  the  Ohio  Wesleyan  Uni- 
versity, at  Delaware,  Oliio.  Her  teaching  experience  embraced  si.x  years 
in  Ohio,  five  months  in  Illinois  and  three  years  in  Atchison  and  six  months  in 
Hiawatha,  Kan.  Mrs.  Blair  was  a  ver\-  successful  teacher,  and  had  the 
faculty  of  exercising  great  control  over  her  pupils. 

A  brother,  Jeptha  Meeker,  served  in  the  Union  army  during  the  Civil  war. 
Mrs.  Blair  kept  the  postoffice  at  Huron,  Atchison  county,  wiien  the  \illage 
was  one  of  the  stations  on  the  old  Military  road,  from  Ft.  Leavenworth  to 
Denver  and  Pike'.s  Peak,  Colo. 

Mrs.  Blair  is  distinguished  among  the  pioneer  women  of  Atchison  county 
as  having  been  the  first  pul)lic  school  teacher  in  tlie  county  appointed  by  a 
board  of  education,  duly  organized  and  elected.  During  the  summer  of  1858, 
this  board  was  organized  in  the  office  of  l-".  G.  Adams  in  Atclu'son,  and  the 
members  of  the  board  were  Dr.  William  Grimes,  treasurer;  F.  G.  Adams, 
clerk ;  James  A.  Coulter,  director ;  Philip  D.  Plattenburg,  principal  of  the 
schools  at  Lewistown,  111.,  had  been  engaged  as  superintendent  of  the  Atchison 
schools  and  this  board  elected  Amanda  Meeker  as  liis  assistant.     This  was  the 


1 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  589 

first  public  schiuil  in  the  city  of  Atchison,  and  was  located  over  a  grocery 
store  in  a  frame  building,  where  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  edifice  now  stands  at  the 
comer  of  Fourth  and  Commercial  streets.  The  school  term  began  on  No- 
vember I,  1858,  and  lasted  for  seven  month,  ending  July  i,  1859.  The  fol- 
lowing vear  the  school  term  was  extended  to  nine  months.  Miss  Meeker 
taught  for  three  years  without  a  certificate.  The  first  teacher's  certificate 
in  Atchison  county  was  issued  to  W.  D.  Rippey,  a  young  man  who  came  from 
Valparaiso,  Ind.  Mrs.  Blair  recalls  that  Mr.  Rippey  had  no  intention  of 
teaching  when  he  came  to  Atchison,  and  remained  here  for  about  five  months 
and  then  went  to  Doniphan  county,  where  he  became  quite  wealthy  in  the 
course  of  years.  Applicants  for  teacher's  certificates  had  little  or  no  trouble 
in  passing,  the  whole  procedure  of  examining  being  conducted  verbally  and 
the  chief  requisite  apparently  being  the  one  dollar  fee  which  was  required  from 
the  applicant. 

Few  Kansas  pioneer  women  at  this  day  occupy  the  honored  position  in 
history  which  is  held  by  Mrs.  Blair.  To  have  taught  the  first  public  school 
in  Atchison  is  a  great  honor,  and  to  have  been  one  of  the  pioneers  of  a  great 
State  in  such  a  capacity  is  a  great  honor  which  is  claimed  by  very  few  people. 
Mrs.  Blair,  despite  her  age,  is  possessed  of  a  keen  mentality  and  is  remarkably 
well  preserved,  her  long  life  being  best  attributed  to  her  mental  vigor  and 
student  pow^ers  which  she  has  kept  nourished  these  many  years. 


ALFRED  SHORTRIDGE. 


Alfred  Shortridge,  deceased  pioneer  of  Atchison,  was  born  in  Milton, 
Ind.,  February  27,  1834.  When  twenty-three  years  of  age  he  listened  to  the 
admonition  of  his  elders  to  come  to  the  great  West,  where  opportunities  for 
amassing  a  competence  were  much  better  for  a  young  man  than  in  his  home 
community.  He  came  b\-  train  to  St.  Louis  and  after  stopping  a  few  days 
at  the  Planter's  Hotel,  he  boarded  a  Missouri  river  steamer  which  brought 
him  to  Atchison.  His  intention  was  to  get  a  farm  from  the  Government, 
and  he  accordingly  took  up  a  claim  one-half  mile  south  of  Monrovia.  He  de- 
veloped his  homestead,  sold  it  and  later  bought  a  farm,  ten  miles  south  of 
Atchison,  in  Walnut  township,  near  Potter.  He  added  to  this  first  farm  of 
120  acres  until  he  became  the  owner  of  a  finely  developed  farm  of  200  acres, 
which  he  still  owned  at  the  time  of  his  demise. 

Mr.  Shortridge  was  one  of  the  early  da)-  freighters  and  during  llie  years 


590  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

of  1862  and  1863  he  freighted  from  Atchison  to  Denver,  and  in  1863  made 
two  trips  overland  to  Denver  and  return  with  I'arilee  Butler,  with  wliom  he 
was  on  intimate  terms.  He  enlisted  in  the  company  of  soldiers  which  was 
formed  in  his  neighborhood  for  the  purpose  of  repelling  Price's  invasion  of 
Kansas  in  1864  and  was  present  at  Westport  when  Price's  army  of  invasion 
was  driven  southward.  After  lie  iiad  made  his  last  trip  to  Denver  in  1863,  he 
sold  liis  wagon  and  four  mules  for  $1,500,  and  then  engaged  in  farming.  He 
resided  on  his  farm  near  Potter  until  the  year  191 2,  and  (hen  removed  to  a 
home  in  Atchison. 

He  was  married  February  23,  1867,  to  Miss  Catherine  Elizabeth  Clasby, 
of  DeKalb,  Buchanan  county,  Missouri,  and  to  this  union  five  cliildren  were 
born  as  follow  s :  Mrs.  J-  A.  Edwards,  Fairmount.  Kan. ;  J.  T.  Shortridge,  W. 
O.  Shortridge,  and  Mrs.  C.  N.  Faulkner,  of  Potter,  Kan.,  and  Miss  Florence 
Shortridge,  at  home.  The  mother  of  these  children  was  born  March  20, 
1843,  a  daughter  of  John  D.  and  Sarah  Ann  (Elli.son)  Clasby.  John  D. 
Clasby  was  a  native  of  Virginia,  whose  mother  was  a  member  of  the  Dunlap 
family  of  Virginia,  one  of  the  old  colonial  families  of  America.  One  of  the 
Dunlaps,  a  direct  ancestor  of  Mrs.  Shortridge,  ser\-cd  in  the  Continental  army 
in  the  Revolutionary  war.  He  was  a  pioneer  settler  of  Buchanan  county, 
Missouri,  and  is  buried  on  a  hill  within  sight  of  Atchison. 

Mrs.  Shortridge's  mother,  Sarah  Ann  (Ellison)  Clasby,  was  born  in  Mis- 
souri, a  daughter  of  James  and  Elizabeth  (Dunlap)  Ellison,  who  were  resi- 
dents of  Kentucky,  and  who  were  among  the  pioneer  settlers  in  Buchanan 
county,  Missouri.  There  were  nine  children  in  the  Clasby  faniil\-,  as  follows: 
Tames  T.,  Robert,  Orlando,  Joseph,  Franklin,  Julian,  deceased;  Mrs.  Ann 
Eliza  (Stewart),  and  Mrs.  Alfred  Shortridge, 

Alfred  Shortridge  departed  this  life  on  July  17,  1015,  and  was  sin- 
cerel}'  mourned  bv  a  liost  of  friends  and  ac(|uaintances  wlm  IkkI  kn^wn  him 
for  many  years  in  Atchison  county.  During  his  life,  ;ifter  attaining  his 
majority,  he  was  affiliated  with  the  Republican  parly,  and  was  always  active 
in  the  affairs  of  his  party,  although  he  was  never  a  seeker  after  political  pre- 
ferment. He  was  a  member  of  the  Christian  cburcii,  and  li\-ed  according  to 
the  precepts  of  his  religious  belief,  as  nearly  as  mortal  man  could.  He  car- 
ried iiis  religion  into  his  daiy  life  and  believed  implicitly  in  the  golden  rule, 
which  admonishes  mankind  to  treat  his  neighbor  as  he  would  have  his  neigh- 
bor do  unto  him. 

On  Feiiruary  23,  191 1,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Shortridge  celebrated  their  forty- 
fourth  wedding  anniversarv  at  the  od  Shortridge  homestead,  and  it  was  a  fit- 
ting culmination  of  one  of  the  happiest  life  nninns  on  record.     Mr.  Siiort- 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  59 1 

ridge  was  deeply  devoted  to  his  noble  wife  and  family  and  was  always  kind 
and  considerate,  not  only  with  the  members  of  his  immediate  family,  but  with 
his  many  friends  and  acquaintances.  He  was  never  known  to  complain  or  find 
fault  but  took  things  as  he  found  them  and  made  the  best  of  every  occasion. 
One  of  the  last  of  the  old  guard  of  Atchison  pioneers,  he  was  a  fitting  example 
of  the  type  which  did  so  much  to  develop  the  Sunflower  State  and  make  Atchi- 
son county  one  of  the  garden  spots  of  the  country.  One  by  one  the  old 
pioneers  are  passing  to  the  great  beyond  from  which  no  man  returneth;  it 
is  fitting  that  we  record  in  imperishable  print  the  record  of  their  lives  and 
their  deeds  and  accomplishments  while  on  earth  in  order  that  it  all  may  live 
after  them  forever  and  their  memories  be  kept  continually  green  and  fresh 
in  the  minds  of  succeeding  generations  which  will  know  them  not  except 
through  the  pages  of  these  Atchison  county  historical  annals. 


O.  M.  BABCOCK. 


O.  M.  Babcock,  of  the  Babcock-Avensberg  Shoe  Company,  is  one  of 
the  most  progressive  merchants  of  Atchison.  He  is  a  native  of  the  Empire 
State,  and  was  born  at  Adams  Center,  Jefferson  county.  New  York,  in 
November,  1872,  and  is  a  son  of  M.  S.  and  Amy  (Green)  Babcock,  both 
natives  of  New  York  and  of  English  descent. 

The  Babcock  family  was  founded  in  America  by  Capt.  James  Babcock, 
who  settled  in  Rhode  Island  during  the  seventeenth  century.  M.  S.  Bab- 
cock came  to  Kansas  with  his  family  in  1883  and  settled  on  a  farm  in  Benton 
township,  one  mile  north  of  Nortonville  in  Atchison  county.  Here  he  bought 
160  acres  of  unimproved  land,  which  he  developed  to  a  higii  state  of  cultiva- 
tion and  followed  farming  there  successfully  until  he  and  his  wife  removed 
to  Battle  Creek,  Mich.,  where  they  now  reside.  O.  M.  Babcock,  the  subject 
of  this  sketch,  was  eleven  years  old  when  he  came  to  Atchison  county  with 
his  parents.  He  was  educated  in  the  district  schools  and  the  Atchison  County 
High  School  at  Effingham.  After  completing  school  he  taught  in  Atchison 
county  about  two  years  when  he  accepted  a  position  in  a  general  merchandise 
store  at  Nortonville  and  later  at  Effingham.  He  remained  at  Effingham  one 
year  and  then  came  to  Atchison  and  entered  the  shoe  department  of  D.  C. 
Newcomb's  general  store,  where  he  remained  about  three  years.  He  then 
accepted  a  position  as  traveling  salesman  for  a  wholesale  shoe  house,  and  for 
three  years  was  a  successful  knight  of  the  grip  with  St.  Joseph,  Mo.,  as  his 


592  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

headquarters.  He  then  came  to  Atchison  as  general  sales  manager  for  a 
retail  shoe  establishment,  and  four  years  later,  in  1902,  organized  the  Babcock 
Shoe  Company,  which  he  still  conducts.  This  is  Atchison's  leading  shoe  store. 
]\Ir.  Babcock  was  united  in  marriage  in  1903  to  Miss  Edith  L.  Hooper,  a 
daughter  of  George  R.  Hooper,  of  Atchison,  a  personal  sketch  of  whom  ap- 
pears in  this  volume.  Mr.  Babcock  takes  a  keen  interest  and  an  active  part 
in  the  welfare  and  development  of  Atchison  and  is  one  of  its  tooster  citizens. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  lodge  and  active  in  the  work  of  ttiat  organiza- 
tion. He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Elks  and  belongs  to  the  Commercial  Club. 
He  is  president  of  the  Kansas  Retail  Shoe  Dealers'  Association,  and  politically, 
is  a  supporter  of  the  policies  and  principles  of  the  Republican  party. 


JULIUS  KUHN. 


Julius  Kuhn,  deceased  pioneer  merchant  of  Atchison,  was  a  man  of 
sterling  worth,  industry  and  purpose  who  achieved  a  success  in  the  commer- 
cial life  of  his  adopted  city  which  ranked  with  the  greatest  accomplishments 
of  those  who  figinxd  most  prominently  in  the  early  civic  life  of  Atchison.  He 
was  born  in  Bavaria,  Germany,  May  10,  183 1,  and  received  an  excellent  edu- 
cation in  the  famous  university  at  Munich,  where  he  fitted  himself  to  become 
an  arcliitect.  He  was  gifted  with  more  than  ordinary  talent  as  a  draughts- 
man and  architect  and  to  this  day  many  of  his  best  drawings  and  designs  are 
hanging  on  the  walls  of  the  art  room  in  St.  Benedict's  College.  \\'hen  twenty 
years  of  age  he  took  passage  on  a  sailing  vessel  for  America,  then  as  now,  the 
land  of  promise  for  the  poor  and  ambitious  youth  of  the  old  world.  After  a 
stay  of  a  few  years  in  New  York  City  and  points  in  Connecticut,  he  journeyed 
to  St.  Louis  where  he  was  married,  his  wife,  Lucetta,  dying  in  Atchison  in 
the  spring  of  1881.  To  this  union  one  .son  was  born,  Gustave,  who  died  July 
15,  1883.  Wliile  in  St.  Louis  Mr.  Kuhn  heard  tales  of  the  opportunities 
V.  <iiting  for  industrious  young  men  in  the  new  State  of  Kansas  and  came 
hither  to  seek  his  fortune  in  the  year  1859.  He  had  some  means  which  he 
had  saved  and  at  once  invested  in  a  lot  on  the  corner  of  Eighth  and  Commer- 
cial streets,  upon  which  he  Iniilt  a  story  and  a  half  frame  building,  which  for 
many  years  was  a  well  known  landmark  in  Atchison.  He  installed  a  stock 
of  groceries  in  his  new  building,  and  from  the  start  met  with  success.  His 
store  soon  became  the  outfitting  point  for  the  freighters  who  were  crossing 
the  plains  to  the  far  western  points  and  he  prospered  in  excess  even  of  his 


"    'S 


ru/iu:i   ^ii/ifi 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  593 

expectations.  Mr.  Kuhn's  store  was  rarely  closed  iii^those  early  days  and  it 
was  his  wont  to  retire  at  i  o'clock  a.  m.  and  was  often  called  out  of  bed  at  3 
o'clock  in  the  morning  to  assist  some  freighter  just  arriving  from  the  trail 
half  frozen,  or,  perchance,  to  trade  with  some  farmer  who  had  traveled  a  long 
distance  to  transact  business  with  him  and  exchange  his  produce  for  groceries 
and  necessities. 

During  the  Civil  war  he  served  in  the  commissary  department  of  the 
Union  army,  called  out  to  repel  the  invasion  of  Kansas,  threatened  by  General 
Price.  He  established  himself  in  the  wholesale  business  in  1870  as  he  fore- 
saw that  Atchison  was  to  become  an  important  distributing  point  for  the 
northeastern  part  of  the  State  as  the  country  grew  more  and  more  settled 
with  ;he  influx  of  immigrants  from  all  parts  of  the  compass.  In  time  the  lit- 
tle frame  store,  which  he  had  erected  when  he  first  came  to  Atchison,  was 
replaced  by  the  pretentious  brick  structure  which  bears  his  name.  He  in- 
vested his  surplus  profits  in  real  estate  in  Atchison  and  Kansas  points  and 
left  a  substantial  fortune  on  Iiis  demise.  In  the  early  sixties  he  purchased 
for  his  family  residence  the  old  Judge  Gilham  house,  at  that  time  the  only 
house  on  the  hill,  from  his  store  northwestward.  For  a  number  of  years  the 
Kubn  store  was  the  only  business  house  west  of  Third  street,  but  in  time  the 
business  center  gradually  moved  westward  from  the  river,  and  encompassed 
his  business  place.  Speaking  reminiscently  of  those  early  days  a  few  inci- 
dents showing  conditions  at  that  time  are  worth  recording.  When  Air.  Bartli- 
olow  first  came  to  Atchison,  at  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  war  when  business 
was  in  a  state  of  paralysis,  he  had  on  liand  over  $2,000  worth  of  tobacco,  for 
which  he  could  not  find  storage.  He  approached  ]\Ir.  Kuhn  and  asked  iii>v 
to  either  buy  the  stock  or  store  it  until  such  a  time  as  it  would  be  markcta!)lt. 
Mr.  Kuhn  took  a  chance  and  when  tobacco  soared  to  an  extremely  higli  pi  ice 
towaid  the  last  ('.:iys  of  tlie  war,  he  disposed  of  it  at  a  profit  of  $1.00  per  [j.iund. 
Flour  rose  to  the  high  price  of  $7.00  per  sack  during  those  troublous  days, 
while  beef  was  very  cheap,  a  "half  of  beef"  often  selling  for  ten  cents. 

llr.  Kuhn  was  married  the  second  time,  September  30,  1883,  to  .A.r,n.-i 
Glattfelter,  and  to  this  union  were  born  two  sons,  Julius  Otto,  at  home  with  his 
mother,  and  Gustave  Adolphus,  living  in  Kansas  Citv,  married  Irene  King, 
and  is  the  father  of  one  cliild,  Rutli  Kuhn.  Airs.  Anna  Glattfelter  Kulm  was 
born  in  Glattfelter,  Switzerland,  a  daughter  of  Henry  and  Margaret  Glatt- 
felter, who  immigrated  to  America  in  1864,  and  located  on  a  farm  in  Atchison 
county.  Henry  Glattfelter  died  in  1867,  and  his  wife  died  in  Atchison  in 
1903.  They  were  the  parents  of  Mrs.  W.  A.  Dilgert,  living  on  a  farm  in  Wal- 
nut township;  Mrs.  Martin  Dilgert,  residing  on  Ninth  street;  Margaret,  wife 

38 


594  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISOX  COUNTY 

of  Mrs.  John  Meyer,  living  on  Seventh  street;  Fannie,  wife  of  Dr.  Sievers,  of 
Manning,  Iowa ;  Henr}-.  on  the  old  home  farm,  near  Cummings.  Mrs.  Kuhn 
resides  in  the  family  residence  at  1029  Atchison  street,  and  looks  after  the 
interest  of  the  Kuhn  estate.  She  is  a  keen,  intelligent  lady,  who  has  shown 
marked  business  abilit}'  in  caring  for  the  property  interests  left  in  her  charge. 
Mr.  Kuhn  retired  from  active  mercantile  pursuits  in  1889,  and  died  October 
30,  1902,  universally  respected  and  loved  by  all  who  knew  him.  He  was  a 
Republican  in  politics  and  took  an  active  part  in  the  civic  and  p<ilitical  affairs 
of  Atchison,  sen-ing  as  a  member  of  the  city  council,  and  filling  several  im- 
portant city  offices  of  trust  during  his  long  residence  here.  He  was  always 
a  consistent  and  unremitting  booster  for  Atchison,  and  had  a  deep  love  for 
the  citA'  and  his  home  life.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Elks  and  a  social  member 
of  the  Turner  Society.  Mr.  Kuhn  was  not  a  member  of  any  religious  denom- 
ination but  was  a  friend  and  liberal  supporter  of  all  denominations  which 
sought  his  aid.  While  not  a  professed  Christian  he  lived  a  blameless  and 
upright  life,  and  was  ever  ready  to  assist  a  needy  acquaintance  when  his  aid 
would  do  the  most  good. 


PETER  WEBER. 


Peter  Weber,  retired  farmer,  residing  at  921  Xorth  Sixth  street,  Atchi- 
son. Kan.,  is  one  of  the  real  pioneer  residents  of  the  county.  He  has  lived 
in  the  county  for  over  fifty-six  years,  and  recalls  many  of  the  incidents  of  tlie 
old  days  when  the  settlement  of  the  county  was  in  the  embnio  stage.  Like 
most  of  the  prosperous  and  successful  men  in  the  county  he  has  worked  his 
way  upward  from  a  small  beginning  to  a  state  of  aftluence,  which  reflects 
credit  upon  his  industry  and  his  capabilities.  Times,  fifty  years  ago,  and  the 
present,  give  opportunitj-  for  making  contrasts  which  are  striking  and  very 
interesting.  When  Mr.  \\"eber  was  a  boy  it  was  the  family  custom 
to  go  to  church  on  Sundays  via  the  ox  wagon  route,  father,  mother  and  all 
of  the  children  seating  themselves  in  a  big  farm  wagon,  and  going  to  church 
at  the  rate  of  two  miles  per  hour,  the  trip  requiring  almost  the  entire  day 
to  go  and  return.  Xow.  Mr.  \\"eber  cranks  the  cngfine  of  his  fine  automobile, 
and  in  an  incredibly  short  space  of  time  he  travels  from  his  city  home  to  his 
countrv-  estate,  can  spend  hours  in  looking  over  the  farming  operations,  and 
return  to  his  own  home  in  time  for  the  next  meal. 

Peter  Weber  was  bom  in  Kenosha.  Wis.,  March  8.  1859,  and  came  to 
Atchison  county  with  his  parents  a  few  weeks  later.     His  father.  John  Weber, 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  395 

was  a  native  of  Liixemliurg,  Germany,  and  his  mother  was  Mary  (Penning) 
Weber,  also  a  native  of  Luxemburg,  and  a  daughter  of  Nicholas  Penning, 
who  emigrated  from  bis  native  country  to  Wisconsin.  John  Weber  was  mar- 
ried in  Wisconsin,  after  coming  to  this  country.  He  migrated  to  Atchison 
county,  Kansas,  from  \\'isconsin  in  1859,  and  was  equipped  with  a  cash  capital 
of  nearly  $300.  He  attended  a  lot  sale  in-the  boom  days  of  Old  Sumner,  and 
invested  nearly  all  of  his  savings  in  lots,  purchasing  275  lots  in  all,  at  prices 
varying  from  $5  for  the  first  one  bought,  to  a  price  as  low  as  twenty-five 
cents.  This  was  more  or  less  a  speculation  on  his  part,  and  the  price  of  lots 
in  Sumner  fell  rapidly  after  the  county  seat  election  which  selected  Atchison  as 
the  seat  of  government  for  the  county.  Real  estate  values  naturally  deterior- 
ated in  Sumner,  and  John  Weber  later  sold  seventy-five  of  his  lots  for  $15, 
and  allowed  the  greater  part  of  his  initial  Kansas  investment  to  be  sold  for 
taxes,  inasmuch  as  the  property  had  no  real  value.  His  next  investment  was 
a  much  better  one,  however,  and  he  purchased  160  acres  of  land  in  ^\'alnut 
townsliip  for  $360,  on  which  he  erected  a  home  and  proceeded  to  develop  it 
into  a  fine  farm.  He  became  well  to  do,  and  was  highly  respected  throughout 
the  neighborhood  in  which  he  resided.  Originally  John  \^'eber  had  been  a 
wheelwright  by  trade,  and  his  skill  as  a  wood  worker  and  wagon  maker  stood 
him  in  good  stead  when  he  took  up  agricultural  pursuits  in  Atchison  county. 
During  the  Civil  war  Jolm  Weber  was  enrolled  in  the  State  militia  and  was 
called  awav  to  .serve  his  country  at  Independence.  Mo.,  leaving  his  wife  and 
young  children  at  home  in  mortal  fear  of  their  lives  while  the  father  and  his 
comrades  were  in  battle  array  to  repel  the  Price  invasion  of  Kansas.  The 
movable  property  of  the  family  was  kept  hidden  in  the  drawers.  Mr.  Weber 
had  over  $800  in  gold  Ijuried  in  the  cellar  in  an  empty  peach  can.  He  reared 
a  fine  family  of  sons  and  daughters  as  follows :  Peter,  the  eldest  of  the  family 
and  with  whom  this  review  is  directly  concerned ;  Mathias,  who  is  cultivating 
the  old  home  place  in  Mt.  Pleasant  township,  and  Mrs.  Katherine  Keefer,  a 
widow  residing  near  Norton ville.  Kan.,  are  the  surviving  children  of  a  family 
of  six  born,  three  of  whom  died  in  infanc}-.  John  Weber  died  in  1905,  his 
wife  preceding  him  tn  the  great  beyond  in  1901. 

Peter  ^^'eber,  when  a  boy,  attended  tlie  district  school  of  his  neighborhood 
in  Mt.  Pleasant  township,  and  was  reared  to  become  an  agriculturist.  He  was 
married  in  1881  and  then  began  doing  for  himself,  renting  land  in  Mt.  Pleas- 
ant township  for  a  lime  and  carefully  husbanding  his  resources  and  saving  his 
money  with  a  view  to  eventually  owning  a  farm  of  his  own.  He  was  enaliled 
to  purchase  his  first  farm  of  160  acres  in  1895  in  Walnut  township.  He  still 
owns  this  fine  farm,  which  is  one  of  the  best  in  Atchison  county,  and  is  now 


596  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

being  cultivated  by  his  son.  Mr.  Weber  retired  from  active  agricultural  pur- 
suits in  May,  19 12,  and  removed  to  Atchison,  where  he  owns  real  estate 
and  lives  comfortably,  as  befitting  a  man  who  has  earned  the  right  to  enjoy 
home  comforts.  He  was  married  in  1881  to  Mary  W'einmann,  and  to  this 
union  have  been  torn  the  following  children :  Mary,  wife  of  Theo  Vander- 
weide,  of  Atchison  county ;  Katherine,  wife  of  John  Wagner,  residing  in 
Walnut  township,  Atchison  county ;  Jacob,  living  on  the  home  farm  ;  Ida,  wife 
of  Charles  Harrison,  a  foreman  in  the  A.  J.  Harwi  Hardware  Store,  in  Atchi- 
son;  Annie,  wife  of  Gustave  Boehme,  Rulo,  Neb.,  where  Mr.  Boehme  con- 
ducts a  bakery.  The  mother  of  these  children  was  born  .\ugust  9,  i860,  in 
Salt  Creek  Valley.  Leavenworth  county,  Kansas,  a  daughter  of  Jacob  and 
Katherine  W'einmann.  natives  of  Germany,  who  came  to  Leavenworth  county, 
Kansas,  as  early  as  1858.  She  was  one  of  sixteen  children  born  to  these 
parents,  thirteen  of  whom  were  reared,  and  five  came  to  America  and  died 
here. 

Mr.  W'eber  has  always  been  a  Democrat,  but  is  more  or  less  independent 
in  his  political  views  and  believes  in  voting  for  the  candidate  who  seems  best 
fitted  to  perform  the  duties  of  the  office,  regardless  of  his  political  affiliations. 
\Vhile  a  resident  of  Mt.  Pleasant  township  he  took  an  active  part  in  the  civic 
affairs  of  the  township  and  served  nine  years  as  treasurer  and  then  served 
as  trustee  in  1895.  Later  when  he  took  up  a  permanent  residence  in  Walnut 
township,  in  1896,  he  was  selected  as  township  treasurer  by  the  people  in 
1906  and  filled  the  office  to  the  satisfaction  of  everybody  for  six  years.  He 
and  the  memljers  of  his  family  are  members  of  the  St.  Benedict's  Catholic 
Church,  and  have  always  been  liberal  contributors  to  the  support  of  this  insti- 
tution. He  is  also  affiliated  with  the  Knights  of  Columbus,  and  takes  a  keen 
interest  in  city  and  county  affairs  as  befitting  a  man  of  broad  general  attain- 
ments, who  has  lived  in  Atchison  county  for  over  half  a  century  and  watched 
its  evolution  from  a  wilderness  to  become  one  of  the  fairest  divisions  of  the 
great  State  of  Kansas. 


ROBERT  F.  BISHOP. 


Robert  F.  Bishop,  farmer,  residing  in  Mt.  Pleasant  township,  Atchison 
county,  Kansas,  and  whose  farm  is  located  two  and  one-half  miles  west  of 
Potter,  is  one  of  the  most  substantial  and  progressive  .tgriculturists  of  liis 
neighborhood.  He  was  bom  August  16,  1861,  in  the  town  of  Watkins,  in 
Schuyler  county,  New  York,  at  the  foot  of  Watkins  Glen,  which  is  now  a  noted 


i 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  597 

summer  resort,  and  one  of  tlie  most  beautiful  spots  in  all  New  York.  He  is  a 
son  of  Freeman  and  Annie  (Sims)  Bishop,  both  of  whom  were  born  and 
reared  in  New  York  State  and  descendants  of  old  eastern  families.  The 
Bishop  family  is  of  Eno'lish  orig;in  and  is  descended  from  old  colonial  stock, 
mem.bers  of  which  figured  in  the  early  wars  in  which  America  has  been 
engaged.  The  Sims  family  is  of  Scotch  and  Irish  e.xtraction.  The  Bishops 
were  early  settlers  in  the  section  of  New  York  where  Robert  F.  Bishop  was 
born.  Freeman  was  a  ship  carpenter  by  trade  who  followed  his  trade  in  New 
York,  and  in  1S72  came  to  Kansas,  settling  in  Jefferson  county  on  a  farm, 
where  he  prospered  and  reared  his  family  of  foiu"  children,  Robert  F.  being 
the  eldest. 

He  of  whom  this  review  is  written  was  a  boy  ten  years  of  age  when  the 
family  came  to  Kansas  to  make  a  permanent  home.  He  lived  i>n  the  home 
place  and  assisted  his  father  in  the  cultivatiim  of  his  farm  until  he  was  twenty- 
four  years  of  age,  then  married,  and  two  years  later,  in  1885,  came  to  Mt. 
Pleasant  township,  Atchison  county,  and  purchased  the  old  Miller  farm  con- 
sisting of  180  acres  of  good,  tillable  land.  Mr.  Bishop  has  added  to  his 
original  farm  as  he  was  able  and  now  owns  261  1-2  acres  all  in  one  body  and 
well  improved.  Besides  his  home  farm  he  is  also  the  owner  of  another  tract 
of  208  acres,  which  makes  his  total  acreag'e  469  1-2  acres  in  all.  The  accumu- 
lation of  this  amount  of  land  in  about  thirty  years  is  a  considerable  undertak- 
ing, in  Kansas  especially,  when  the  possessor  had  verj'  little  of  this  world's 
goods  at  the  start  of  his  career.  Mr.  Bishop  began  with  very  little  capital 
but  imbued  with  a  determination  to  succeed  and  the  willingness  to  work  hard 
and  deny  himself  the  lu.xuries  of  life  until  he  was  well  able  to  afford  them. 
When  he  purchased  his  first  farm  his  cash  capital  was  so  limited  that  he  was 
forced  to  go  in  debt  for  two-thirds  of  the  purchase  price  of  the  land.  Since 
then  he  has  risen  to  bcc(_>me  one  of  the  \\callh\-  farmers. nf  Atchison  county, 
and  has  one  of  the  finest  and  best  improved  places  in  Kansas,  equii)ped  with 
excellent  buildings  and  a  modern  silo.  His  farm  is  considered  a  model  one 
in  the  county  and  was  one  of  the  first  to  be  visited  by  the  county  farm  \-isitors 
for  the  purpose  of  ascertaining  the  progress  made  and  using  it  as  a  model  for 
others  in  the  county.  Mr.  Bishop  is  a  natural  born  agriculturist  who  has 
kept  pace  with  the  advancement  made  in  the  science  of  agriculture,  and  is 
blessed  with  an  intuitive  knowledge  of  the  best  methods  of  tilling  the  soil. 

Mr.  Bishop  was  married  in  1883  to  Elizabeth  Shaw,  a  daughter  of  Heniy 
Shaw,  well-to-do  farmer  of  Leavenworth  county.  To  this  union  have  been 
born  seven  children,  namely:  Caude,  a  faiTner,  in  Atchison  county;  Curtis,  a 
farmer:  Robert,  living  at  home  and  assisting  his  father  in  the  farm  operaliims: 


598  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

Myrtle  S..  Mable,  Maude,  and  Irene,  at  home  witli  their  parents.  The  father 
of  Mrs.  Bishop  is  the  owner  of  the  old  Penseneau  farm,  which  is  the  first 
piece  of  land  ever  tilled  in  Atchison  county. 

The  Republican  party  has  generally  had  the  allegiance  of  Mr.  Bishop, 
and  while  he  has  not  taken  an  active  part  in  political  matters,  he  was  one  of 
the  stanch  supporters  of  the  movement  which  resulted  in  the  estabishment 
of  the  high  school  at  Potter.  It  is  only  natural  to  learn  that  he,  like  others  who 
have  succeeded  in  Kansas,  has  always  been  a  live  stock  man  and  believes  in 
feeding  the  grains  and  grasses  raised  on  his  land  to  the  live  stock  on  his  place, 
in  order  to  preser\-e  the  fertility  of  the  land  and  make  marketing  the  output 
much  more  convenient.  He  maintains  a  dairy  herd  of  thirty  well  bred  Hol- 
stein  milch  cows  and  is  a  well  known  breeder  of  Duroc  Jersey  hogs,  having  200 
head  or  more  on  his  farm. 


HARRISOX  W.  RUDOLPH. 

Harrison  W".  Rudolph  is  not  only  a  leading  photographer  of  Atchison, 
but  ranks  among  the  best  in  his  profession  of  the  entire  country.  Mr.  Rudolph 
is  a  native  of  the  Keystone  State,  bom  at  AUentown,  Pa.,  May  30,  1866.  He 
is  a  son  of  John  and  Levina  (Messer)  Rudolph.  The  Rudolphs  are  of  old 
American  stock  of  German  descent.  Sometime  during  the  seventeenth  cen- 
tury-, two  Rudolph  brothers  immigrated  to  America.  One  settled  in  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  the  other  went  farther  West,  locating  in  Ohio,  and  Harrison  W. 
Rudolph,  whose  name  introduces  tliis  review,  is  a  descendant  of  the  one  who 
settled  in  Pennsylvania.  ISlrs.  James  A.  Garfiekl  bore  the  maiden  name  of 
Rudolph,  and  was  a  member  of  the  Ohio  brancii  of  the  Rudolph  family,  and 
James  Rudolph  Garfield,  son  of  the  former  President,  retains  his  mother's 
maiden  name  as  his  middle  name.  John  Rudolph,  the  father  of  H.  \\  .,  is 
now  living  and  has  reached  the  ripe  old  age  of  eighty.  He  resides  in  .Mien- 
town,  Pa. 

Harrison  W.  Rudolph  was  reared  in  Allenlowu.  and  after  receiving  a 
good  common  school  education  sened  an  apprenticeship  at  photography  in 
his  native  city,  and  later  completed  a  course  in  the  Atchison  Business  College. 
About  the  time  he  was  twenty  years  old  he  obtained  a  position  from  an  Atch- 
ison photograjiher  through  correspondence.  He  came  here  and  worked  at  his 
profession  for  M.  A.  Kleckner  about  nine  years,  when  he  opened  a  studio  of 
his  own  at  509  1-2  Commercial  street,  where  he  has  been  located  for  twenty 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  599 

years.  Mr.  Rudolph  is  recognized  as  an  artist  and  has  a  large  patronage  from 
all  over  northeastern  Kansas,  and  be  even  gets  work  from  Kansas  City.  The 
excellency  of  his  work  is  readily  recognized  by  particular  people  who  know 
and  appreciate  art.  Mr.  Rudolph  has  been  awarded  five  prizes  and  medals  for 
his  work  bv  the  Kansas  State  Photographers'  Association,  and  his  work  is 
alwavs  in  great  demand.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Kansas  Photographers' 
Association,  the  National  Photographers'  Association  of  America,  the  Mis- 
souri Valley  Photographers'  Association,  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America, 
and  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 

Mr.  Rudolph  was  married  in  Denver  April  9,  1889,  to  Miss  Martha 
Hausser,  of  Xew  York  City,  and  two  children  have  been  born  to  this  union, 
as  follows:  Rodney,  born  January  21,  1892,  is  a  traveling  representative  for 
the  Standard  Oil  Company,  and  Fred,  born  June  2,  1894,  a  clerk  in  the  Atch- 
ison office  of  the  Standard  Oil  Company.  Mr.  Rudolph  is  not  only  a  success- 
ful artist,  hut  has  made  good  in  a  financial  way  and  is  one  of  the  substantial 
business  men  of  Atchison  county.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Atchison  Com- 
mercial Club  and  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association. 


EDWARD  B.  McCULLOUGH. 

Edward  B.  McCullough,  deputy  sheriff  of  Atchison  county,  was  born 
on  a  farm  in  Atchison  county  in  1880,  and  is  a  son  of  Hugh  Elden  and 
Sarah  J.  (Rankin)  McCullough,  lioth  of  whom  were  born  and  reared  to  ma- 
turity in  Pennsylvania,  married  there  and  shortly  afterward  set  out  for  the 
West,  settling  in  Atchison  county.  Mr.  McCullough  bDugiit  a  farm  in  Lan- 
caster township,  and  improved  it,  but  did  not  live  long  after  settling  here.  He 
died  at  the  age  of  twenty-eight  years,  leaving  one  son,  Edward  B.  At  the 
time  of  his  father's  death,  Edward  B.  was  but  fifteen  months  old,  and  soon 
afterward  his  mother  inoved  to  the  village  of  Lancaster  where  she  has  since 
made  her  home,  witli  the  exception  of  some  years  spent  on  her  cousin's  farm 
near  Lancaster.  Edward  B.  was  reared  to  young  manhood  in  Lancaster  and 
attended  the  public  school,  ^^'hen  still  a  youth  he  learned  to  hustle  for  him- 
self and  became  self-reliant  and  self-supporting  at  a  time  when  most  boys  are 
still  in  the  coddling  stage.  When  but  sixteen  years  of  age  he  bought  a  team 
and  outfit  and  engaged  in  Inisiness  for  himself.  He  continued  as  a  teamster 
and  in  draying  until  1914  when  he  removed  to  Atchison  to  enter  upon  his 
duties  as  deputy  sheriff  under  Sheriff  Roy  Trimble.  During  the  course  of 
his  teaming  experience  he  became  the  proprietor  of  a  livery  barn  in  Lancaster. 


600  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

On  October  28,  1903,  he  married  Mildred  May  Lowe,  a  daughter  of  Aus- 
tin and  Anna  Lowe,  of  Atchison  county.  They  have  one  child,  Gayle  Mateel, 
born  September  23,  1904.  Mr.  McCiilloug;!!  is  a  member  of  the  Modern 
Woodmen,  and  is  a  Republican.  Since  early  young  manhood  he  has  taken 
an  active  part  in  political  affairs,  and  loves  the  game  for  its  own  sake,  as  well 
as  he  loves  baseball  and  kindred  sports,  for  lie  is  and  has  been  quite  an  athlete, 
being  a  proficient  baseball  player. 

For  the  past  eight  years  he  has  been  one  of  the  wheel  horses  of  the 
Republican  party  in  Atchison  county  and  has  naturally  attained  a  wide  ac- 
quaintance among  the  voters  of  both  parties.  He  assiduously  campaigned 
for  his  favorite  candidates  during  the  campaigns  of  igi2  and  1914.  but  has 
never  been  a  candidate  for  office.  He  was  appointed  to  the  post  of  deputy 
sheriff  in  November,  1914.  and  took  up  the  duties  of  his  office  January  11,  of 
the  following  year.  It  is  needless  to  state  that  he  is  faithfully  performing  the 
duties  of  his  position  and  is  gaining  more  friends  as  liis  general  worth  is  be- 
coming more  widely  known. 


THOMAS  E.  BALLL\GER. 


Thomas  E.  Ballinger  is  one  of  the  substantial  and  well  respected  resi- 
dents of  Atchison  who  has  accomplished  much  in  a  material  and  civic  way 
since  first  coming  to  the  county  in  1869.  He  has  acquired  and  improved  one 
of  the  finest  farms  of  the  county,  served  the  people  well  and  faithfully  in  an 
official  capacity,  and,  best  of  all,  has  reared  a  fine  family,  every  member  of 
whom  is  a  useful  addition  to  society,  and  a  credit  to  their  parents  and  the 
communities  in  which  they  reside.  What  more  could  any  man  expect  to  ac- 
complish during  a  long  and  busy  life?  A  man  who  accomplishes  so  much 
with  the  assistance  of  an  intelligent  and  faithful  wife  can  well  be  content  to 
retire  to  a  pleasant  home,  imbued  with  the  satisfaction  of  knowing  that  the 
future  of  himself  and  his  is  well  provided  for  during  the  declining  years  which 
can  be  likened  to  a  beautiful  sunset  at  the  end  of  a  long  and  glorious  day  spent 
in  gleaning  from  mother  earth  her  treasures. 

Mr.  Ballinger  is  a  native  of  New  Jersey  and  comes  of  good,  old  English 
stock.  He  was  born  in  Salem  county,  that  State,  November  21,  1845.  His 
parents  were  John  G.  and  Sarah  Ann  (  Reeves)  Ballinger.  also  natives  of 
New  Jersey.     His  paternal  grandfather  was  John  G.  Ballinger,  wb.o  married 


^ 

^ 


N) 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  6oi 

a"  Quaker  woman  and  died  when  Tin mias  E.  was  but  a  boy.  His  mother  was 
a  daugliter  of  Stephen  Reeves,  a  scion  of  an  old  eastern  family  and  a  leading 
shipbuilder  of  New  Jersey.  The  Reeves  family  settled  in  Alloway  township, 
Salem  county,  New  Jersey.  John  G.  Ballinger,  the  father,  was  born  in  1827, 
and  died  in  1906.  He  was  a  miller,  and  operated  a  mill  during  the  actix^c 
years  of  his  long  life.  His  wife,  Sarah  Ann,  died  in  1850,  leaving  three  chil- 
dren: Stephen  R.,  a  miller,  who  resided  in  New  Jersey,  and  died  October  15, 
1915;  Samuel  E.,  a  retired  farmer,  living  in  the  suburbs  of  Atchison,  and 
Thomas  E.,  with  whose  career  this  review  is  directly  concerned.  John  G. 
Ballinger  married  a  second  time,  to  Sarah  Austin,  who  bore  him  the  follow- 
ing children :  John,  Charles,  Walter.  Ellen,  Sadie,  Emma  and  Minnie. 

The  elder  Balhnger  had  both  the  means  and  the  incentive  to  give  his 
children  an  education.  Accordingly,  Thomas  E.  had  the  advantages  of 
thorough  schooling  and,  after  attending  the  district  school  of  his  home  neigh- 
borhood, he  studied  in  the  Cumberland  County  Academy  at  Bridgetown,  N.  J., 
the  Crittendon  School  in  Philadelphia  and  the  Eastman  Business  College  at 
Poughkeepsie,  New  York,  completing  his  course  in  the  latter  institution  in 
1865.  He  then  became  a  clerk  in  a  grocery  store  at  Glouster,  N.  J.,  and  was 
later  employed  in  a  drug  store.  All  the  while,  however,  he  was  hearkening 
to  the  call  of  the  West,  which  had  reached  the  ears  of  thousands  of  young- 
men  in  the  East.  The  call  proved  so  strong  that  in  1869  he  made  the  long 
journey  to  Kansas  to  become  one  of  the  pioneers  of  the  new  State.  For  the 
first  two  years  he  worked  out  as  a  farm  hand  in  Shannon  township,  Atchison 
county,  saving  his  funds  in  order  that  he  might  begin  farming  for  himself. 
In  1871  he  made  his  first  purchase  of  eighty  acres  of  unimproved  land  in 
Lancaster  township.  Atchison  county,  at  a  cost  of  $15  per  acre.  On  this  tract 
he  built  a  two  room  house  in  which  he  lived  for  two  years,  and  was  there 
joined  by  his  brother,  Samuel  E.  He  then  married,  and  the  first  five  years 
of  a  happy  wedded  life  were  spent  on  this  farm.  He  traded  this  farm  for 
eighty  acres  of  land  in  Shannon  township,  which  served  as  the  family  home 
until  1888.  He  then  exchanged  the  Shannon  township  farm  for  240  acres, 
near  Fluron.  Atchison  county,  which  he  retained  for  two  years,  and  then  made 
his  last  trade  for  160  acres  in  the  east  central  part  of  Lancaster  township. 
For  seventeen  years,  until  his  retirement  to  Atchison  in  1907.  this  fine  farm 
was  the  family  home.  Air.  Ballinger  greatly  improved  this  farm,  added  to 
it  another  forty  acres,  and  with  its  two  sets  of  buildings  and  well  ke])t  fields, 
is  one  of  the  finest  and  most  productive  a.gricultural  plants  in  the  cnunty. 

He  was  married  on  Saturday,  March  21,  1874.  U>  Julia  II.  Holland,  and 
to  this  union  have  been  burn  the  following  children:  Ralph,  a  talented  ])hysi- 


602  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

cian  of  Chicago,  married  Flora  Groom,  of  Indiana ;  Mrs.  Marie  Shuffleberger, 
Doniphan  county,  Kansas,  mother  of  tliree  children,  Dorothy.  Reeves  and 
\\'ayne;  Adel,  at  home;  Grace,  wife  of  J.  W.  Coleman,  of  Atchison,  liaving 
two  children,  John  Ballinger,  born  June  14.  iQii.  and  James  Henry,  born 
November  3.  1915;  Thomas  Edward,  Jr..  on  the  home  farm,  married  Xellie 
Colgan  and  is  the  father  of  one  child,  John  Edward :  Julia  Gladys  resides  at 
home  with  her  parents.  Father,  mother  and  daughters  reside  in  a  handsome 
brick  residence,  erected  by  Mr.  Ballinger  at  210  North  Eleventh  street.  Mrs. 
Ballinger  was  born  Decemljer  29,  1853.  in  England,  and  is  a  daughter  of 
Joshua  and  Maria  (Relph)  Holland,  who  immigrated  to  America  in  1856, 
and  first  settled  on  an  Illinois  farm.  The  family  came  to  Kansas  in  i860, 
settling  in  Nemaha  county,  going  from  there  to  Ft.  Leavenworth,  where 
Joshua  Holland  followed  his  trade  of  stone  mason.  During  the  Civil  war 
'Sir.  Holland  served  in  the  commissary  department  at  Ft.  Leavenworth.  In 
1870  he  came  to  Atchison  coimty  and  cultivated  a  farm  of  120  acres  near 
Lane  until  his  death.  Mr.  Holland  was  born  in  April,  1822,  and  died  in 
September,  1884.  Mrs.  Holland  was  Ijorn  in  November,  1824.  and  died  in 
April,  1894.  They  were  the  parents  of  the  following  children :  Emma,  de- 
ceased: Misses  Mar)-  and  Harriet  Holland  on  a  fami  near  Lancaster:  Mrs. 
Julia  Ballinger,  and  William,  a  retired  fanner  in  I^ncester. 

Thomas  E.  Ballinger  has  always  been  a  Republican  in  politics  and  took 
an  active  part  in  political  and  civic  affairs  in  his  home  township,  sening  as 
township  clerk  for  a  number  of  years.  He  was  elected  to  the  office  of  county 
commissioner  in  1910,  and  served  from  January.  191 1.  to  January.  1915. 
While  a  member  of  the  board  of  county  commissioners  the  best  interests  of 
the  countv  were  paramount  with  him.  and  he  was  an  honest  and  capable 
public  official.     He  and  liis  family  are  members  of  the  Presbyterian  church. 


ROGER  PATRICK  SULLIVAN. 

The  accounts  of  many  of  the  pros]ierous  and  substantial  families  who  are 
the  backbone  and  substance  of  the  rural  population  in  Atchison  county  are 
very  similar,  beginning  far  away,  across  tlie  ocean,  in  one  of  the  older  coun- 
tries from  whence  tlie  parents  came  to  seek  fortune  in  .\merica.  The  Sulli- 
van family  had  its  origin  in  Ireland  and  it  was  from  the  Emerald  Isle  that  the 
father  of  the  family  came  when  twelve  years  of  age,  struggleil  from  poverty 
to  comparative  wealth  and  left  his  sons  well  provided  for.  as  a  reward  for 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  603 

their  filial  devolidn  to  the  parents  when  (jld  age  came  u])(jn  tliem.  Roger 
Sullivan,  a  progressive  farmer  of  Benton  township,  is  one  of  the  best  known 
men  in  his  section  of  the  CDunty.  The  Sullivan  home  is  an  attractive  one, 
and  the  home  farm  of  Mr.  Sullivan  is  one  of  the  most  fertile  and  best  kept 
in  Atchison  county. 

Roger  Patrick  Sullivan  was  born  December  4,  1862,  in  Atchison,  a  son 
of  Michael  and  Bridget  (Tobin)  Sullivan,  natives  of  Ireland.  IMichael  Sul- 
livan was  born  in  1S26  and  lived  in  his  native  land  until  he  was  twelve  vears 
of  age  when  he  made  his  way  to  America.  His  travels  while  seeking-  fortune 
in  the  new  country  took  him  ever  westward  and  he  was  married  in  Keokuk, 
Iowa,  to  Bridget  Tobiii,  who  was  his  faithful  helpmate  during  the  years  when 
he  was  rising  from  poverty  to  affluence.  In  i860  they  came  to  Atchison, 
Kan.,  where  Mr.  Sullivrm  engaged  in  railroad  contract  work  and  assisted  in 
the  grading  of  the  Central  Branch  railroad.  He  made  money  in  his  railroad 
contract  work  and  was  enabled  to  purchase  a  farm  in  Grasshopper  township, 
or  rather  traded  for  it.  While  living  in  Atchison,  with  true  Irish  thrift,  he 
and  his  wife  managed  to  become  owners  of  a  home  which  the)-  exchanged  for 
eighty  acres  of  land  in  Grasshopper  township,  upon  which  they  moved  and  de- 
veloped it  into  a  fine  farm.  Mr.  Sullivan  in  the  course  of  time  bought  an 
additional  quarter  section  and  with  the  help  of  bis  sturdv  sons  he  increased 
his  acreage  to  320  acres  of  well  in-|proved  farm  land.  When  old  age  crept 
upon  Michael  and  his  wife  they  turned  over  the  farms  to  their  two  sons,  who 
cared  for  them  in  their  declining  years,  which  were  spent  in  ]3eace  and  com- 
fort. Mr.  Sullivan  died  at  the  home  of  his  son,  John  Edward,  December 
24,  1906,  and  his  wife  followed  him  tn  the  great  beyond  two  years  later,  Feb- 
ruary, 1908.  Three  children  were  born  to  this  worth}-  cou])le,  namely:  John 
Edward,  a  farmer  residing  in  (irasshopjx^r  township:  Roger  Patrick,  the 
subject  of  this  re\'iew,  and  Mary,  deceased. 

Roger  P.  learned  when  a  vouth  the  art  of  cultivating  the  soil,  and  dili- 
gently applied  himself  tn  the  task  of  helping  to  build  up  the  family  estate, 
and  received  as  his  share  of  the  farm  lands  owned  by  his  father  a  fine  quarter 
section  of  land  upon  which  he  resided  until  his  removal  to  his  present  location 
in  the  spring  of  1908.  Prosperity  has  smiled  upon  his  efforts,  and  he  is  now 
the  owner  of  360  acres  of  land,  160  acres  of  which  are  comprised  in  his  home 
farm,  eighty  acres  is  located  five  miles  w^est  of  his  home  in  Kapioma  tcnvn- 
ship,  and  he  still  retains  120  acres  of  the  original  Sullivan  farm,  which  is  en- 
tirely devoted  to  |)asture.  If  one  should  ask  Mr.  Sullivan  how-  he  had  man- 
aged to  attain  the  considerable  acreage  w'hich  he  now  possesses,  his  answer 
would  probably  be,  "By  hard  work,"  which  would  be  true,  but  the  reviewer 


604  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

is  also  of  the  opinion  that  the  "hard  word"  was  also  supplemented  by  intelli- 
gent effort,  self-denial  at  times,  sobriety,  and  good  financial  judgment. 

Mr.  Sullivan  was  married  January  ii,  1892,  to  Miss  Mary  Linehan,  who 
was  born  in  Atchison  county.  Kansas,  in  1865.  a  daughter  of  James  and 
Kathryn  Linehan.  natives  of  Ireland,  and  who  were  pioneer  settlers  in  Atchi- 
son county.  To  this  union  four  children  have  been  born,  namely :  Catharine, 
aged  seventeen  years,  and  a  student  in  the  Atchison  Count}-  High  Scliool. 
class  of  '17;  Daniel,  fifteen  years  old,  a  freshman  in  the  county  high  school; 
Mary,  aged  twelve  years,  and  Helen,  aged  nine,  pupils  in  the  parochial  school 
at  Effingham. 

The  Democratic  party  has  always  claimed  the  allegiance  of  Mr.  Sullivan 
and  his  father  before  him  was  a  Democrat.  He  and  his  family  are  members 
of  the  Catholic  church  which  was  the  faith  of  their  fathers.  He  finds  time  to 
ffive  attention  to  the  social  side  of  life,  and  is  fratemallv  affiliated  with  the 
Knights  of  Columbus  and  the  Bene^•olent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks,  of 
Atchison.  Mr.  Sullivan  is  a  thorough  Kansan,  and  is  proud  to  be  numbered 
among  the  real  pioneers  of  Atchison  county,  and  in  his  opinion  there  is  no 
better  spot  than  the  county  which  has  always  been  his  home. 


JOHN  FLEMING. 


John  Fleming,  a  successful  merchant  of  Atchison,  was  born  October  29, 
1864,  in  Holland.  When  four  years  old  his  parents  left  tlie  land  of  their  liirth 
and  came  to  America  in  1868.  He  was  one  of  twins,  the  other  twin  Ijrother 
dying  during  the  ocean  voyage  to  America.  His  parents  were  Lambert  and 
Rosena  (Johnson)  Fleming,  who  set  out  from  their  native  land  imbued  v^-ith 
the  desire  to  better  their  condition  in  America  and  finally  located  in  Atchison. 
The  elder  Fleming  had  been  a  skilled  wooden-shoe  maker  in  his  native  land, 
and  he  plied  his  trade  in  Atchison,  being  able  to  market  the  product  of  his 
skilled  workmanship  through  the  kindly  assistance  of  John  Ratterman.  who 
exchanged  groceries  and  the  necessities  of  life  for  the  shoes  which  Mr.  Flem- 
ing made.  The  familv  finally  located  on  a  farm  south  of  .\tchison,  and  re- 
sided there  until  the  death  of  the  father  in  1882.  at  which  time  John,  his 
mother  and  two  sisters,  Bertha,  now  widow  of  Henry  Nass,  deceased :  Ida 
Van  Benthen,  residing  at  Seventeentli  and  Atchison  streets,  removed  to 
Atchison. 

John  Fleming  was  four  years  old  when  his  parents  took  up  their  resi- 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  605 

dence  in  Atchison  county,  and  he  was  reared  on  the  farm,  south  of  the  city, 
attending  the  district  schools,  and  was  able  to  secure  a  limited  education  in 
this  manner.  Upon  coming  to  the  city  to  reside  he  worked  in  various  gro- 
cery stores  for  several  years.  With  true  thrift,  for  which  those  of  Holland 
birth  are  noted  tlie  world  over,  he  carefully  saved  his  money  over  and  above 
actual  living  expenses,  and  in  1898,  equipped  with  a  capital  of  $500,  he  started 
in  business  with  this  amount  and  some  borrowed  money.  For  over  seventeen 
years  he  has  been  conducting  a  grocei-y  business  at  321  North  Seventh 
street  and  his  business  has  been  constantly  on  the  increase.  The  de- 
mands of  his  growing  trade  and  the  expansion  of  his  business  became 
such  that  in  1907  it  became  necessary  for  him  to  erect  the  modern 
brick  buildings  which  now  houses  his  excellent  stock  of  goods  at  321  North 
Seventh  street.  It  is  one  of  the  most  attractive  and  best  kept  establishments 
of  the  kind  in  the  city,  and  is  noted  for  the  tasteful  manner  in  which  the 
goods  of  the  very  best  quality  are  displayed  and  the  unvarying  courtesy  with 
which  the  patrons  are  treated.  Prosperity  has  come  to  Mr.  Fleming,  and  in 
igo8  he  in\ested  his  surplus  in  the  erection  of  a  four-suite  apartment  house, 
each  apartment  of  which  contains  six  rooms.  He  is  also  the  owner  of  other 
real  estate  in  north  Atchison,  and  is  rated  as  one  of  the  city's  enterprising  and 
progressive  business  men. 

Mr.  Fleming  was  married  in  1889  to  Emma  C.  Hilligoss,  a  daughter  of 
Alfred  and  Anna  Eliza  (McLain)  Hilligoss,  who  located  in  Atchison  when 
she  was  twelve  years  of  age.  Seven  children  have  been  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Fleming,  four  living:  W^illiam  J.,  associated  with  his  father  in  the  grocery 
business;  Henry  A.,  also  his  father's  assistant;  Agnes  R.,  John  Edwin;  Bertha 
died  at  the  age  of  four  years;  Ruth  died  in  infancy,  and  Theodore  died  at 
the  age  of  four  months. 

Mr.  Fleming  is  a  member  of  St.  Benedict's  Catholic  Church,  and  is  fra- 
ternally connected  with  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America. 


MARK  H.  HULINGS. 


For  an  .Xtchison  countv  man  to  start  out  in  life  with  a  capital  of  fifteen 
dollars,  which  was  given  to  him  by  a  loving  mother,  with  the  injunction  that 
he  purchase  an  article  for  personal  adornment,  and  then  to  invest  said  fifteen 
dollars  in  a  span  of  mules,  which  became  the  nucleus  to  a  fortune,  and  for 
this  citizen  to  rise  to  the  position  of  being  one  of  the  large  landed  proprietors 


6o6  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

of  Kansas,  sounds  like  a  tale  from  modern  fiction.  But  the  '.ale  is  true,  and 
the  incident  which  marked  the  starting  point  of  the  career  of  Mark  H.  Rul- 
ings, of  Center  township,  is  the  keystone  of  the  man's  character,  and  shows 
wherein  lies  the  material  from  wliicli  he  was  created.  Mr.  Hulings  decided 
that  a  pair  of  mules  would  do  him  more  material  good  than  adorning  his  per- 
son, and  thereui  used  rare  and  capable  judgment.  Mr.  Hulings  is  a  Kansas 
man,  who  during  a  career  in  agricultural  pursuits  embracing  but  little  more 
than  thirty  years,  has  achieved  a  success  which  is  truly  remarkable.  Not  con- 
tent with  just  common  everj^day  fanning,  as  has  been  practiced  with  indiffer- 
ent success  by  others,  Mr.  Hulings  became  a  specialist  and  has  taken  his  right- 
ful place  among  the  many  skilled  cattle  breeders  of  this  county,  who  in  time 
to  come  will  receive  the  credit  and  honors  which  are  theirs  by  right.  By  in- 
dustry, persistence,  intelligence,  and  keen  financial  judgment  he  has  risen  to 
become  one  of  the  leading  farmers  of  Atchison  county  and  Kansas.  Born 
in  the  old  Buckeye  State,  of  Virginia  parents,  he  is  a  loyal  and  steadfast  Kan- 
san,  and  takes  pride  in  the  fact  that  he  is  one  of  the  real  pioneers  of  this  sec- 
tion of  a  great  State. 

Mark  H.  Hulings,  fanner  and  stockman,  of  Center  town.ship,  was  born 
T'eliruarv  14,  1862.  at  Walnut  Hill,  a  suburb  of  Cincinnati.  Ohui.  IK-  is  a  son 
of  Samuel  and  Louise  (Brown)  Hulings.  They  had  four  children,  as  follows: 
Mrs.  Lillie  High,  widow,  Atchison,  Kan.;  Cincinnatus,  deceased;  Mark,  the 
subject  of  this  sketch,  and  Ruth  J.,  twins,  the  latter  deceased.  The  father  was 
born  in  what  is  now  West  Virginia  in  1832.  He  was  a  baker  by  trade,  and 
his  early  days  were  spent  on  a  steamlx)at.  where  he  was  employed  as  a  cook 
and  baker.  When  a  young  man  lie  came  to  Cincinnati,  where  he  worked  for 
.some  time,  and  then  he  began  farming.  Tn  1867  he  came  to  Atchison  county, 
Kansas,  where  he  bought  160  acres  of  land,  and  built  a  seven-room  house  of 
brick,  which  was  considered  a  fine  residence  in  that  day.  He  was  a  success- 
ful farmer  and  his  crops  were  always  good,  w  ith  the  exception  of  one  year 
when  they  were  destroyed  liy  the  grasshoppers.  The  father  conducted  his  farm 
until  his  death  in  1898.  The  mother  was  born  in  New"  York  and  died  about 
[905,  aged  about  seventy  years.  An  accident  in  an  Atchison  hardware  store 
elevator  which  injured  her  leg  led  to  her  death. 

Mark  Hulings  attended  the  school  in  District  No.  28.  Center  township, 
and  later  the  Pardee  Seminary.  When  he  started  out  in  life  for  himself  he 
had  only  fifteen  dollars  which  his  mother  gave  him  to  buy  a  ring  for  himself. 
But  caring  little  for  personal  jewelry,  bought  a  span  of  mules  instead,  for 
which  he  paid  the  fifteen  dollars  as  the  first  payment.  This  was  his  first 
investment,  but  it  was  a  profitable  one,  and  he  has  continued  to  invest  until 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  607 

he  is  now  an  extensive  land  owner.  He  and  his  brother,  Cincinnatns,  bought 
land  of  their  own  after  their  parents  died,  and  farmed  together  about  eight 
3^ears  when  each  bougiit  a  farm  of  his  own.  Mark  I)ought  land  in  Center 
township  and  now  owns  Sio  acres,  a  large  part  of  which  is  well  improved.  He 
was  a  breeder  of  registered  Hereford  cattle  for  a  time,  but  now  devotes  his 
attention  to  Shorthorns.  He  has  worked  his  way  to  the  first  rank  of  Atchi- 
son county  farmers,  and  now  holds  land  that  makes  him  one  of  the  largest 
land  owners  of  the  county.  On  April  27,  1890,  he  married  Emma  Sharpless, 
who  was  born  September  22,  187 1,  in  Delaware.  (See  sketch  of  U.  B.  Sharp- 
less  for  a  sketch  of  the  Sharpless  family  history.)  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hulings 
have  been  born  two  children:  Mark  S.  and  Susie  E.,  living  at  home.  Mr. 
Hulings  is  a  Republican.  He  and  his  wife  and  children  are  members  of  the 
Christian  church  at  Farmington. 


FRANK  SUTTER. 


Frank  Sutter,  owner  of  "Highlington,"  a  splendid  farm  of  245  acres,  in 
Benton  township,  Atchison  county,  located  one-half  mile  west  of  Effingham, 
is  a  native  of  Atchison  countv,  and  is  one  of  its  most  successful  and  pro- 
gressive farmers.  A  beautiful,  modern  farm  home  of  eight  rooms  occupies  a 
rise  of  land  fronting  the  main  highway,  running  east  and  west  from  Effing- 
ham, and  is  fully  equipped  with  a  water  system  and  private  gas  plant  installed 
by  Mr.  Sutter.  A  large  red  barn  stands  in  the  rear  of  the  home.  This  farm 
is  operated  as  a  dairying  plant,  and  Mr.  Sutter  maintains  a  herd  of  fifteen 
milch  cows  of  the  Jersey  and  Shorthorn  breeds. 

Frank  Sutter  was  born  Januar}'  8.  1871,  on  a  pioneer  farm  in  Walnut 
township,  Atchison  county,  and  is  a  son  of  Frederick  Sutter,  deceased,  of 
whom  a  complete  biography  is  written  in  this  volume.  Frank  Sut- 
ter came  with  the  familv  to  Benton  township  in  1880  and  lived  on  the  home 
place,  two  miles  west  of  Effingham,  and  after  his  father's  death  he  and  his 
brothers,  Fred  and  William,  became  the  owners  of  the  section  of  land  which 
has  since  been  divided,  Frank  taking  a  quarter  section  as  his  share  when  the 
division  of  land  was  made.  The  sons  of  Frederick  Sutter  farmed  the  family 
estate  in  common  until  1902,  and,  after  various  changes  following  the  division 
of  the  estate  Frank  became  the  proprietor  of  245  acres  in  one  tract,  which  he 
is  now  cultivating. 

Mr.  Sutter  was  married  in  1909  to  Mrs.  Kate  (Cook)  Pitman,  a  widow, 


6o8  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

who  is  the  mother  of  eight  children  by  her  first  marriage,  as  follows :  George, 
now  in  Montana ;  Ralph,  living  in  Iowa ;  Mrs.  Elsie  Mann,  of  Nebraska ;  Mrs. 
Vera  Blair,  a  resident  of  Effingham ;  Margaret,  at  home ;  Mrs.  Geneva  Per- 
due, of  Huron.  Kan. ;  Helen  and  Thomas  reside  at  home.  Mrs.  Sutter  was  a 
daughter  of  E.  F.  Cook. 

While  Mr.  Sutter  is  a  Republican  in  politics,  he  votes  independentlj'  in 
county  and  local  matters,  and  supports  the  candidate  who  seems  best  fitted 
for  the  office,  in  his  judgment.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Ancient  Free  and 
Accepted  Masons,  and  the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen.  Mr.  Sutter 
is  of  a  high  type  of  the  successful  farmer  who  has  made  good  in  his  inherited 
vocation.  The  success  of  each  individual  member  of  the  Sutter  family  is 
due.  to  a  great  extent,  to  their  cooperatinn  and  ability  to  wurk  together  for 
the  common  good  of  the  whole  family,  collectively  and  individually,  while 
the  family  fortunes  were  in  process  of  building. 


BISHOP  K.  HAM. 


Bishop  K.  Ham,  one  of  the  younger  successful  farmers  and  stockmen  of 
Grasshopper  township,  Atchison  county,  is  the  last  surviving  representative  of 
one  of  the  oldest  pioneer  families  of  the  western  part  of  the  county.  He 
resides  on  the  old  liomestead  of  the  Ham  family,  consisting  of  170  acres  of 
land,  upon  wliich  his  father  homesteaded  in  1861.  P>.  K.  Ham  was  born  on 
this  farm  July  23,  1882,  a  son  of  Martin  W..  and  Ma'rgarette  (Black)  Ham, 
natives  of  Fleming  county,  Kentucky. 

Martin  W.  Ham  was  born  near  the  town  of  Flemingsburg,  Ky..  April 
13,  1834,  and  was  a  son  of  George  and  Ruth  Ham.  also  reared  in  Kentucky. 
The  grandfather  of  Martin  W.  was  John  or  "Jackie."  a  native  of  Greenbrier 
county,  Virginia,  and  was  of  Scotch-Irish  lineage.  The  Ham  family  is  a 
very  old  one  in  this  country,  and  the  great-grandfather  of  B.  K.  Ham  was 
John,  better  known  as  "Jackie"  Ham,  who  was  one  among  the  earliest  pioneer 
settlers  of  Kentucky.  Martin  W.  was  reared  to  young  manhood  in  Fleming 
county.  Kentucky,  and  there  married  Jane  Humphreys.  In  t86i  the  Ham 
family  left  Kentucky  in  search  of  a  home  in  the  West,  making  the  long  trip 
overland  to  Missouri  by  wagon.  After  a  short  stay  in  Missouri  they  came  to 
.Atchison  county,  Kansas,  and  settled  on  the  farm  now  owned  by  Mrs.  Mar- 
garette  Ham.  All  of 'Martin  W.  Ham's  worldly  possessions  when  he  landed 
in  Kansas  was  his  team  and  wagon  and  a  few  household  necessities.    The  land 


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HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  609 

was  wild  and  there  were  few  settlers  on  the  prairies  in  Grasshopper  township,, 
where  he  made  his  settlement  and  eventually  developed  a  fine  farm.  He  be- 
came an  extensive  cattle  and  hog  raiser  and  made  considerable  money  in  this 
manner. 

Martin  \Y.  Ham  was  twice  married,  his  first  wife,  Jane  Humphreys  Ham, 
dying  May  i8,  1879.  He  married  his  second  wife,  Margarette  Black.  June 
28,  1880.  One  son  was  born  of  this  second  marriage,  Bishop  K.  Mrs.  Mar- 
garette (Black)  Ham  was  born  March  29,  1854,  a  daughter  of  M.  M.  and 
Rebecca  (Simms)  Black,  the  former  a  native  of  Virginia,  and  of  Irish  lineage. 
He  was  one  of  the  early  pioneer  settlers  of  Kansas.  Martin  W.  Ham  died 
in  1908.  From  the  start  of  his  career  in  Kansas  M.  W.  Ham  took  an  active 
and  influential  part  in  civic  and  political  affairs  of  his  county  and  State. 
During  the  border  ruffian  days  he  was  active  in  affairs  and  was  a  Free  State 
man.  He  was  captain  of  Company  G,  Kansas  Home  Guards,  during  the 
Civil  war.  He  held  various  township  offices  and  was  elected  a  member  of 
the  Kansas  State  legislature  in  1869,  serving  one  term.  He  was  a  member 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  and  was  affiliated  with  the  Masonic  and 
Odd  Fellows  lodges. 

Bishop  K.  Ham,  with  whom  this  review  is  directly  concerned,  received 
his  education  in  the  district  school  of  his  neighborhood  and  also  studied  in 
the  college  at  Hiawatha,  Kan.,  for  one  year.  He  then  took  up  farming,  and 
after  his  marriage  lived  on  a  neighboring  farm  until  his  father's  demise.  He 
then  came  to  the  home  farm  which  he  has  since  been  cultivating  with  consider- 
able success.  Mr.  Ham  has  made  a  record  as  a  breeder  of  horses  and  mules 
second  to  none  in  Atchison  county.  He  is  the  owner  of  a  magnificent,  im- 
ported black  stallion,  "Illico,"  six  years  old,  which  he  purchased  from  the 
well  known  importer,  Charles  Kirk,  of  St.  Joseph,  Mo.  He  is  the  owner  of- 
a  high  class  jack  and  is  a  successful  breeder  of  mules.  The  \nidc  of  his  farm 
is  his  fine  herd  of  thirty  thoroughbred  Jerseys,  headed  by  the  pedigreed  bull. 
"Loren's  Lad,"  both  the  sire  and  dam  of  which  were  imported.  Bv  means 
of  holding  annual  sales  Mr.  Ham  will  dispose  of  the  surplus  stock  of  his  herds 
of  cattle  and  horses.  The  Ham  farm  is  well  improved  in  every  way  with 
good  commodious  buildings,  silo,  etc.,  a  fine  modern  home,  all  grou])ed  to- 
gether on  a  beautiful  location. 

Mr.  Ham  was  married  October  19.  1905,  to  Miss  Carrie  B.  McCuhbins, 
and  to  this  union  has  been  bom:  Marguerite  Ham,  born  .\])v\\  17. 
1907.  Mrs.  Carrie  B.  Ham  is  a  daughter  of  Robert  D.  and  Elizabeth  (Tenry) 
McCubbins,  who  were  early  settlers  in  Atchison  county.     The  McCubbins 

39 


6lO  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

family  first  settled  near  tlie  city  of  Atchison,  and  later  came  to  Grasshopper 
township. 

Mr.  Ham  is  a  Republican  in  politics,  and  is  a  member  of  the  Ancient  Free 
and  Accepted  Masons  of  Muscotah,  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America 
and  the  Fraternal  Aid  societies.  He  is  one  of  the  best  known  and  rising 
young  agriculturists  of  the  county  and  will  undoubtedly  make  a  name  for  him- 
self among  the  breeders  of  the  State  of  Kansas  and  middle  West. 


CHARLES  H.  LINLEY. 


Charles  H.  Linley,  a  prominent  physician  and  surgeon,  of  Atchison.  ma\ 
very  appropriately  be  called  the  dean  of  the  Atchison  county  medical  pro- 
fession. Dr.  Linley  is  a  Kentuckian.  He  was  born,  in  Livingston  county, 
Kentucky,  June  19,  1847,  and  is  a  son  of  Dr.  Thomas  and  Maria  (Barker) 
Linley,  natives  of  Lewis  county,  Kentucky.  Maria  Barker,  the  mother,  was  a 
daughter  of  .Vdmiral  Barker  of  the  LTnited  States  navy.  Dr.  Thomas  Linley. 
the  father,  was  born  in  1806.  He  was  a  son  of  Thomas  Linley,  a  native  of 
England,  who  settled  in  Virginia  at  an  early  date  and  later  removed  to  Ken- 
tucky, and  was  a  pioneer  of  this  State.  Thomas  Linley,  the  father  of  Dr. 
Charles  H.  Linley,  was  a  large  plantation  owner  and  owned  many  slaves  in 
Kentnck)'  prior  to  the  Civil  war.  but  was  a  strong  Union  man  and  believed 
that  slavery  was  wrong,  and  when  the  Civil  war  came  on  he  was  pronounced 
in  his  anti-slavery  views,  and  notwithstanding  the  position  of  many  of  his 
neighbors  and  friends  and  lifelong  associates,  he  stood  firmly  by  the  L'nion. 
He  was  a  graduate  of  the  old  Transylvania  Medical  College,  at  Lexington.  Ky. 
He  began  the  practice  of  his  profession  at  the  early  age  of  nineteen  years,  and 
for  forty-five  years  practiced  most  of  the  time  in  the  vicinity  of  Salem,  Ky. 
He  came  to  .\tchison,  Kan.,  in  1866.  but  remained  a  short  time,  when  he  re- 
turned to  Kentucky,  where  he  died  IMarch  31.  1880.  Dr.  Thomas  and  Maria 
(Barker)  Linley  were  the  parents  of  thirteen  children,  three  of  whom  died 
in  infancy,  and  four  are  now  living,  as  follows:  Dr.  Charles  H.,  the  subject 
of  this  sketch :  Isaac  resides  on  the  old  homestead  in  Salem,  Ky. ;  Mrs.  Laura 
Hill  resides  at  Liberty,  Mo.,  and  Joseph  W.,  now  living  retired  in  Atchison, 
Kan.  After  receiving  a  good  academic  and  classical  education.  Dr.  Charles  H. 
Linley  entered  Miami  Medical  College,  now  known  as  the  Ohio  Medical  Col- 
lege, at  Cincinnati,  and  was  graduated  from  that  institution  in  1877  with  the 
degree  of  Doctor  of  Medicine.     In  1880  he  located  in  the  city  of  Atchison 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  6ll 

where  he  has  practiced  his  profession  with  uniform  success  for  the  past  thirty- 
five  years.  He  is  one  of  tlie  oldest  ])hysicians  in  the  number  of  years  in 
practice  in  Atchison. 

Dr.  Linley  was  married  in  1879  to  Miss  Fannie  W.  Gregory,  a  native  of 
Kentucky.  She  was  born  in  1854  and  is  a  daughter  of  James  Gregory  and  a 
member  of  a  prominent  Kentucky  fainily.  Her  father  died  wiien  Mrs.  Lin- 
ley was  fourteen  years  of  age.  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Linley  are  the  parents  of  the 
following  children:  Maria,  bom  in  1880,  and  died  in  igoQ;  Corinne,  a  teacher 
in  the  Atchison  high  school,  and  a  graduate  of  Alidland  College  and  the  State 
Normal  school  at  Emporia;  Ray  G.,  traveling  salesman  for  Blish,  Mize  & 
Silliman;  Nora  B.,  a  graduate  of  Midland  College,  now  a  teacher  in  Colo- 
rado :  Alice,  a  graduate  of  Midland  College,  now  a  teacher  in  the  grades  at 
Atchison,  and  Louis  D.,  traveling  salesman  for  Blish,  Mize  &  Silliman. 

Dr.  I^inley  is  a  Democrat  and  has  taken  an  active  part  in  the  welfare  of 
his  city  and  county.  He  has  served  as  city  health  officer  for  several  terms 
and  was  police  commissioner  for  Atchison  for  one  year.  He  served  on  the 
board  of  LInited  States  pension  examiners  for  eight  years  during  Cleveland's 
administrations.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Knights  of  the  Maccabees,  the  Fra- 
ternal Aid,  and  tlie  Foresters  of  America.  The  Linley  family  are  memlaers 
of  the  Christian  chiuxh. 


L.  C.  ARENSBERG. 


L.  C.  Arensberg,  one  of  the  younger  business  men  nf  Atchison,  and  mem- 
ber of  the  enterprising  and  successful  firm  of  Babcock  &  Arensberg,  shoe 
merchants,  is  a  Hollander  bv  l)irlh,  and  a  hustling  American  in  every  sense 
the  word  implies.  It  has  long  been  a  matter  of  note  that  the  natives  of 
Holland  who  became  American  citizens  are  more  apt  and  take  more  kindly 
and  quickly  to  the  ways  of  this  nation  than  the  people  of  any  other  European 
countr)'.  Tliis  countr\-  seems  to  become  their  natural  habitat,  and  they  be- 
come citizens  in  both  deed  and  word  after  a  few  years'  residence  here.  Mr. 
Arensberg  was  born  in  Holland,  Scpteiuber  17,  1880,  and  is  a  son  of  William 
and  Alegunde  (Muskens)  Arensberg,  who  immigrated  to  this  country  in  1885, 
actuated  bv  a  desire  to  locate  in  a  land  where  their  children  would  have  more 
and  better  ojiportunities  for  success  than  their  own  little,  crowded,  native 
country  aff<jrded.  They  believed  riglilly  and  were  successful  in  establishing 
a  home  in  Atchison  where  the\-  had  relatives  who  had  preceded  them  to  the 
newer  countrv.     The  Arensberg  family  established  themselves  in  reasonably 


6l2  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

comfortable  circumstances  in  Atchison  in  a  short  time.  1  here  were  nine 
children  in  the  family  of  \\'illiam  and  Aleg^unde  "Arensberg. 

L.  C.  Arensberg  was  educated  in  the  parochial  and  high  schools  of 
Atchison.  Then  he  obtained  a  position  as  all  round  man  in  Bradley  &•  Oster- 
tag's  shoe  store.  Here  he  was  employed  for  ten  years  and  thoroughly  learned 
the  ins  and  outs  of  the  shoe  business,  becoming  a  very  proficient  salesman. 
In  the  meantime  he  carefull}-  saved  his  money,  with  a  view  to  eventually  en- 
gaging in  business  for  himself.  His  ambition  was  at  last  realized,  and  in 
1906  he  purchased  an  interest  in  the  Babcock  &  Stallons  shoe  store,  buying 
out  the  interest  of  Mr.  Stallons.  He  is  a  full  partner  in  the  business  and 
has  won  a  place  of  merit  and  honor  among  the  leading  merchants  of  Atchison. 

Politically,  Mr.  Arensberg  is  a  Democrat,  and  is  inclined  to  be  liberal  in 
his  views  and  independent  in  his  voting.  He  is  a  member  of  tlie  Knights  of 
Columbus  and  the  Loyal  Order  of  Moose,  and  is  a  member  of  St.  Benedict's 
Catholic  Church.  He  is  active  in  the  affairs  of  the  Atchison  Commercial 
Club,  and  is  recognized  as  one  of  the  real  "live  wires"  of  the  business  and  civic 
life  of  his  home  city. 


W.  B.  COLLETT. 


W.  B.  Collett,  district  agent  for  the  Xorthwestern  Mutual  Life  Insurance 
Company  of  Milwaukee,  Wis.,  is  one  of  llie  progressive  business  men  of  Atchi- 
son. He  was  born  in  Liverpool,  England,  in  i860,  and  is  a  son  of  John  and 
Marv  (Heuston)  Collett.  the  former  a  native  of  \\'olverhampton,  Stafford- 
shire, England,  and  the  latter  of  Tipperary,  Ireland.  John  Collett  was  a 
prosperous  importing  provision  merchant  when  the  Civil  war  broke  out  in 
this  country.  The  importing  business  fell  off  to  such  an  extent  in  European 
ports  that  business  was  injured  to  such  an  extfent  that  the  failed,  and  came  to 
the  United  States,  and  in  1862  sent  for  his  family,  consisting  of  his  wife  and 
three  children.  During  his  youth  he  served  a  seven-year  apprenticeship  in 
the  provision  trade.  In  1879  he  came  to  Atchison  as  head  salesman  for  the 
Fowler  Brothers  Packing  Company,  and  remained  with  that  company  until 
1883.  He  tiien  went  with  the  Armour  Packing  Company,  of  Kansas  City, 
in  the  same  capacity,  and  was  with  that  company  for  fourteen  years,  when  he 
was  made  manager  of  their  branch  at  St.  Paul.  Minn.,  and  later  he  was  the 
European  representative  for  Jacob  Dold  Packing  Company,  of  Buffalo.  N.  Y. 
In  1908  lie  retired  from  active  business  and  took  up  his  residence  on  a  farm 
near  Richards,  Mo.,  where  he  died,  in  191 1,  at  the  age  of  seventy-nine  years. 
His  wife  survives  him  and  resides  on  the  farm  where  he  died. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  613 

Jolm  Collett  was  a  man  of  unusual  ahilit)',  and  had  few  equals  as  a 
salesman.  He  was  a  capable  executive  and  thoroughly  understood  handling 
large  commercial  enterprises.  He  was  a  master  salesman  and  always  com- 
manded a  large  salary.  He  was  a  money  maker,  although  he  died  possessed 
of  but  a  small  amount  of  this  world's  goods;  he  was  a  money  maker  rather 
than  a  border  of  dimes. 

W.  B.  Collett,  whose  name  introduces  this  sketch,  was  educated  in  the 
public  schools,  and  when  a  young  man  went  to  work  in  the  Elgin  watch 
.works,  at  Elgin,  111.,  and  in  1879,  when  the  family  came  to  Kansas,  he  went 
to  work  for  the  Fowler  Brothers  Packing  Company,  where  he  remained  about 
a  year.  He  then  entered  the  employ  of  Bowman  &  Kellogg,  millers,  as  book- 
keeper, and  later  became  a  Ixner  and  salesman  for  that  company.  In  188S  he 
engaged  in  the  general  insurance  business,  and  three  years  later  entered  the 
employ  of  the  Northwestern  Mutual  Life  Insurance  Company,  and  has  been 
wath  that  company  ever  since  with  headcjuarters  at  Atchison.  Mr.  Collett 
was  married  in  December,  1886,  to  Miss  Annie  Heermance,  who  came  to 
Atchison  with  her  mother  in  1883  from  Hudson,  X.  Y.  She  was  one  of  the 
old  Holland  families  of  New  York  and  taught  in  the  Atchison  High  School 
prior  to  her  marriage. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Collett  have  two  children  as  follows :  Mary  E.,  educated  at 
Wellesley  College,  took  her  master  degree  at  the  University  of  Pennsylvania, 
then  one  year  of  post-graduate  work  at  Brown  University,  at  Providence,  R.  I., 
when  she  became  instructor  of  biology  at  the  Carnegie  Institute,  Pittsburgh, 
Pa.,  and  W.  B..  Jr.,  who  was  educated  in  the  Atchison  public  schools,  Culver 
Military  Academy,  Culver,  Ind.,  and  the  State  .\griculturc  College  at  Man- 
hattan, Kan. 

Mr.  Collett  is  an  Episcopalian,  a  York  Rite  Mason  and  a  member  of  the 
Young  Men's  Christian  Association,  and  has  been  active  in  the  work  of  these 
organizations  for  years. 


JAMES  DOOLEY. 


The  late  James  Dooley,  of  Shannon  township,  left  behind  him 
a  life's  record  that  is  well  worth  recounting,  and  deserved  an  hon- 
ored ])lace  in  the  memoirs  of  the  county,  in  which  he  was  for  over  forty  vears 
a  prominent  and  well  known  figure.  .'\s  a  pioneer  he  did  his  part  well  in 
building  up  Atchison  county.    The  story  of  his  life  is  romantic  in  many  ways, 


6l4  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

and  he  was  always  imbued  with  the  idea  of  providing  well  tor  Ins  beloved 
family,  and  leaving  his  affairs  in  such  a  stable  condition  that  his  descendants 
could  earn,-  on  the  great  work  which  the  father  and  founder  of  the  family 
had  so  well  begun  and  brought  to  such  a  substantial  culmination. 

James  Dooley,  deceased,  was  born  Januarv  6.  1835.  in  Ireland,  a  son  of 
Irish  parents,  James  and  Catharine  Dooley,  who  left  their  native  land  in  1847, 
and  located  in  Canada,  where  the  father.  James  Dooley.  the  elder,  became  ill 
and  died  in  the  city  of  Hamilton.  Although  the  young  Irish  lad  was  but 
twelve  years  of  age  and  immature,  it  was  necessan,-  for  him  to  go  to  work 
and  gain  a  livelihood  the  best  way  he  could.  He  managed  to  get  a  job  which 
paid  him  one  dollar  and  a  half  per  month  with  his  board.  He  was  knocked 
about  from  pillar  to  post  while  a  youth,  and  managed  to  make  his  way.  His 
adventures  in  making  a  struggle  for  an  honest  livelihood  were  similar  to  those 
of  other  poor  orphah  boys  left  in  a  strange  land  without  friends  or  relatives, 
other  than  those  who  were  as  poor  as  himself.  One  bright  rift  in  the  lonely 
life  of  this  orphan  boy  is  to  be  noticed  when  he  became  a  boarder  in  the  Hur- 
ley home  at  Harrisburg.  Canada.  It  was  here  that  he  met  with  a  genuine 
kindness  and  formed  an  attachment  for  the  noble-hearted  girl  who  later  be- 
came his  inspiration,  and  was  his  faithful  wife  during  the  years  in  Kansas 
when  he  was  working  his  way  upward  to  wealth  and  affluence,  aided  and 
abetted  by  her  wise  counsel  and  assistance.  Imbued  with  a  desire  to  secure 
capital  so  that  he  could  come  to  this  new  country  and  realize  an  inherent  am- 
bition to  own  a  fami.  he  set  out  for  the  gold  fields  of  Colorado  during  the 
Civil  war  years,  and  there  amassed  a  small  fortune  of  $500  in  gold,  saved 
during  the  months  of  his  hard  and  unremitting  labor  in  the  gold  mines  of 
the  western  State.  With  this  capital  he  felt  able  to  make  the  venture  \\hich 
he  and  his  sweetheart  had  planned,  and,  accordingly,  after  his  marriage  at 
Paris,  Canada,  with  Catharine  Hurley,  he  and  his  wife  set  out  for  Atchison 
in  March  of  1866.  During  the  first  few  months  of  their  residence  in  Atchison 
county  they  lived  with  a  sister  of  Mr.  Dooley,  Mrs.  Slattery,  in  Shannon  town- 
ship, and  James  worked  in  the  city  at  any  honest  labor  he  could  get.  Their 
first  investment  was  for  eighty  acres  of  school  land  in  Shannon  township, 
for  which  they  paid  cash,  and  it  then  became  necessar\-  for  Mr.  Dooley  to 
borrow  forty  dollars  in  order  to  get  the  deed  for  the  land.  During  the  whole 
course  of  Mr.  Dooleys  career  in  .\tcliison  county,  while  the  modest  eighty 
acres  were  growing  to  the  large  total  of  600  acres  of  some  of  the 
best  agricultural  land  in  the  county,  they  never  undertook  a  debt,  but  each 
time  an  additional  tract  of  farm  land  was  purchased,  the  savings  were  drawn 
upon  and  cash  paid  for  the  land.     Each  of  three  sons  now  has  a  fine  farm  of 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  615 

200  acres.  The  home  place  upon  \\hich  Mrs.  Dooley  now  resides, 
which  consists  of  200  acres,  cost  an  even  $10,000.  This  farm  is  one 
of  the  oldest  in  the  county  and  was  originally  preempted  by  a  Mr.  Collins, 
who  set  out  a  large  grove  of  forty  acres  or  more  in  walnut  and  Cottonwood 
trees  which  have  become  verv  valuable,  having  grown  to  considerable  size. 

Catharine  (Hurley)  Dooley.  widow  of  James  Dooley,  was  born  April 
28.  1847.  i"  Ireland,  a  daughter  of  James  and  Bridget  Hurley,  who  left  their 
native  land  in  1847  while  Katharme  was  but  an  infant,  and  located  in  Ham- 
ilton, Canada,  later  residing  in  Harrisburg,  Canada.  A  brother  of  ]\Irs.  Doo- 
lev.  James  Hurlev,  served  three  vears  and  three  months  in  the  Union  army. 
He  was  a  member  of  a  Pennsylvania  reserve  regiment  of  sharpshooters  and 
was  wounded  during  the  battle  of  Richmond,  Va.  For  six  months,  while  the 
wound  in  his  wrist  was  healing,  he  served  as  sergeant  in  the  quartermaster's 
department.  Some  j^ears  after  the  war  he  became  an  inmate  of  the  National 
Soldiers'  Home  at  Dayton,  Ohio,  and  lost  his  life  while  aboard  an  excursion 
boat  which  sank  in  Lake  Michigan,  near  Chicago.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dooley  were 
the  parents  of  fourteen  children  :  Mrs.  James  Baker,  Huron,  Kan.,  and  mother 
of  eight  children,  Celia  Baker,  a  trained  nurse  in  Chicago.  Mary,  wife  of 
George  Perdue.  Joseph,  William,  Bertha,  Ruth,  Rita  and  James ;  Cath- 
arine, James  and  Mary,  deceased :  Sister  Lucy,  of  Mt.  St.  Scholastica  Acad- 
emy: Lucy,  wife  of  David  Lawless,  and  mother  of  two  sons,  Harold  and 
Clevett :  Mrs.  Celia  Finnegan,  wife  of  Thomas  Finnegan,  of  Houston,  Texas, 
who  had  two  children,  Thomas  Lillis  and  Mary ;  Bertha,  Sister  Dorothy,  of 
the  Order  of  St.  Benedict's  in  Mt.  St.  Scholastica  Academy;  Nora,  wife  of 
Roger  Finnegan ;  William,  managing  the  home  farm ;  John,  deceased :  James 
married  Bertha  Kistler,  and  has  three  children:  Florence,  Bernice,  and 
Francis :  Edward  married  Henrietta  Kramer,  and  has  two  children,  John 
and  Gerard:  Joseph,  deceased:  Irene,  at  home  with  her  mother. 

It  is  well  to  add  here  that  James  Dooley  was  one  of  the  notable  armv  of 
hardy  freighters  who  crossed  the  plains  with  the  long  mule  trains  in  the  late 
sixties.  This  was  in  April  of  1866,  when  he  convoyed  a  train  load  of  goods 
to  Denver,  Colo.,  in  company  witli  William  Slattery.  During  his  whole  life, 
after  attaining  his  majority-,  Mr.  Dooley  was  a  stanch  Democrat  and  was  ever 
loyal  to  Democratic  principles.  While  a  member  of  the  Catholic  church,  he 
was  a  liberal  supporter  of  all  denominations,  and  took  a  broad  and  tolerant 
view  of  all  religious  matters  as  becoming  a  widely  traveled  and  experienced 
man.  His  life-long  wish  to  perpetuate  his  name  and  keep  the  familv  estate 
in  the  family  was  expressed  while  lying  on  his  death  bed.  Calling  his  faith- 
ful helpmeet  to  his  bedside,  he  said  :   "Mother,  I  am  leaving  you  without  hav- 


6l6  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

ing  my  dearest  wisli  come  true."  On  being  asked  what  it  was,  he  said :  "I 
have  always  longed  for  llie  lime  to  come  when  I  could  see  my  sons  settled  on 
this  farm  of  ours,  with  a  Dooley  here  with  his  family,  a  Dooley  there,  and 
another  son  on  that  part  of  the  farm."  He  was  at  once  assured  by  his  wife 
that  his  wishes  would  be  respected,  and  after  his  demise  Mrs.  Dooley  at  once 
took  steps  to  carry  out  the  plans  of  her  husband  with  the  result  that  within 
sight  of  her  home  the  other  two  sons  are  comfortably  located  on  200  acres 
of  land  each  and  have  attractive  homes  of  their  own. 


ABRAHAM  HOOPER. 


Abraham  Hooper,  deceased,  was  one  of  the  pioneer  settlers  of  Atchison 
county.  He  was  one  of  the  well  known  and  sturdy  figures  in  the  early  days 
of  the  settlement  of  Kansas  when  strong  and  brave  men  were  required,  who 
were  able  to  face  the  vicissitudes  and  hardships  incident  to  the  settlement 
of  a  new  country  and  perform  their  tasks  without  succumbing,  as  weaker 
mortals  were  wont  to  do.  Mr.  Hooper  was  born  in  Platte  county,  Missouri, 
November  23,  1839,  on  a  farm,  near  Parkville.  His  father  was  Abraham 
Hooper,  a  native  of  Tennessee  and  early  settler  of  Missouri,  who  died  in 
Mexico.  Abraham  Hooper,  the  subject  of  this  review,  was  reared  in  Platte 
county  and  came  to  Atchison  county  in  1858,  settling  on  a  farm  near  Pardee. 
\\n:ile  engaged  in  fanning  he  followed  his  trade  of  plasterer  in  the  neightor- 
hood  of  Pardee.  For  a  distance  of  ten  miles  around  his  own  residence  he 
plastered  all  of  the  houses  then  laiilding  by  the  incoming  settlers.  During  the 
Civil  war  he  was  enrolled  in  the  State  militia.  In  his  younger  days  Mr. 
Hooper  was  a  freighter  and  crossed  the  plains  in  charge  of  great  trains  on 
three  different  occasions.  On  one  of  his  trips  to  Colorado  he  was  placed  in 
charge  of  a  train  load  of  twenty-five  wagons,  and  one  of  his  other  trips  was 
to  Ft.  Union.  N.  M.  His  affiliations  were  with  the  Christian  church,  the 
Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen  and  the  Kni.ghts  of  Pythias  lodges. 

Mr.  Hooper  was  married  in  1863  to  Louisa  Campbell,  born  in  Tennessee 
in  1842,  a  daughter  of  Daniel  and  Nancy  Campbell.  The  Campbell  family 
left  Tennessee  in  1854,  and  in  1855  removed  to  a  farm  which  they  preempted 
near  Farmington  in  Atchison  county.  This  was  in  a  day  when  tilings  were 
in  a  primitive  state  in  Kansas.  The  Campbells  lived  in  a  cabin  which  was 
one  of  the  first  dwellings  built  in  tliat  section  of  the  county.     The  mother  of 


^am'e/  fc*.    ,y(o(yter 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  617 

Mrs.  Hooper  lived  and  died  on  their  farm,  and  lier  father  died  on  the  western 
plains  while  on  a  trip  to  .the  Black  Hills.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hooper  removed  from 
the  farm  to  Atchison  in  1887,  and  here  Mr.  Hooper  died  Februai-y  18,  1914, 
at  the  advanced  age  of  seventy-four  years,  having  been  born  November  3, 
1839.  Three  children  were  born  to  this  well  respected  couple :  Addie  B. 
died  at  the  age  of  six  years;  Daniel,  deceased,  and  Nellie  died  at  the  age 
of  one  year.  Mrs.  Hooper  lives  all  alone  in  her  home,  but  remembers  fondly 
the  days  of  old  and  has  many  sweet  memories  of  her  husband  and  children 
to  solace  and  comfort  her  during  her  declining  years.  Despite  her  age  slie 
is  physically  and  mentally  vigorous  and  is  distinguished  in  being  one  of  tiic 
oldest  pioneer  women  now  living  in  the  county. 

Her  well  beloved  son,  Daniel  Hooper,  was  born  in  1868,  and  died  Jan- 
uary 22,  1912.  He  was  one  of  the  most  talented  and  best  liked  men  in  Atch- 
ison, and  was  far  on  the  road  to  fame  and  prosperity  when  he  was  cut  off 
in  the  prime  of  his  vigorous  and  virile  manhood.  He  received  the  rudiments 
of  an  elementary  education  in  the  district  school  near  his  country  home  and 
early  developed  ambitions  which  were  partly  realized  during  his  life.  After 
leaving  school  he  studied  shorthand  and  typewriting,  and  while  holding  a 
position  in  the  law  office  of  C.  D.  Walker  he  studied  law  and  was  admitted 
to  the  bar.  A  winning  personality  and  his  pronounced  ability  won  him  clients 
from  the  start  of  his  legal  career.  His  personal  populartiy  and  ambitious  tenden- 
cies led  him  to  enter  politics,  and  he  was  elected  to  the  office  of  probate  judge 
of  the  county,  serving  the  people  well  and  faithfully  for  a  period  of  six  years, 
and  then  served  two  terms  as  city  attorne}-.  Just  in  the  jirinie  of  his  man- 
hood and  at  the  zenith  of  a  career  his  health  failed,  and  he  died  at  Excelsior 
Springs,  Mo.,  where  he  had  gone  in  the  hope  of  regaining  his  health.  Judge 
Hooper  was  sincerely  mourned  by  a  large  circle  of  friends  and  acquaintances 
and  it  is  probable  that  there  was  not  a  man  in  his  class  better  liked  or  more 
highly  respected  in  .\tchison  county  at  the  time  of  his  demise.  He  was  a 
Republican  in  politics  and  was  fraternally  connected  with  the  Modern  Wood- 
men, the  Knights  of  Pythias,  in  whose  councils  he  was  very  prominent,  and 
an  attendant  at  tlic  Christian  church.  The  most  nntalile  trait  in  Judge 
Hooper's  character  was  his  sincere  devotion  to  his  parents.  Because  of  the 
love  he  bore  his  mother  he  never  married  and  cared  for  no  woman  but  her. 
His  constant  thought  was  to  make  provision  for  her  in  the  event  of  his  own 
demise,  and  he  carefully  looked  after  her  immediate  and  future  wants.  Such 
men  as  he  are  deserving  of  a  greater  triliute  than  that  embodied  in  this  brief 
review.  A  memorial  window  with  his  and  the  name  of  his  father  tliereon  was 
placed  in  the  Christian  church  in  his  memory.     T'rinted  on  this  window  arc 


6l8  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

Judge  Hooper's  word^  of  faith  often  expressed:  "I  believe  in  a  great  and 
a  good  God." 

Mrs.  Hooper  is  rearing  and  educating  a  girl,  Ruth  Jones,  who  serves  as 
company  for  her  in  the  home. 


ALBERT  T.  SMITH. 


Albert  J.  Smith,  tlic  efficient  cashier  of  the  State  Bank  of  Lancaster. 
Kan.,  is  a  native  son  of  Kansas,  and  has  grown  up  with  Atchison  county.  He 
is  a  son  of  one  of  the  prominent  early  pioneer  settlers  of  the  county,  and  while 
yet.  comparatively,  a  young  man,  he  has  made  good  at  his  chosen  avocation  and 
is  considered  one  of  tlie  really  successful  banking  men  of  this  section  of  the 
State,  his  talents  and  ability  seeming  to  be  especially  adapted  to  the  pro- 
fession of  banking. 

I\Ir.  Smith  was  Ixirn  on  a  farm  in  Bmwn  ctuuity,  Kansas,  January  13. 
1879.  a  son  of  Thomas  B.  and  Mary  E.  (Woodruff)  Smith.  The  father  of 
Albert  J.  Smith  was  born  .August  16,  1843.  in  Grant  county,  Indiana,  a  son 
of  William  J.  and  Lucinda  (Barkley)  Smitli,  whu  were  l)orn  and  reared  in 
Pennsylvania.  The  father  of  Lucinda  Barkley  Smith  was  a  soldier  in  the 
\\^ar  of  18 1 2.  William  J.  Smith  removed  with  his  family  to  Grant  county,  In- 
diana, and  in  185 1  migrated  further  westward  to  Bureau  county.  Illinois, 
where  he  made  a  permanent  settlement,  and  died  in  that  county  in  1869.  Lu- 
cinda (Barkley)  Smith  died  in  Illinois  in  1862,  at  the  age  of  sixty-two  years. 
They  were  the  parents  of  the  following  children  :  Mrs.  Margaret  Pugh  ;  Alvah, 
a  veteran  of  the  Civil  war:  Mrs.  Lucinda  Sjiangler:  Isaac.  Joseph,  and  William 
R.  Thomas  B.  Smitli,  the  father  of  Albert  J.,  was  ei.ght  years  old  when  the 
family  removed  to  Bureau  county,  Illinois,  where  he  spent  his  boyhood  days 
and  received  a  common  school  education,  finishing  in  the  Dover  (Illinois) 
Academy.  On  the  second  call  for  volunteers  issued  by  President  Lincoln, 
he  enlisted  in  Company  B.  Ninety-third  regiment,  Illinois  infantry.  He  took 
part  in  a  number  of  decisixe  and  important  battles  and  campaigns.  Among 
them  arc.  Jackson,  Miss.,  and  Dalton,  Ga.  On  May  16,  1863,  while  serving 
in  General  McPherson's  corps,  he  fought  at  the  battle  of  Champion  Hill  and 
was  severely  wounded  in  the  left  shoulder.  He  was  forced  to  remain  in  the 
hospital  for  some  time  and  after  his  recovery  he  was  placed  on  guard  duty 
for  the  purpose  of  gtiarding  the  railroad  bridges.  .At  tlie  close  of  the  war  he 
was   honorably   discharged   and    returned   to   his   home   in    Bureau   county, 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  619 

Illinois.  After  his  marria^u^c  in  t866,  he  continuecl  tn  farm  in  Illinois  until 
1874,  when  he  removed  to  Kansas,  locating^  first  in  Brown  county,  where  he 
and  his  famil\-  lived  for  six  years,  and  then  came  to  Atchison  county,  where 
Mr.  Smith  purchased  a  farm  of  i6o  acres  in  Grasshopper  township,  northeast 
of  the  town  of  Muscotah.  He  resided  on  this  farm  for  twenty  years  and  then 
moved  to  Effingham  in  1900.  He  died  in  Effing-ham,  November  29,  T914. 
Mrs.  Mary  E.  (Woodruff)  Smith,  his  wife,  was  a  native  of  New  Jersey,  and 
a  daughter  of  Nathan  and  Delia  Woodruff. 

Thomas  B.  Smith  was  married  January  24,  1866,  to  Mary  E.  W^iodruff, 
at  Princeton,  111.  They  were  the  parents  of  nine  children,  six  of  whom  are 
living:  Mrs.  M.  E.  Beven,  of  Muscotah.  Kan. ;  Mrs.  H.  T.  Reece,  of  Muscotah ; 
Mrs.  J.  C.  Harman,  of  Auburn,  Neb.;  Albert  J.,  the  subject  of  this  review; 
C.  E.,  cashier  of  the  Huron  Bank,  and  T.  B.,  of  the  Exchange  National  Bank 
of  Atchison.  Three  daughters  are  deceased :  Lettie,  Gracie  and  Goldie.  Mr. 
Smith  was  an  enterprising  and  progressive  citizen  who  did  his  duty  in  what- 
ever community  he  was  located,  during  his  long  and  useful  life.  While  a 
resident  of  Grasshopper  township  he  served  as  township  trustee  for  four 
years.  He  was  a  member  of  the  city  council  of  Effingham  one  term,  and 
filled  the  office  of  mayor  for  one  term,  and  also  proved  his  efficiency  as  a 
member  of  the  Atchison  County  High  School  board  for  two  terms.  He  was 
an  honored  member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  .Ancient  Order 
of  United  Workmen  and  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  at  Effingham. 
He  was  a  stockholder  and  director  of  the  banks  at  Lancaster  and  Huron,  Kan. 
Mr.  Smith  was  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church  for  over  fifty  years. 
Mrs.  Smith,  the  widowed  mother,  was  born  in  New  Jersey,  in  November, 
1845,  and  now  resides  in  Atchison. 

Albert  J.  Smith  was  reared  on  the  farm  of  his  father  ,ind  attended  the 
district  school  in  District  No.  23.  Grasshopper  township,  and  later  entered 
the  Atchison  Count}-  Higii  School,  Effingham,  and  was  graduated  in  1897. 
After  his  graduation  he  taught  school  in  his  home  district  for  two  terms,  and 
in  1900  he  received  an  appointment  as  clerk  in  the  census  bureau  at  Washing- 
ton, D.  C,  and  served  for  two  years  in  that  capacity.  He  then  returned  to 
Effingham  and  entered  the  State  Bank  of  Effingham,  as  assistant  cashier 
and  bookkeeper.  He  made  a  fine  record  for  himself  in  this  baiik  and  in  July, 
1905,  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Fanners  and  Merchants  State  Bank  of 
Effingham,  and  held  the  office  of  cashier  from  the  time  of  its  opening  until 
1909,  when  he  resigned  his  position  and  removed  to  Lancaster,  where  he  be- 
came cashier  of  the  Lancaster  State  Bank.     Mr.  Smith,  in  addition  to  his 


620  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

banking  interests,  is  the  owner  of  eighty  acres  of  good  land  in  Kapioina 
township,  Atchison  county. 

Albert  J.  Smith  was  married  in  1899  to  Elizabeth  R.  Smith,  and  to 
this  union  have  been  born  the  following  children :  Dorothy,  deceased ;  Gladys, 
Elizabeth  and  Albert,  all  living  at  home.  Mrs.  Elizabeth  (Smith)  Smith, 
was  born  on  a  farm  in  Grasshopper  township,  February  26,  1879,  and.  like 
her  husband,  is  a  graduate  of  the  Atchison  County  High  School.  She  also 
taught  school  for  two  years.  She  is  a  daughter  of  James  K.  and  Elizabeth 
(Asquith)  Smith,  the  former  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  and  the  mother  a  na- 
tive of  England,  and  early  settlers  of  Atchison  county.   Both  are  now  deceased. 

Mr.  Smith  has  identified  himself  with  the  civic  affairs  of  Lancaster  and 
is  recognized  as  one  of  the  town's  leading  and  enterprising  citizens.  He  is  a 
Republican  and  has  served  four  years,  from  191 1  to  1915,  inclusive,  as  mayor 
of  Lancaster.  His  administration  was  successful  and  the  affairs  of  the  city 
were  conducted  with  efficiency.  He  is  a  regular  attendant  of  the  Presbyte- 
rian church,  and  is  affiliated  with  the  Anti-Horse  Thief  Association,  the  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  the  Modern  ^^'oodmen  of  America,  and  the 
Knights  and  Ladies  of  Security. 


JOHN  E.  DUNCAN. 


There  is  a  proverbial  saying  that  opportunity  knocks  once  at  every  man's 
door,  and  a  classic  has  been  written  by  a  great  Kansas  statesman,  since  de- 
parted from  among  us,  which  tells  in  musical  language  that  Kansas  spells 
opportunity  for  the  young  man.  Opportunity  presented  itself  to  John  E. 
Duncan.  Missouri  Pacific  agent,  at  Shannon,  Kan.,  and  Mr.  Duncan  seized  it, 
and  held  on  for  all  he  was  worth,  and  made  a  success  of  his  venture.  His 
aml)ition  first  was  to  become  a  railroad  man  and  telegraph  operator,  and 
probably  in  the  early  stages  of  his  career  the  post  of  telegraph  operator  seemed 
to  him  to  be  the  great  height  of  attainment.  He  realized  his  first  dream,  and 
when  he  came  to  Shannon,  Kan.,  to  take  charge  of  the  Missouri  Pacific  busi- 
ness at  that  place,  he  conceived  the  idea  of  engaging  in  the  buying  and  ship- 
ping of  grain.  This  idea  grew  and  he  became  a  grain  buyer  and  shipper, 
built  an  elevator,  established  a  general  store,  opened  an  implement  establish- 
ment, and  became  a  prosperous  and  trusted  business  man  of  his  adopted 
county.  It  is  a  fact  that  more  grain  is  shipped  from  the  little  village  of  Shan- 
non through  the  agency  of  Mr.  Duncan  than  any  other  point  in  Atchison 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  621 

county,  outside  of  tlie  city  of  AtclTison.  Mr.  Duncan  enjoys  the  respect, 
esteem  and  confidence  of  tlie  prosperous  farmers  of  the  section  trihutary  to 
Shannon,  and  they  trade  with  him  because  of  this  confidence  in  his  square- 
ness. A  few  years  ago,  when  real  hard  times  struck  Kansas  as  a  resuh  of  the 
droughts,  Mr.  Duncan  showed  his  hearty  good  will  and  confidence  in  the 
eventual  betterment  of  conditions  by  placing  his  trust  in  his  farmer  friends, 
and  supplying  such  of  those  who  were  not  blessed  with  ready  cash,  with  credit 
for  supplies  at  his  store,  and  carried  them  until  they  were  able  to  pay.  This 
kindness  has  been  appreciated,  and  the  most  cordial  relations  exist  between 
Mr.  Duncan  and  his  patrons. 

John  E.  Duncan  was  born  March  21,  1863,  in  Moro,  Madison  county, 
Illinois.  He  is  a  son  of  John  and  Mary  (Hooley)'  Duncan,  who  had  eight 
children,  three  of  whom  are  now  dead.  The  father  was  bom  in  December, 
1818,  in  Ireland.  He  left  his  native  land  in  1846  and  sailed  for  New  York. 
He  engaged  in  fanning  in  New  York  State,  and  was  married  two  years  later. 
In  1851  he  came  to  Illinois  and  remained  there  until  i8gi.  The  mother  of 
John  Duncan  was  born  in  Ireland,  also,  in  1827.  In  1848  she  left  there  with 
a  brother,  William,  and  came  to  America.  She  died  in  1907.  Both  parents 
were  members  of  the  Catholic  church.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  reared 
on  the  farm  of  his  father  and  attended  the  grammar  schools  of  Madison 
county,  Illinois.  When  he  grew  to  be  a  young  man  the  long  days  of  labor 
on  the  farm  palled  on  him  and  he  longed  to  get  into  different  work.  He 
had  always  had  an  ambition  to  become  a  telegrapher  and  when  he  was  twenty- 
one  years  old  he  had  a  chance  to  learn  that  work.  He  worked  as  telegrapher 
for  the  Chicago  &  Alton  Railroad  Company  until  1887,  when  he  went  to 
Everest,  Brown  county,  Kansas,  to  ])ecome  night  operator  for  the  Missouri 
Pacific  Railroad  Compan}'.  In  the  fall  of  1887  he  was  sent  by  the  same  com- 
pany to  Shannon,  Atchison  county,  Kansas,  to  become  the  agent  for  the  Mis- 
souri Pacific  there.  In  1892  he  went  into  the  grain  business.  He  bought  and 
sold  grain  for  eight  years,  and  at  the  end  of  a  successful  business  period  he 
erected  the  grain  elevator  at  Shannon.  This  proved  a  profitable  investment, 
and  in  1907  he  invested  in  a  general  merchandise  store  which  he  conducted 
until  August,  191 5,  when  his  store  building  and  stock  were  destroyed  by  fire, 
which  was  caused  by  lightning.  Mr.  Duncan  has  recently  completed  a  hand- 
some new  store  building  of  cement  blocks,  36x56  feet  in  size,  which 
is  attractively  finished  throughout  and  is  well  stocked  with  goods.  In 
the  fall  of  191 5  Mr.  Duncan  installed  a  line  of  agricultural  implements  and  is 
the  real  merchant  prince  of  his  section  of  the  county.     Besides  his  business 


622  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

interests  he  is  the  owner  of  200  acres  of  land  in  Macoupin  county,  IlHnois,  a 
nice  residence  in  Shannon,  and  several  town  lots.  - 

Mr.  Duncan  was  married  in  1890  to  Margaret  V.  Clark,  and  to  this 
union  the  following  children  have  been  born :  John,  associated  witli  his  father 
in  business;  Kathrine,  aged  sixteen  years;  Margaret,  eleven  years  old; 
Bernadette.  aged  nine :  and  Dorothy,  four  years  of  age.  all  of  whom  are  liv- 
ing at  home  with  their  parents.  Mrs.  Duncan  is  a  daughter  of  Mathias  and 
Katherine  (O'Grady)  Clark,  both  of  whom  were  born  and  reared  in  Ireland, 
and  emigrated  from  their  native  land  to  i\merica.  She  was  graduated  from 
the  school  of  telegraphy  at  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  in  1889,  and  assisted  her  husband 
in  his  work  at  Shannon.  Mr.  Duncan  is  a  Democrat  and  he  and  his  family 
are  members  of  the  Catholic  church.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Knights  of 
Columbus,  of  Atchison,  Kan. 


WILLIAM  SCHAPP. 


\\'illiam  Schapp,  a  Civil  war  veteran  and  an  Atchison  county  pioneer,  is 
a  native  of  Germany.  He  was  born  in  W'yler,  Germany,  January  26,  1840, 
and  is  a  son  of  Peter  and  Margaret  (Bonus)  Schap]).  The  Schapp  family 
immigrated  to  America  in  1854,  landing  at  New  Orleans,  La.  They  re- 
mauied  there  but  a  short  time,  however,  when  they  came  up  the  Mississippi 
and  Missouri  rivers  by  boat  and  located  at  Weston,  Platte  county,  Missouri, 
where  a  brother  of  Mrs.  Schapp  had  located  some  time  previously.  Here  the 
father  entered  the  dairy  business  and  prospered  and  the  parents  moved  to 
Atchison,  Kan.,  in  1868  and  died  in  Atchison. 

\\'illiam  Scha])p  received  a  common  school  education  and  grew  to  man- 
hood in  Platte  county.  He  entered  the  employ  of  James  Steele,  an  extensive 
land  owner,  as  overseer  of  his  estate,  and  was  thus  employed  when  the  Civil 
war  broke  out  and  soon  after  the  beginning  of  hostilities.  Mr.  Schapp  was 
drafted  into  the  Confederate  service.  I'nur  days  after  he  became  a  Confed- 
erate soldier,  his  company  was  encamped  on  the  b.inks  of  the  Missouri  river 
near  latam,  Mo.  Young  Schapp  began  to  lay  plans  to  escape,  as  he  was  a 
Union  man  at  heart,  and  he  had  made  up  his  mind  that  if  he  was  going  to 
serve  in  the  antiy  that  he  would  «er\-e  under  the  stars  and  stripes.  On  the 
night  he  escaped  the  lieutenant  of  the  company  was  killed  accidentally  while 
showing  the  men  how  to  use  a  gun,  and  during  the  excitement  incident  to  the 
killing,  Mr.  Schapp  made  his  escape.     During  the  niglit  he  secured  a  boat 


« 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  623 

with  one  oar  and  drifted  down  the  river,  landing  at  Ft.  Leavenworth.  Here 
he  lost  no  time  in  enlisting  in  Captain  Black's  comiiany  which  afterwards 
became  a  part  of  Company  B.  Eighth  Kansas  regiment.  The  following  night 
he  piloted  this  company  across  the  ri\-er  to  latam  where  they  sur])riscd  and 
captured  the  Confederate  company  of  which  he  had  been  a  member  the  clay  be- 
fore. This  act  won  from  him  the  intense  hatred  of  the  members  of  the  Confed- 
erate company,  and  even  after  the  close  of  the  war  members  of  that  company 
attempted  ti>  take  his  life.  After  serving  about  a  nmnth  in  Captain  Black's 
company,  he  joined  Company  H,  Eighteenth  Missouri  regiment  and  partici- 
pated in  a  number  of  important  engagements.  After  the  battle  of  Shiloh 
he  was  promoted  to  sergeant  major.  He  was  with  Sherman  on  his 
march  to  the  sea.  and  during  that  campaign,  while  at  Decatur,  Ala.,  his  term  of 
enlistment  expired  and  he  received  special  permission  to  accompany  General 
Sherman's  army  through  the  campaign.  On  arriving  at  Savannah,  Ga.,  he 
was  placed  in  charge  of  fourteen  soldiers  whose  term  of  enlistment  had  ex- 
pired and  was  the  first  to  arrive  in  New  York  City,  where  they  were  met  by 
bands  of  music  and  were  treated  royally  by  the  people.  He  then  returned  to 
his  former  home  in  Platte  county,  but  the  secession  spirit  was  so  strong  and  so 
much  antipathy  was  shown  him  on  account  of  his  loyalty  to  the  Union  that  he 
decided  not  to  remain,  and  accordingl)-,  came  to  Atchison.  The  second  night 
after  arriving  home  he  was  warned  by  a  friendly  member  of  the  Confederate 
company  he  had  deserted  to  leave  at  once,  as  plans  had  been  made  to  hang  him. 
He  left  at  once  on  the  next  train.  He  had  saved  about  $800  during  the  war 
and  loaned  it  to  his  uncle,  John  Bonus,  who  was  engaged  in  the  brewery  busi- 
ness, and  through  a  failure,  Mr.  Schapp  lost  every  dollar  of  his  savings.  He 
then  entered  the  employ  of  Julius  Holthaus,  who  conducted  a  saloon  and  a 
grocery  store.  About  a  year  later  he  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  brick  in 
partnership  with  Jacob  Nash.  About  five  years  later  he  engaged  in  the  ice 
business,  which  he  conducted  about  six  years.  He  then  bought  a  farm  north 
of  where  the  orphans'  home  is  located,  where  he  remained  for  twelve  years, 
when  he  sold  his  farm  and  removed  to  Atchison,  and  engaged  in  the  real  es- 
tate business  and  has  since  been  engaged  in  that  business.  Mr.  Schapp  has 
been  very  successful  and  has  accumulated  considerable  property. 

He  was  married  in  February,  1865,  to  Miss  Margaret,  a  daughter  of 
Gearhardt  Kunders,  a  pioneer  settler  of  Weston,  Mo.  Eight  children  have 
been  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Schapp,  as  follows:  Peter  P.  resides  in  California: 
Dora  F.  resides  at  home;  Mrs.  Theodore  Geritz,  Atchison  county;  Mrs.  Theo- 
dora Arensberg,  Atchison;  Mrs.  Henry  Wersling,  Atchison  county,  and  Al- 
bert A. ;  William  H.,  deceased  ;  Maggie,  deceased. 


624  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

Mr.  Schapp  is  one  of  the  old  timers  of  Atchison,  and  has  seen  that  town 
develop  from  a  Httle  settlement  on  the  bank  of  the  Missouri  river  to  the 
great  prosperous  commercial  center  that  it  is  today.  He  has  taken  an  active 
part  in  the  political  life  of  Atchison,  and  for  seven  years  was  a  member  of  the 
city  council,  and  served  two  years  on  the  Atchison  school  board.  Mr.  Schapp 
cast  his  first  vote  for  Abraham  Lincoln  for  President,  and  has  been  a  stanch 
adherent  to  the  policies  and  principles  of  the  Republican  ])arty  since  that  day. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic. 


THOMAS  LINCOLN  BLODGETT. 

The  passing  of  a  good,  industrious  citizen  from  this  mundane  sphere  to 
the  realms  of  a  higher  and  better  life  beyond  the  grave  is  always  saddening, 
especially  if  his  demise  occurs  while  yet  in  the  prime  of  his  vigorous  man- 
hood. Such  a  one  was  Thomas  Lincoln  Blodgett,  late  of  Mt.  Pleasant  town- 
ship, who,  though  not  permitted  to  dwell  upon  this  earth  the  allotted  time 
decreed  for  mankind,  accomplished  in  the  brief  time  he  was  actively  engaged 
in  agricultural  pursuits  more  than  the  average  man,  and  will  long  be  remem- 
bered for  his  many  excellent  qualities  by  those  who  knew  him  best. 

Thomas  Lincoln  Blodgett,  late  of  Mt.  Pleasant  township,  was  born  July 
27,  i860,  and  lived  and  died  in  the  township  in  which  he  was  born  in  Atchison 
county,  his  demise  occurring  May  4,  1905.  He  was  a  son  of  George  M.  and 
Mary  (Cline)  Blodgett,  his  father  having  been  born  and  reared  in  Michigan 
and  came  to  Kansas  when  the  State  was  created  in  the  late  fifties. 

George  M.  Blodgett,  the  father  of  Thomas  Lincoln  Blodgett,  was  born 
in  Livingston  countv.  New  York,  October  6,  1834,  a  son  of  George  A\'.  and 
Lucinda  (Garfield)  Blodgett,  and  was  a  grandson  of  Thomas  Blodgett. 
Thomas  Blodgett,  who  was  a  soldier  under  Washington  and  fought  for  the 
independence  of  the  American  colonies,  lived  in  Vermont,  where  he  was  a 
blacksmith  and  a  fanner.  He  went  to  Michigan  in  1856  and  remained  there  to 
be  near  his  son,  George  \V.,  who  iiad  settled  at  Kalamazoo  about  1846.  Mr. 
Rowel,  the  father  of  Thomas  Blodgett's  wife,  was  also  a  Revolutionary  sol- 
dier. The  children  of  Thomas  Blodgett  were  named  George  W.,  Riley  and 
Jared.  l\iley  went  to  Rhode  Island  and  became  connected  with  shipping  inter- 
ests, navigating  waters  in  the  vicinity  of  Newport.  Thomas  died  in  Mich- 
igan in  1859,  aged  ninety  years. 

George  W.  Blodgett,  the  father  of  George  M.,  was  born  in  Vermont  in 


I 


'V. 


^ 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  625 

1800,  and  died  in  1880,  aged  eighty  years.  His  wife,  Lucinda,  was  a  daugh- 
ter of  Solomon  Garfield,  of  Ontario  county.  New  York.  She  died  in  1849, 
leaving  the  following  named  children :  Orinda,  who  married  Thomas  San- 
ders ;  George  M. ;  Emma,  who  was  Mrs.  Nathan  Allen,  of  Michigan,  and 
John,  deceased. 

The  education  of  George  M.  Blodgett  was  limited  and  he  became  used 
to  hard  work  at  an  early  age.  He  worked  as  hired  hand  and  at  logging  in 
the  pine  woods  of  Michigan.  When  twenty-one  years  of  age  he  left  home 
and  went  to  Winnebago  county,  Illinois,  and  took  charge  of  a  quarter  section 
of  land  for  which  he  had  traded.  Not  liking  his  prairie  surroundings  he 
traded  his  farm  for  a  small  tract  now  within  the  limits  of  the  city  of  Moline, 
111.  He  remained  here  for  four  years ;  then  be  traded  this  farm  for  a  fami 
in  Iowa  which  he  sold.  With  his  small  means  he  came  to  Kansas,  arriving 
in  Atchison  April  5,  1855.  He  took  up  a  claim  and  bought  land  from  the 
Delaware  Indian  lands  and  began  developing  his  farm. 

When  volunteers  were  called  for  at  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  war,  Mr. 
Blodgett  offered  himself  for  the  defense  of  his  country's  honor  and  was 
accepted  as  a  member  of  Company  F,  Thirteenth  regiment,  Kansas  infantry, 
(Colonel  Bowen's  regiment),  of  the  Seventh  army  corps,  which  was  mustered 
into  service  at  Leavenworth,  Kan.,  and  was  in  the  militarv  department  of  the 
West.  Mr.  Blodgett  was  a  sergeant  of  his  company  and  participated  in  manv 
battles  fought  by  his  regiment  in  Missouri  and  eastern  Arkansas  and  was 
once  wounded  by  a  bursting  shell. 

George  M.  Blodgett  was  married  in  1857  to  Mary  E.  Cline,  a  daughter 
of  Henry  Cline,  an  early  settler  of  Atchison  county.  The  children  born  to 
this  union  were:  Thomas  Lincoln.  Frank  F.,  Frederick,  Luther,  Mrs.  Lavina 
Lawler,  Mrs.  Jessie  Ellerman,  and  Lulu.  The  father  of  Tliomas  Lincohi 
Blodgett  became  quite  wealthy  and  accumulated  500  acres  of  land.  He  served 
as  deputy  sheriff  of  the  county  in  1856  and  filled  many  offices  of  trust  in 
Mt.  Pleasant  township. 

George  M.  settled  on  a  pioneer  farm  in  Mt.  Pleasant  township  Avhich 
he  developed,  reared  a  family,  and  died  in  the  home  which  he  built  to  house 
his  family.  He  was  the  father  of  seven  children,  of  whom  Lincoln  was  the 
eldest. 

Thomas  Lincoln  Blodgett  was  named  in  honor  of  Abraham  Lincoln,  who 
was  greatly  admired  by  the  elder  Blodgett.  He  was  reared  to  voung  man- 
hood on  his  father's  farm  and  learned  to  become  an  excellent  farmer  and 
stockman.  After  his  marriage  in  188 1  he  and  his  young  wife  lived  on  a 
farm  owned  by  his  father  for  four  years,  when  they  purchased  120  acres  of 

40 


626  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

land  which  formed  the  nucleus  for  a  large  farm  which  was  later  increased  to 
400  acres,  now  owned  by  Mrs.  Blodgett.  The  first  tract  was  bouglit  on  time, 
but  by  industry,  economy  and  self-denial  on  the  part  of  the  ambitious  couple, 
the  debt  was  soon  paid  off  and  additional  acreage  was  gradually  added  as  the 
years  went  on.  Mr.  Blodgett  was  a  successful  live  stock  feeder  and  frequently 
fed  one  or  two  carloads  of  cattle  on  his  farm  each  year.  He  was  noted  as  a 
good  judge  of  cattle  and  made  money  in  his  operations.  The  Blodgett  farm 
is  well  improved  and  is  considered  to  be  one  of  the  best  in  Atchison  county. 

He  was  married  August  18,  1881,  to  Miss  Ella  Hudson,  and  to  this  mar- 
riage have  been  born  five  children,  as  follows :  Robert,  a  farmer,  near  Cum- 
mings,  Atchison  county.  Kansas:  George,  managing  the  home  farm;  Elmer, 
Mabel  and  Stella,  at  home  with  their  mother.  Stella  is  attending  the  high 
school  at  Potter.  Mrs.  Blodgett  was  born  May  20,  1862,  in  Illinois,  and  is 
a  daughter  of  Cyrenus  and  Elizabeth  (Shaw)  Hudson,  the  former  of  whom 
came  to  Kansas  in  1867  with  his  family.  Cyrenus  Hudson  was  a  native  of 
lUinois  who  made  good  in  Kansas,  and  at  one  time  was  the  owner  of  900 
acres  of  land  in  Atchison  and  Jefferson  counties,  Kansas.  In  1901  he  re- 
moved to  a  home  in  Potter,  where  he  is  living  retired.  With  other  live  citi- 
zens of  the  thriving  town  he  has  taken  an  active  part  in  the  upbuilding  of  his 
adopted  city. 

During  his  life  and  ever  since  he  attained  his  majority,  Thomas  Lincoln 
Blodgett  was  allied  with  the  Republican  party  and  took  a  prominent  part  in 
political  and  civic  affairs  in  his  home  township  and  county.  He  was  a  pro- 
gressive citizen  as  well  as  a  successful  and  progressive  farmer  who  was  always 
in  favor  of  matters  which  had  for  their  intent  the  betterment  of  the  public 
welfare  and  the  advancement  of  the  citizenship  of  Atchison  county.  He  was 
ever  ready  to  do  his  part  in  educational  matters  and  was  a  member  of  the 
local  school  board.  He  was  fraternally  allied  with  the  Modern  Woodmen 
lodge,  and  was  blessed  with  many  warm  friends  and  well  wishers  who 
esteemed  him  as  a  man  and  citizen.  He  was  a  kind  parent  who  loved  his 
Avife  and  children  and  highly  prized  his  home  life  and  surroundings,  and  was 
ever  striving  to  make  liis  family  happy  and  comfortable. 


JOHN  R.   OLIVER. 


John  R.  Oliver,  deceased  pioneer  of  Atchison  county,  was  born  in  Cayuga 
county.  New  York.  April  5,  1825.  and  was  a  son  of  William  Oliver,  a  native 
of  Scotland,  who  emigrated  from  his  native  land  when  a  youth.     John  R. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  627 

was  educated  in  the  schools  of  his  native  county  and  State  and  learned  the 
carpenter's  trade.  He  was  married  January  3,  1850,  to  Helen  M.  Packard, 
who  was  born  in  New  York  State  February  17,  1832,  a  daughter  of  Thaxton 
Packard,  of  English  extraction,  who  married  a  lady  of  Holland  descent. 
After  John  R.  and  Helen  Oliver  were  married  they  settled  at  Sterling  Center, 
Cayuga  county.  New  York,  where  Mr.  Oliver  worked  at  his  trade  of  con- 
tractor and  builder  until  1856.  when  he  and  his  wife  and  two  children  came 
west  and  settled  on  a  farm  near  the  western  border  of  Atchison  county,  in 
Grasshopper  township.  They  became  a  part  of  the  Cayuga  settlement,  made 
up  of  several  families  who  had  migrated  from  their  nati"\'e  county  in  New 
York  State.  There  are  only  four  of  the  original  Cayuga  colony  living,  as 
far  as  known  :  Fred  L.  Oliver,  Frances  Josephine  Anderson,  of  Atchison  ;  Mrs. 
Frank  Boyington,  of  .\tcliison  county,  and  brother,  Samuel  Adams.  John 
R.  Oliver  came  first,  and  in  the  fall  of  1857  he  sent  back  for  his  wife  and 
two  children  to  join  him.  Mrs.  Oliver  and  the  children  boarded  a  steamboat 
on  Lake  Erie  and  made  the  voyage  by  wa)-  of  the  Great  Lakes  to  Chicago, 
going  from  Chicago  to  Leavenworth,  Kan.,  and  thence  by  steamer  to  Atchi- 
son, from  which  place  they  were  taken  across  the  county  to  the  new  home 
in  the  Cayuga  settlement,  by  a  man  named  Sandy  Coburn.  The  family  li\ed 
in  the  settlement  for  about  six  years  and  then  moved  to  Leavenworth,  Kan., 
where  they  resided  until  Mr.  Oliver's  death,  in  1906;  the  wife  and  mother 
died  in  191 1.  John  R.  Oliver  served  in  the  Kansas  State  militia  during  the 
Price  invasion,  but  was  unable  physically  to  withstand  the  rigors  of  the  cam- 
paign which  resulted  in  Price's  armv  of  invasion  being  driven  southward.  He 
was  an  ardent  Republican  in  politics  and  was  a  follower  and  supporter  of 
Abraham  Lincoln,  to  whom  he  was  related  by  marriage.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Oliver 
were  the  parents  of  the  following  children :  Fred  L.,  born  in  Sterling  Center, 
N.  Y.,  November  8,  185 1.  now  residing  in  Atchison  with  his  sister,  Mrs. 
Anderson:  Parthenia  K.,  widow  of  Wesley  Chaffee,  a  nephew  of  General 
Chaffee,  was  born  August  8,  1861,  and  now  resides  in  Leavenworth,  Kan. 

Frances  Josephine  Oliver  Anderson  was  born  March  i,  1855,  and  was  six 
years  of  age  when  the  family  moved  to  Leavenworth.  She  received  her  edu- 
cation in  the  public  schools  of  Leavenworth  and  was  married  there  on  May  8, 
1873,  to  James  A.  Anderson,  who  was  bom  March  16,  1849,  in  Loudon 
county,  Virginia,  about  twenty  miles  south  of  Washington,  D.  C.  .An 
anecdote  which  tells  of  the  stirring  and  troublesome  times  in  the  beginning  of 
the  Civil  war  is  here  worth  recording.  When  a  child  on  the  farm  in  .Atch- 
ison county.  Mrs.  Anderson  and  her  teacher,  Miss  Missouri  Batsell,  stayed  all 
night  at  the  home  of  the  Reece  family,  as  it  was  unsafe  to  be  abroad  after 


628  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

dark.  This  was  in  the  fall  of  1861.  Mr.  Reece,  the  head  of  the  family,  was 
verv  ill.  Along  about  dark  the  people  of  the  Reece  home  heard  a  furious 
noise  of  veiling  and  shooting  outside.  The  noise  makers  rapped  on  the  door 
with  the  butts  of  their  guns,  and  when  Mrs.  Reece  opened  the  door  it  was 
ascertained  that  the  night  prowlers  were  a  band  of  Bushwhackers  who  de- 
manded a  meal.  She  told  them  that  her  husband  was  very  ill,  and  that 
she  had  nothing  cooked  which  would  suffice  for  a  meal.  They  swore  at  her, 
and  after  talking  the  matter  over  decided  to  go  to  the  barn  and  steal  the  horses 
for  their  own  use.  The  gang  went  toward  the  bam,  and  another  altercation 
arose  among  them  which  resulted  in  the  killing  of  one  of  the  men  who  had 
counseled  them  not  to  steal  the  horses.  A  dead  body  was  thrust  through 
the  doorway  and  slid  part  way  across  the  floor  after  a  shot  was  fired.  Mrs. 
Anderson  has  never  forgotten  the  horrors  of  that  night. 

James  A.  Anderson  was  a  son  of  Charles  W.  and  Mary  Francis  (Hough) 
Anderson,  both  of  whom  were  members  of  ver>'  old  and  prominent  families  in 
Virginia,  the  Hough  family  being  large  plantation  and  slave  holders.  Charles 
W.  Anderson  was  profoundly  opposed  to  the  institution  of  slavery,  and  was 
high  in  the  councils  of  the  Democratic  party.  He  was  a  thirty-second  degree 
Mason  and  was  a  personal  friend  of  men  high  in  the  Government  affairs  at 
Washington,  D.  C.  A  son,  Fleming  Anderson,  was  killed  by  Mosby's  guerril- 
las while  at  home  from  the  war  on  a  furlough,  and  was  shot  as  he  ran  out 
of  the  door  of  his  home.  Charles  W.  Anderson  was  a  paymaster  in  the 
Union  army  and  was  killed  by  robbers  while  on  official  duty.  After  the 
death  of  the  father  of  the  family,  James  A.,  with  his  widowed  mother  and 
sister.  Mrs.  Captain  Spence.  Charles  W'.,  and  C.  C.  Anderson  of  the  trans- 
fer company,  of  Atchison,  came  to  Kansas,  first  residing  at  Topeka,  then  at 
Lawrence  shortly  after  Ouantrell's  raid.  James  was  but  seventeen  years  old 
at  this  time,  and  being  the  eldest  son  was  the  actual  head  of  the  family.  When 
still  a  young  man  he  engaged  in  the  transfer  business  and  took  a  contract 
from  the  Government  to  supply  Ft.  Leavenworth  with  fuel,  and  while  ful- 
filling his  contract  with  the  Government,  and  transporting  goods  to  and  from 
the  fort,  he  met  and  fell  in  love  with  his  future  wife,  Frances  Josephine  Oliver, 
and  the  marriage  took  place  as  stated  in  the  preceding  paragraph.  After  the 
marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Anderson  lived  in  Lawrence.  Kan.,  until  their  removal 
to  Atchison,  in  July  of  1873.  Mr,  Anderson  continued  in  the  transfer  busi- 
ness and  established  the  Anderson  Transfer  Company.  He  had  associates  at 
various  times,  but  was  always  at  the  head  of  the  company.  He  died  July  12, 
1906.  His  widow,  Mrs.  Frances  Josephine  Anderson,  is  one  of  the  best 
known  ladies  of  Atchison  and  is  prominent  in  social  and  religious  circles. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  629 

When  thirteen  years  of  age  she  became  a  Christian  and  became  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Atchison  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  1883.  She  has  been 
actively  and  prominently  identified  with  the  church  work  for  many  years,  and 
has  been  especially  successful  as  a  teacher  of  boys.  She  is  a  class  leader  of 
the  church  and  a  member  of  the  official  board,  and  was  captain  of  one  of  the 
teams  which  raised  a  $43,000  fund  to  provide  for  the  erection  of  the  new 
Methodist  Episcopal  church  building.  She  is  a  charter  member  of  the  Ep- 
worth  League  and  is  a  singer  of  ability,  ha\-ing  sung  in  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal church  choir  for  thirty  years.  In  191 1  she  began  her  evangelical  career, 
in  which  chosen  field  she  is  achieving  marked  success.  Mrs.  Anderson  is  a 
member  of  the  Knights  and  Ladies  of  Security  and  is  affiliated  with  the 
home  and  foreign  missionary  societies  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 


LEO  NUSBAUM. 


Faithfulness  to  duty  and  perseverance  invariably  bring  their  reward.  Give 
a  trul\-  ambitious  young  man  an  opportunity  to  advance  himself,  and  he  will 
succeed.  The  opportunity  was  given  to  Leo  Xusbaum,  vice-president  of  the 
Dolan  ^Mercantile  Company  of  Atchison,  and  he  has  made  a  success  of  the 
business  in  which  lie  began  at  the  lowest  rung  of  the  ladder.  Entering  the 
employ  of  the  firm  of  which  he  is  now  one  of  the  important  heads,  he  worked 
his  way  steadily  upward  until  he  is  now  one  of  the  recognized  business  factors 
in  the  city  of  Atchison. 

Leo  Nusbaum  was  born  in  Poweshiek  county,  Iowa,  December  6,  1877, 
and  is  the  son  of  Frederick  and  Eva  (Link  )  Xusbaum,  both  natives  of  Ger- 
many. Frederick  Nusbaum  was  born  in  the  Fatherland  in  1855,  and  came 
to  America  in  1869,  when  a  boy  fourteen  years  of  age.  He  worked  as  a 
farm  hand  in  Iowa,  and  eventually  owned  a  farm  of  his  own.  From  Iowa  he 
moved  t<3  Nebraska  where  lie  purchased  and  o])erate(l  a  farm.  From  Nebraska 
he  removed  to  St.  Joseph,  Mo.,  where  he  was  employed  in  a  grain  ele\-ator. 
He  died  in  St.  Joseph  in  1903. 

He,  with  whom  this  review  is  directly  concerned,  was  educated  in  the 
schools  of  Council  Bluffs,  and  St.  Peter's  parochial  school,  and  came  to  Atchi- 
son in  1898.  On  coming  here  he  entered  the  employ  of  the  Dolan  Mercantile 
Company  as  office  boy  and  packer.  His  first  work  consisted  of  prci)aring 
orders  for  shipment.  After  attaining  proficiency  in  this  department,  he  was 
promoted  to  the  position  of  billing  clerk  and  made  a  success  in  this  department. 


630  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

being  next  advanced  to  tlie  position  of  city  salesman  for  the  concern.  All 
the  while  he  was  studying-  the  wholesale  business,  and  gaining  such  a  knowl- 
edge as  would  best  fit  him  to  take  a  more  responsible  position  in  the  affairs 
of  the  company.  His  next  important  service  was  as  the  secretary  of  the 
companv.  From  this  place  it  was  but  a  step  to  the  sales  managership.  Upon 
the  demise  of  William  F.  Dolan.  the  founder  of  the  wholesale  business,  in  the 
year  191 3.  Mr.  Nusbaum  became  vice-president  and  one  of  the  managers.  He 
and  his  associates,  in  charge  of  the  Dolan  Mercantile  Company's  affairs,  are 
capable  and  energetic  men  who  are  building  up  a  more  extensive  business 
upon  the  broad  and  stable  foundation  erected  by  its  late  founder,  whose 
example  has  Ijeen  an  inspiration  and  guide  to  the  young  men  whom  he  took 
into  his  em]iloy  and  educated  in  the  details  of  his  extensive  business.  Mr. 
Nusbaum  has  justified  the  confidence  and  faith  held  in  his  ability  by  his 
employer,  and  is  an  able  and  dignified  executive. 

Mr.  Nusbaum  was  united  in  marriage  with  Gertrude  Delaney.  at  Atchi- 
son, Kan.,  in  1900.  She  is  a  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Martin  Delaney.  To 
this  union  four  children  have  l^een  born,  who  are  tlie  pride  of  their  parents, 
namelv :  Leo.  Mar\-  Clare,  Robert,  and  Frances.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Nusbaum  are 
members  of  the  Catholic  church  and  have  a  host  of  friends  who  esteem  them 
for  their  many  excellent  qualities.  Mr.  Nusbaum  is  a  director  of  the  First 
National  Bank  of  Atchison  and  a  vice-president  of  the  .\tchison  Commercial 
Club  and  the  Atchison  Hospital.  He  is  politically  allied  with  the'  Democratic 
party.  His  primary  interests,  however,  are  mainly  concerned  witli  the  grow- 
ing success  of  his  firm,  and  the  welfare  and  growth  of  his  home  city,  and  he 
is  universally  recognized  as  a  citizen  of  worth  and  standing  in  the  community. 
He  was  the  most  active  force  in  the  organization  of  the  Atchison  Commercial 
Club,  called  its  first  meeting  and  has  lieen  continuously  one  of  its  most 
aggressive  members. 


CHARLES  J.  KEITHLINE. 


Charles  J.  Keithlinc.  a  prosperous  farmer  and  stockman  of  Lancaster 
township.  Atchison  county.  Kansas,  is  a  native  of  the  Keystone  State,  and  is 
a  descendant  of  an  old  .\merican  family  which  traces  its  ancestry  back  to  the 
Revolutionary  days,  when  the  founder  of  the  family  in  America.  Colonel 
Keithline.  came  from  Germany,  his  native  land.  t<i  America  with  P.an-in  De 
Kalb.  and  assisted  the  colonial  army  to  achieve  American  independence. 
Charles  J.  was  Ixjrn  in  Luzenie  county,  Pennsylvania,  July  9,  1857.  a  son  of 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  63 1 

Samuel  and  Eliza  (Hoover)  Keithliiie,  both  of  whdin  were  l)orn  and  reared 
in  Pennsylvania  and  tliere  ni;irried.  Samuel  Keilliline  was  a  son  of  John 
and  Mary  (Neyhart)  Keithline,  who  also  lived  in  Luzerne  county,  Pennsyl- 
vania. The  great  grandfatiier  of  Charles  J.  was  Joseph  Keithline,  who  served 
in  the  War  of  1812,  and  made  buckskin  breeches  for  the  United  States  Gov- 
ernment, which  were  worn  liy  the  I'nited  States  soldiers.  He  was  a  tailor 
by  trade.  Samuel  Keithline  learned  the  trade  of  wagon  maker  in  his  younger 
days  and  operated  a  wagon  sliop  at  Hanover,  Pcnn.  He  lived  in  his  native 
State  until  1884.  when  he  migrated  to  Kansas  and  invested  his  capital  in  land 
in  Shannon  township  upon  wliich  lie  lived  in  retirement  until  his  demise  in 
iqoo,  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-two  years.  Samuel  and  Eliza  Keithline 
were  the  parents  of  the  following  children:  John  A.  died  May  17,  1915,  in 
Atchison,  Kan. ;  Samuel  died  in  infancy ;  Joseph  died  at  the  age  of  three  years ; 
Charles  J. :  Augustus  L..  Lancaster  township;  Sarah  E..  in  Shannon  township; 
Emma  Carlton,  Franklin  county.  Kansas,  and  Mrs.  Cora  Riley.  Atchison,  Kan. 
The  mother  of  Charles  died  in  1910,  at  the  age  of  seventy-nine  years. 

Charles  J.  Keithline.  with  whom  this  narrative  is  dirccth'  concerned,  was 
educated  in  the  graded  schools  of  Nanticoke,  Penn.,  and  worked  as  farm  hand 
in  Pennsylvania.  In  1883,  five  years  after  his  marriage  in  1879,  he  migrated 
westward  with  his  family  to  Kansas,  and  located  on  a  farm  in  Shannon  town- 
ship on  the  old  home  place.  He  rented  land  for  twenty-eight  years  and 
finally  became  the  owner  of  the  fine  farm  which  he  is  now  cultivating.  This 
farm  is  fitted  with  excellent  improvements  consisting  of  an  attractive  farm 
residence  and  excellent  out-buildings,  much  of  which  has  been  erected  or  re- 
modeled by  the  proprietor.  The  187  acres  comprised  in  this  farm  are  well 
and  closely  cultivated  so  as  to  yield  the  maximum  of  results.  The  farm  is 
nicely  located  six  miles  west  of  Atchison  on  the  Parallel  road.  Mr.  Keith- 
line has  been  a  breeder  of  Poland  China  hogs  for  several  years  and  takes  pride 
in  the  animals  bred  and  raised  on  his  place. 

He  was  married  in  1879  to  Frances  Goss  at  Wilkes-Barre,  Penn.,  and  this 
union  has  been  blessed  witli  tlie  following  children:  Tra.  a  hardware  dealer  in 
Atchison,  Kan.;  Samuel,  a  farmer,  living  at  home  with  his  parents:  Amy,  de- 
ceased; Mrs.  Elsie  Vollmer.  Bronson.  Kan.;  Frances,  living  at  home;  Grant, 
deceased ;  Charles  died  in  infancy.  The  mother  of  these  children  was  bom 
in  Pennsylvania  in  1856,  and  was  a  daughter  of  Floren  and  Maria  (Keyser) 
Goss,  the  former  a  native  of  Germany  and  the  latter  a  native  of  Pennsylvania. 

Mr.  Keithline  is  identified  with  the  Heiiul)lican  ])art\-,  but  has  never  been 
an  aspirant  for  political  ])re ferment.  He  and  the  members  of  his  family  are 
affiliated  religiously  witli  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  contribute  of 


632  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY 

their  means  to  its  support.  He  is  fraternally  allied  with  the  Modern  Wood- 
men lodge,  and  during  his  residence  in  this  county  has  taken  an  active  and  in- 
fluential part  in  affairs  which  concern  the  welfare  of  the  people  in  general. 


SHEFFIELD  IXGALLS. 


Sheffield  Ingalls  is  a  resident  and  a  native  son  of  Atchison,  having  been 
born  in  that  city  ]March  28,  1875.  He  is  a  son  of  the  late  United  States  Sen- 
ator John  James  Ingalls.  ]\Ir.  Ingalls'  ancestors,  both  paternal  and  maternal, 
were  representative  New  England  pioneers.  The  Ingalls  family  in  America 
originated  with  Edmond  Ingalls,  who  with  liis  brother,  Francis,  founded 
Lynn,  Mass.,  in  1628.  The  mother  of  our  subject  was  Anna  Louisa  Chese- 
brough,  a  direct  descendant  of  William  Cliesebrough,  who  emigrated  to  Amer- 
ica with  John  Winthrop  in  1630.  The  paternal  grandparents  of  our  subject 
were  Elias  T.  and  Eliza  (Chase)  Ingalls,  the  former  of  whom  was  a  first 
cousin  of  Meliitable  Ingalls,  the  grandmother  of  President  Garfield,  while 
the  latter,  Eliza  Chase,  was  descended  from  .Aquilla  Chase,  who  settled  in 
New  Hamp.shire,  in  1630.  and  who  was  also  the  ancestor  of  the  late  Chief 
Justice  Chase. 

Sheffield  Ingalls  was  reared  principally  in  his  native  town  and  received 
his  public  school  education  at  Atchison  and  at  Washington,  D.  C.  After 
attending  Midland  College  at  Atchison  for  four  years  he  entered  the  Univer- 
sity of  Kansas  and  was  graduated  in  that  institution  in  June,  1895.  with  the 
degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts.  He  then  studied  law  and  was  admitted  to  the 
bar  in  1897,  but  as  the  profession  did  not  "appeal  to  him  he  practiced  but  little 
and  turned  his  attention  to  more  genial  pursuits.  He  early  developed  a  pre- 
dilection for  politics  and  became  actively  identified  with  the  Republican  party 
in  both  the  city  and  county  of  Atchison  at  an  early  age.  In  July,  1898,  he 
was  appointed  police  judge  of  Atchison  by  Mayor  Donald  and,  in  April, 
1899,  was  elected  to  the  same  office  for  a  term  of  two  years,  serving  until 
April.  1901.  In  the  spring  of  1904  he  was  a  prominent  candidate  for  the 
Republican  nomination  for  probate  judge,  but  through  the  exigencies  of  poli- 
tics, instead  of  receiving  the  nomination  sought  for,  he  was  nominated  by 
the  same  convention  for  the  legislature  from  tlic  third  representative  district. 
However,  at  the  election  his  opponent,  Edward  Perdue,  defeated  him  by 
thirty-two  votes.  Two  years  later  he  was  nominated  again  for  tlie  legisla- 
ture from  the  same  district  and  received  a  tie  vote  with  Alonzo  Wilcox.    The 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  633 

contest  was  decided  Ijy  lot  in  Topeka  and  I\Ir.  Ingalls  won.  lie  served  as 
a  member  of  se\'eral  important  committees  and  was  made  chairman  of  the 
committee  on  education.  He  cast  his  vote  for  Charles  Curtis  for  United 
States  senator,  and  in  the  work  of  that  session  became  actively  identified  with 
that  progressive  element  in  the  legislature  which  was  known  at  that  time  as 
"the  boss  busters."  He  is  in  sympathy  with  all  efforts  to  purifv  politics  and 
to  raise  the  tone  of  public  life  and  during  that  session  he  voted  for  all  reform 
legislation.  He  is  a  man  of  deep  convictions,  a  political  and  social  reformer 
of  exceptional  ability  and  courage,  and  has  always  opposed  machine  politics. 
It  was  due  to  an  obnoxious  political  machine's  influence  in  local  Republican 
circles  at  Atchison  that  Mr.  Ingalls  entered  the  arena  of  political  strife  in 
order  to  assist  in  effectively  opposing  said  machine  and  to  secure  needed 
reform  in  political  methods.  Shortly  after  the  adjournment  of  the  legisla- 
ture Mr.  Ingalls  assumed  the  editorial  management  of  the  Atchison  Champion, 
and  for  the  following  two  years  exposed  through  its  columns  the  corruption 
in  city  affairs  and  fought  against  the  domination  of  the  city  by  a  i)oliticaI 
ring.  He  then  endeavored  to  purchase  a  controlling  interest  in  the  Chainpinn 
to  enable  him  to  be  more  aggressive  in  fighting  corruption  though  its  columns, 
but  through  various  influences  operating  against  him  he  was  unsuccessful. 
In  the  fall  of  1907  he  originated  and  organized  the  Commercial  State  Bank 
and  served  as  its  vice-president  until  its  consolidation  with  the  Vns\.  Xalional 
Bank,  in  the  spring  of  1910.  He  then  organized  the  Commerce  Investment 
Company,  of  which  he  was  made  president  and  continuously  served  as  such 
until  March  2,  1916,  when  he  became  the  president  of  the  Commerce  Trust 
Compan)^  of  Atchison,  a  company  which  is  a  development  of  Uie  Commerce 
Investment  Company.  Besides  the  interests  mentioned  he  is  a  director  of 
the  First  National  Bank  and  also  of  the  Railway  Specialty  Company  of 
Atchison.  I-Ie  was  apjiojuted  a  memlier  of  the  Ixiard  of  regents  of  the  Kansas 
State  normal  schools  by  Go\ernor  Stubbs  in  April,  1908.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  State  Historical  Society,  and  is  a  member  of  the  Sons  of  the  Revolu- 
tion. Fraternally  he  is  a  member  of  the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order 
of  Elks. 

On  January  9,  1901.  was  solemnized  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Ingalls  and 
Miss  Lucy  Cornell  Van  Hoesen,  of  Lawrence,  Kan.  To  their  union  five 
children  have  been  born:  Robert  Chesebrough,  who  died  in  infancy;  Ruth 
Constance,  Sarah  Sheffield,  John  James,  and  Da\i<l  Bagle. 

In  1912  Mr.  Ingalls  recei\'ed  the  Rc]niblican  nomination  for  lieutenant- 
governor  of  Kansas  and  was  elected,  although  the  head  of  the  State  ticket 
was  defeated.    .It  fell  to  Mr.  Ing.dls'  lot  to  preside  over  a  Democratic  senate, 


634  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY 

which  he  did  in  sucii  a  fair  and  impartial  manner  as  to  win  tlie  commendation 
of  both  Democrats  and  Repubh'cans.  ( Copied  from  Blackiiiar's  History  of 
Kansas  and  ri-i'iscd  bv  R.  M.  Gibson.) 


E.  P.  PITTS,  M.  D. 


E.  P.  Pitts,  M.  D.,  a  prominent  Atchison  physician  and  surgeon,  and 
well  known  s])ecialist  in  diseases  of  the  eye.  ear,  nose  and  throat,  is  a  native 
of  V'irg-inia.  Dr.  Pitts  was  born  in  Northampton  county,  \'irginia,  Octo- 
Ijer  13,  1880,  and  is  a  .son  of  E.  D.  and  Emory  (West)  Pitts,  both  natives  of 
the  Old  Dominion.  E.  D.  Pitts,  the  father,  was  a  prominent  lawyer  and 
was  successfully  engaged  in  the  practice  of  his  profession  for  a  number  of 
years  at  Norfolk,  Va.  He  was  a  son  of  Edward  P.  Pitts,  who  was  also  a 
])rominent  Virginia  lawyer  of  Northampton  county,  and  for  a  number  of 
years  served  as  United  States  district  judge  in  Virginia.  He  was  a  graduate 
of  William  and  Mary's  College,  and  Dr.  Pitts  still  has  in  his  possession  the 
diploma  which  his  grandfather  received  from  that  institution.  The  Pitts 
family  is  of  English  descent  and  traces  its  ancestry  back  to  the  Hon.  William 
Pitt,  Earl  of  Chatham.  Dr.  Pitt's  mother  belongs  to  an  old  Virginia  family, 
and  is  also  of  English  descent. 

Dr.  Pitts  was  reared  to  manhood  in  his  native  State  and  received  a  good 
education.  When  he  was  eighteen  years  of  age  he  went  to  St.  Joseph,  Mo., 
where  two  of  his  uncles,  brothers  of  his  father,  were  practicing  physicians. 
Here,  Dr.  Pitts  entered  the  Ensworth  Medical  College  in  i8q8.  and  was 
graduated  in  the  class  of  1902  with  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Medicine.  He 
then  studied  under,  and  practiced  in  conjunction,  with  Dr.  Barton  Pitts,  his 
uncle,  who  is  a  noted  specialist  in  diseases  of  the  eye,  ear,  nose  and  throat. 
Dr.  Pitts  then  went  to  New  York,  and  after  spending  six  months  in  an  eye 
and  ear  infirmary,  he  came  to  Atchison  in  the  summer  of  1902  and  engaged 
in  the  practice  of  his  profession.  spccia1i;;ing  in  diseases  of  the  eye,  ear.  nose 
and  throat.  Dr.  Pitts  has  met  with  a  marked  degree  of  success  in  his  chosen 
field  of  special  professional  work.  Pie  is  a  close  student  of  the  wonderful 
advances  made  in  his  profession  and  ranks  as  a  leader. 

Dr.  Pitts  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Beulah  Judah.  a  daughter  of 
Samuel  Judah,  of  P)UchanrMi  county,  Missouri,  and  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Pitts  have 
one  child.  Spencer,  born  in  1907.  Dr.  Pitts  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic 
lodge  and  the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  635 

JOHN  FANKHANEL. 

John  Fankhanel.  deceased,  was  born  June  ii,  1822.  in  Saxony,  Ger- 
many. When  a  youth  he  learned  the  blacksmith's  trade  which  lie  plied  in  his 
native  village  until  1862,  when  he  immigrated  to  America,  first  settling  in 
Weston.  Mo.,  and  later  going  to  Ft.  Leavenworth,  where  he  was  employed 
as  a  blacksmith  by  the  United  States  Government.  He  saved  his  money. 
and  in  1879  came  to  Atchison  county  and  invested  in  160  acres  of  land  in  Ben- 
ton township,  located  four  miles  northeast  of  Effingham.  He  improved  this 
farm  and  cultivated  it  successfully  for  a  numlier  of  years,  and  about  the  year 
1900  he  turned  it  over  to  his  son.  Henry,  and  purchased  the  farm  now  owned 
by  Gus  Stutz.  He  resided  on  this  place  until  his  retirement  to  a  comfortable 
home  in  Lancaster  in  1901.  where  he  died  December  24,  1914,  leaving  a  rep- 
utation for  honesty  and  industry  second  to  none  in  his  neighborhood.  Mr. 
Fankhanel  was  a  member  of  the  German  Lutheran  church.  He  was  twice 
married,  his  first  wife  having  been  born  in  Germany,  and  died  in  Leaven- 
worth, Kan.,  leaving  one  son.  Henry,  now  a  farmer  in  Benton  township. 

Mr.  Fankhanel  was  again  married  in  1882,  to  Mrs.  Emma  Lindel,  widow 
of  Frederick  Lindel.  She  was  born  in  Bavaria,  Germany,  August  20,  1841, 
and  lived  in  her  native  country  until  she  was  eighteen  years  of  age,  and  then 
came  to  Illinois.  Shortly  after  her  arrival  she  married  Frederick  Lindel, 
also  a  native  of  Germany,  and  a  farmer  in  Illinois.  To  tliis  union  were  bom 
five  children,  two  of  whom  are  living,  namely:  Airs.  Minnie  Dorety,  of 
Garfield,  Okla. ;  and  Herman,  a  farmer,  residing  near  Leavenworth,  Kan. 
The  marriage  of  John  and  Emma  Fankhanel  was  without  issue. 

Mrs.  Fankhanel  is  a  capable  and  worthy  lady,  who  enjoys  the  respect 
and  esteem  of  her  neighbors  and  friends.  She  is  kind  and  neighborly,  and 
is  ever  ready  to  assist  those  of  her  acquaintances  who  are  in  need.  She  is 
living  in  Lancaster  in  comfortable  circumstances,  where  she  owns  a  good  home 
and  village  property,  and  also  a  farm  of  sixty-five  acres  in  Leavenworth 
county.     She  is  a  member  of  the  German  Lutheran  church. 


EDWARD  J.  KELLY. 


Edward  J.  Kelly,  cashier  of  the  Farmers  and  Merchants  State  Bank,  of 
Effingham,  was  born  June  14,  1868,  at  New  Brunswick,  N.  J.,  a  son  of 
James  and  Alice  (Tobin)  Kelly,  both  natives  of  Ireland.     Upon  immigrating 


636  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

to  this  countrj'  in  1844  tliey  made  their  first  home  in  New  Jersey,  and  from 
there  came  to  Kansas  in  1869,  locating  in  Grasshopper  township,  where  James 
met  with  wonderful  success  as  an  agriculturist.  His  first  investment  was  for 
eighty  acres  of  prairie  land  which  he  improved  and  gradually  added  to  his 
holdings  until  he  was  the  owner  of  500  acres  of  good  land.  James  Kelly 
accumulated  his  estate  by  the  exercise  of  good  judgment  in  his  farming  op- 
operations,  hard  labor,  and  the  exercise  of  the  strictest  economy.  At  first 
he  did  not  like  the  new  country.  Becoming  discouraged,  as  many  others  did, 
after  the  bad  years  during  the  seventies,  he  sold  out,  but  fortunately,  as 
it  later  proved  for  him,  he  was  compelled  to  take  liack  his  land  from  the  pur- 
chaser. He  later  changed  his  opinion  concerning  the  future  of  Kansas  and 
invested  heavily  in  land  at  every  opportunity.  James  Kelly  was  born  in  1828, 
and  died  in  1894.  His  wife  was  born  in  1830,  and  died  in  1912.  He  first 
came  to  America  in  1844  when  I)ut  sixteen  years  of  age,  and  was  married  in 
New  Jersey.  The  children  of  this  estimable  pioneer  couple  were :  James, 
who  died  at  the  age  of  seven  years;  Lawrence  P.,  a  resident  of  Colorado 
Springs,  Colo.;  Edward  J.,  and  Mary  E.,  residing  in  Effingham. 

Edward  J.  Kell}'  was  educated  in  the  district  schools  and  spent  two 
years  as  a  student  in  St.  Benedict's  College  in  Atchison.  He  lived  on  the 
old  home  place  of  his  parents  until  18S3,  in  the  meantime  improving  one  of 
his  father's  farms  in  Benton  township,  upon  which  he  moved  and  resided 
thereon  until  1894,  at  which  time  he  married  and  moved  on  another  farm 
which  he  owned  in  the  same  township.  Mr.  Kelly  followed  farming  until 
1903,  and  then  removed  to  Efiingham  and  engaged  in  the  hardware  and 
grain  business  for  a  period  of  five  years.  In  1909  he  entered  the  State  Bank 
of  Effingham  as  bookkeeper  and  remained  one  year,  when  he  became 
financially  interested  in  the  Farmers  and  Merchants  State  Bank,  of  which 
he  is  the  present  efficient  cashier. 

Mr.  Kelly  was  married  February  16,  1898,  to  Mary  Cieret}'.  of  Mon- 
rovia, Kan.,  a  daughter  of  Richard  and  Sarah  Rooney  Cerety,  natives  of 
Ireland,  who  first  immigrated  to  Indiana,  and  from  there  came  to  Kansas 
as  early  as  1856.  Both  are  now  deceased.  The  Gerety's  settled  on  the  prairie 
south  of  Monrovia,  when  Indians  were  camping  in  the  neighborhood.  They 
lived  there  all  of  their  days  and  prospered.  Richard  Gerety  died  in  1906, 
and  iiis  widow  removed  to  Effingham,  where  she  died  in  1910.  They  were 
the  parents  of  the  following  living  children:  Mrs.  Elizabeth  (Berney ),  1  lor- 
ton,  Kan. ;  Thomas  Gerety,  near  Nortonville,  Kan. ;  James,  Everest,  Kan. ; 
John,    Wichita.    Kan.;    Margaret,    Independence,    Kan.:    Richard,    \\'ichita. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  637 

Kan.;  Sarah,  Colorado  Springs,  Colo.     During-  the  Civil  war  'Sir.  Ceretv  ])ur- 
chased  horses  for  the  United  States  Go\-ernment. 

It  is  not  alone  as  a  farmer,  merchant  and  banker  that  Mr.  Kelly  has 
achieved  a  certain  amount  of  prominence,  but  he  has  taken  an  active  part 
in  political  affairs  during  his  life  and  stands  high  in  the  councils  of  the  Dem- 
ocratic party.  He  was  elected  to  represent  Atchison  county  in  the  State 
legislature  in  the  session  of  190Q,  and  during  that  session  acquitted  himself 
creditably  as  an  honest  and  fearless  legislator.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
committees  on  roads  and  highways,  mines  and  mining,  and  judicial  appor- 
tionments, etc.,  and  has  the  unique  record  of  never  missing  a  roll  call  of  the 
house  while  attending  the  session.  Mr.  Kelly  has  likewise  shown  his  inter- 
est in  his  home  city  by  serving  on  the  city  council  for  four  years.  His  reli- 
gious affiliations  are  with  the  Catholic  chu.rch. 

Fanners  and  Mcrcliants  State  Bank,  Effinghmn ,  Kansas. 

This  bank  was  organized  in  1905,  with  a  capital  stock  of  $12,000,  and 
officers  as  follows:  President,  U.  B.  Sharpless;  secretary  and  cashier,  A.  J. 
Smith :  \-ice-president,  Fred  Sutter ;  dn-ectors,  R.  M.  Thomas,  J.  W.  Davis, 
C.  N.  Snyder,  U.  B.  Sharpless,  A.  J.  Smith.  Since  this  time  there  have  been 
some  changes  in  the  personnel  of  the  official  body  governing  the  bank's 
affairs,  and  the  present  officers  are  as  follows :  President,  Fred  Sutter ;  vice- 
president,  L.  T.  Hawk:  cashier,  E.  J.  Kelly:  assistant  cashier,  D.  R.  Gerety; 
directors,  Fred  Sutter,  L.  T.  Hawk,  .Alexander  McKay,  U.  B.  Sharpless;  E. 
J.  Kelly.  The  capital  and  surplus  now  exceed  $15,000  and  the  bank  averages 
in  deposits  over  $120,000.  In  1910  the  bank  erected  a  handsome  brick  build- 
ing on  the  corner  of  Main  and  Howard  streets,  which  is  fitted  up  with  hand- 
some new  fixtures  and  a  new  burglar  proof  vault  of  the  latest  construction  at 
a  cost  of  over  $4,000.  This  I)ank  is  purely  a  local  concern  and  is  financed  by 
local  capital,  all  of  the  stockholders  residing  in  Effingham  and  vicinity,  and 
comprising  the  leading  merchants  and  farmers  of  Effingham  and  the  sur- 
rounding country. 


BENTON  L.  BROCKETT. 


Successful  business  man,  upright  citizen  and  Christian  worker,  are  char- 
acterizations which  aptly  describe  Benton  L.  Brockett,  who  has  been  estab- 
lished in  the  lumber  business  in  Atchison  for  over  thirty  years.  He  began 
as  a  poor  man  with  little  capital,  and  has  built  up  a  splendid  retail  concern  at 


638  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

1019  Main  street.  Mr.  Brockett  first  established  a  small  lumber  yard  at  East 
Atchison  in  1885,  and  six  years  later  moved  to  Atchison.  His  buildings  and 
warerooms  occupy  space  175x150  feet,  and  he  employs  six  men  and  four 
teams  to  handle  his  extensive  business.  The  concern  supplies  Atchison  and 
vicinity  with  lumber,  lime,  cement,  and  builder's  material,  including  cement 
blocks,  and  practically  all  materials  used  in  building.  The  yard  work  mcludes 
the  only  cement  working  plant  in  the  city  wliich  turns  out  cement  blocks  for 
foundation  work  and  porches. 

Benton  L.  Brockett  was  born  in  Ashtabula,  Ohio,  September  5,  1864. 
His  parents  were  Lewis  B.  and  Lucy  S.  (Fisk)  Brockett,  natives  of  New  York 
and  Ohio,  respectively.  The  Brockett  family  is  of  English  origin,  and  the 
founder  of  the  family  in  America  first  settled  near  New  London,  Conn.  His 
descendants  afterward  located  in  the  state  of  New  York.  Lewis  B.  was 
tlie  son  of  Ambrose  Brockett,  who  moved  to  Ashtabula  county,  and  was  one 
of  the  first  settlers  of  the  Western  Reserve.  Here  Lewis  was  reared,  and 
married  Lucy  S.  Fisk,  a  daughter  of  an  early  settler  of  the  Western 
Reserve.  He  became  a  merchant  at  Say  brook,  and  served  as  post- 
master under  President  Cleveland's  administration.  He  died  at  the  ad- 
vanced age  of  eighty-six  years.  The  mother  of  Benton  L.  is  still  living  and  is 
now  over  eighty-three  years  of  age.  To  them  were  Ijorn  three  sons  and  three 
daughters,  namely:  James  D.,  of  Lincoln,  Neb.;  Haddie,  the  wife  of  Charles 
C.  Parker,  a  resident  of  Portland,  Ore.;  Ellen  F.,  residing  in  Ashtabula;  and 
Amy,  the  wife  of  Charles  Simon,  of  Ashtabula,  Ohio;  and  two  died  in  infancy. 

Benton  L.  was  educated  in  the  Ashtabula  schools,  and  came  west  in 
1884,  where  he  engaged  in  business,  as  stated  in  a  preceding  jiaragraph.  Suc- 
cess has  attended  liis  efforts,  and  he  is  universally  recognized  as  one  of  the 
substantial  men  of  the  city.  The  account  of  tlie  growth  of  'Mr.  Brockett's 
business  is  simply  a  narrative  of  his  life  work  on  t1ie  material  side,  llis 
prosperity  is  well  deserved,  and  has  l^een  accjuired  by  close  application  to  liis 
affairs  and  sc^uare  and  honorable  dealings  witli  his  fellow  men.  Mr.  Brockett 
was  married  on  October  10,  1888,  to  Daisy  Denton,  a  daughter  of  Henry 
Denton,  an  attorney  of  Atchison;  she  died  July  15,  1898,  leaving  two  sons, 
namely:  Louis  D.,  born  Augxist  14,  1889.  who  is  associated  in  the  real  estate 
and  loan  business  with  C.  D.  Walker,  and  married  Tsabella.  a  daughter  of 
Mr.  Walker.  The  second  son  is  Wallace  James  Brockett,  liorn  February  14, 
1895,  and  is  a  student  at  Baker  University,  at  Baldwin,  Kan.  On  July  23, 
1903,  Mr.  Brockett  married  Margaret  Schriver,  a  daughter  of  Peter  P. 
Schriver,  of  Cedar  Point,  Kan.  To  this  union  one  child  has  been  born,  Helen 
Louise,  born  November  12,  1907. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  639 

Mr.  Brockett  has  always  espoused  the  principles  of  the  Republican  party, 
although  his  father  was  a  Democrat.  He  has  served  his  home  city  as  a  mem- 
ber of  the  city  council,  and  has  been  generally  active  in  all  undertakings 
tending  to  advance  tiie  best  interests  of  Atchison  and  make  the  city  a  better 
and  more  attractive  place  in.  which  to  live.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Ancient 
Free  and  Accepted  Masons.  It  is  in  church  work,  however,  that  Mr.  Brockett 
is  most  active,  aside  from  his  business  affairs.  Ever  since  coming  to  tlie 
West  he  has  been  identified  with  church  and  Sunday-  school  work,  and  is  a 
prominent  and  active  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church.  He  sup- 
plemented his  work  in  behalf  of  making  better  men  and  women  of  the  grow- 
ing boys  and  girls  of  this  locality  in  East  Atchison,  where  he  has  conducted 
a  mission  school  for  the  past  four  years.  He  is  a  trustee  of  his  church,  and 
has  taken  part  in  the  work  of  the  Sunday  school  for  several  years.  The 
highest  tribute  that  can  be  paid  to  him  is  that  he  is  universally  known  as  an 
earnest  Christian,  who  has  reared  liis  family  to  be  valuable  members  of  the 
community. 


JOHN  STUTZ. 


John  Stutz,  one  of  the  younger  successful  farmers  of  Center  townsliip, 
Atchison  county,  was  born  Novemljer  5.  1870,  on  his  father's  farm  in  Lan- 
caster township.  His  parents  were  Christian  and  Kathrine  Slutz,  concerning 
whom  a  complete  review  is  given  in  the  biographies  of  Gustave  and  Christian 
W.  Stutz.  The  reader  is  referred  to  these  sketches  for  the  history  of  this 
worthy  pioneer  couple,  who  were  among  the  early  settlers  of  the  county.  John 
grew  up  on  the  home  farm  and  attended  the  public  schools  of  Lancaster,  re- 
maining at  liome  with  iiis  parents  until  1898,  at  which  time  his  father  died  and 
John  was  employed  by  the  Cain  Milling  Company  of  Atchison  for  two  months. 
He  became  heir  to  eighty  acres  of  land  as  his  share  of  the  family  estate,  and 
began  farming  for  himself.  His  farm  was  only  partly  improved  by  a  small 
shack  and  granary.  He  at  once  set  about  to  remedy  conditinns  on  the  land, 
and  erected  a  substantial  liome,  a  good  barn  and  otlier  out-buildings  which  are 
well  kept.  He  built  a  two-story  , five-room  house,  and  in  1903  erected  a  fine 
barn,  48x30  feet  in  dimension.  He  has  also  added  to  his  acreage,  and  now 
owns  160  acres  of  highly  productive  land. 

Mr.  Stutz  was  married  October  8,  1895,  to  Nora  Walz,  and  to  this  union 
have  been  born  three  children,  namely:  Christian  W.,  Grover  J.  and  Lester  E. 
all  at  home  with  their  parents.     Mrs.  Nora  Stutz  was  born  August  24,  1876, 


640  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

on  a  farm  in  Shannon  township,  a  dang-htcr  of  Charles  and  Margaret  (Diehs- 
back)  Walz.  Charles  Walz,  the  father,  was  twice  married,  his  first  wife 
being  Kathrine  Reidel,  who  bore  him  four  children :  Mrs.  Rosa  Buff,  of 
Shannon  township;  Charles,  deceased:  Marj'  married  Fred  Stutz,  a  member 
of  the  Atchison  police  force,  and  Kathrine,  wife  of  Christian  W.  Stutz.  By 
the  second  marriage  of  Charles  Walz,  that  with  Margaret  Diehsback,  there 
were  born  eight  children,  as  follows :  Margaret,  wife  of  Gustave  Stutz,  of 
Lancaster  township;  Nora,  wife  of  John  Stutz,  the  subject  of  this  sketch; 
Frederick,  deceased;  Mrs.  Anna  Hager,  of  Atchison;  William,  farmer.  Shan- 
non township;  Mrs.  Clara  Peterson,  Atchison;  Albert,  Atchison;  and  Jerr}- 
resides  on  the  old  home  place,  in  Shannon  township. 

Mr.  Stutz  is  a  Democrat,  and  a  member  of  the  Fraternal  Order  of  Eagles. 
Naturally  he  has  a  deep  and  abiding  love  for  his  home  county,  and  thinks  there 
is  no  place  on  earth  better  than  Atchison  county.  His  labor  and  interests 
have  generally  been  given  towards  the  welfare  of  his  home  county,  and  his 
standing  in  his  community  is  assured,  as  a  well  respected  and  industrious  citi- 
zen who  has  the  respect  and  esteem  of  all  who  know  him. 


A.  S.  SPECK. 


The  Speck  family  is  one  of  the  oldest  of  the  pioneer  families  in  Kansas 
and  the  date  of  the  settlement  of  A.  S.  Speck  in  Atchison  county  goes  back  to 
sixty  years  ago,  when  in  September  20,  1855,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Speck  with  their 
two  children  arrived  at  the  banks  of  the  Missouri  river,  after  a  six  weeks'  trip 
overland  in  a  covered  wagon  from  their  old  home  in  an  eastern  State.  They 
crossed  the  river  by  ferry  to  the  Kansas  side  and  landed  near  old  Sumner, 
traveled  over  the  hills  and  finally  stopped  at  a  little  log  cabin,  not  far  from 
Stranger  creek,  wliich  stream  is  said  to  have  received  its  name  from  an  un- 
known man  having  been  drowned  in  the  stream  some  years  previous.  The 
Specks  made  a  settlement  in  the  county  and  experienced  a  great  deal  of  trouble 
from  the  bortlcr  ruffians  and  pro-slavery  advocates  because  of  the  fact  that 
Mr.  Speck  was  a  pronounced  anti-sla\en'  man.  It  was  the  aim  of  the  border 
ruffians  to  intimidate  or  "get  rid"  of  all  Free  State  peope  in  order  to  gain 
their  ends  and  make  Kansas  a  slave  State.  A  story  concerning  these  troublous 
times  is  timely  here.  One  afternoon  Mrs.  Speck  glanced  from  her  cabin  door 
and  saw  a  cannon  facing  the  house  and  planted  on  a  little  knoll  with  aliout 
thirtv  men  surrounding  the  sinister  looking  weapon.     They  sent  one  of  their 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  64I 

numl;er  to  the  door  of  tlie  cal)in  to  ascertain  if  Mr.  Si>eck  was  at  home.  In 
reply  to  titeir  question  as  to  Mr.  Speck's  whereabouts,  Mrs.  Speck  said,  "If  lie 
were  liere  he  woukl  never  send  his  wife  to  talk  for  him."  After  a  long-  confer- 
ence the  men  went  away,  but  returned  that  night  and  demanded  the  privilege 
of  searching  the  house.  All  the  weapon  of  defense  Mrs.  Speck  had  was  an  a.xe 
which  she  held  in  her  hand  wlien  she  opened  the  door.  As  the  door  was 
opened  she  asked  for  the  rc\-olver  held  by  one  of  the  men  who  entered.  Tliis 
he  refused  to  do,  but  the  leader  of  the  gang,  a  man  named  Adkins,  called  out 
with  an  oath,  "Give  it  to  her,  we  will  protect  you."  The  gang  searched  the 
house  thoroughly  and  were  satisfied  that  the  man  they  sought  was  not  there. 
They  then  went  away  leaving  the  children  crying  in  fear,  and  the  mother  so 
fearful  of  her  life  that  she  sat  up  the  remainder  of  the  night  on  the  outside 
of  the  cabin  with  her  babe  in  her  arms,  thinking  they  would  return.  Not  long 
after  this  came  the  news  of  the  Ouantrell  raid  and  the  burning  of  Lawrence, 
Kan.,  and  Mr.  Speck  with  others  went  to  the  relief  of  the  sufferers.  The  ruf- 
fians returned  to  the  Speck  cal)in  in  the  afternoon  of  the  day  of  Mr.  Speck's 
departure,  but  this  time  Mrs.  Speck  was  armed  with  a  gun  which  Mr.  Speck 
had  left  with  her.  She  also  had  another  gun  which  had  been  given  her  by  a 
neighbor  named  Martin,  who  had  had  similar  trouble  with  the  ruffians,  who 
searched  through  Martin's  cornfield  for  liim,  and  when  the  raiders  would  get 
near  him  he  would  slip  away  unseen  to  the  rows  through  which  they  had  al- 
ready searched  and  thus  elude  them.  When  the  men  saw  the  gun  one  of  them 
insisted  that  she  gi\e  it  up,  and  wrenched  it  from  her  hands.  •  She  at  once 
reached  for  the  other  gim  which  she  kept  hidden  behind  her  and  fired  at  lier 
assailant,  frightening  him  so  that  he  dropped  the  gun  he  had  seized  and  ran 
from  the  \icinity  of  the  home.  The  others  who  remained  near  tlie  cannon  saw 
on  a  high  ridge  some  distance  away  what  they  thought  was  a  companv  of 
men  coming  to  capture  tiiem.  They  at  once  took  flight  and  left  hastilv.  leav- 
ing behind  them  a  long  rope  which  was  evidently  intended  to  be  used  in  hang- 
ing Mr.  Speck.  _  The  small  army  seen  in  the  distance  later  proved  to  be  neigh- 
bors driving  a  herd  of  cattle.  One  little  son  of  the  family  made  a  vow  to  whip 
Adkins  when  he  grew  up  and  had  the  later  satisfaction  of  fulfilling  his  vow 
when  still  a  boy.  The  old  neighbor  of  "cornfield  fame"  still  lives  in  practically 
the  same  locality.  Pardee  Butler,  the  famous  Free  State  advocate,  who  was 
placed  on  a  raft  and  .set  adrift  on  tiie  Missouri  Ijy  border  ruffians,  was  an 
intimate  friend  of  the  Speck  family.  When  the  Civil  war  broke  out  and  the 
call  for  volunteers  was  sent  out  by  President  Lincoln,  Mr.  Speck  enlisted  as 
lieutenant  of  Company  F,  Thirteenth  regiment,  Kansas  infantry,  in  September, 

41 


642  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

1862,  serving  until  his  resignation,  and  later  being  appointed  recruiting  officer 
in  August,  1863. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Speck  lived  on  their  farm  until  death  took  them,  the  demise 
of  Mr.  Speck  occurring  in  February,  1901.  and  that  of  Mrs.  Speck  occurring 
January,  1904.  They  are  survived  by  eight  children :  William  A.,  of  Kay 
See,  Wyo. ;  Frank,  James  and  Arthur,  of  Nortonville,  Kan. ;  Mrs.  D.  P.  Bar- 
ber, of  Cummings,  Kan. ;  Mrs.  Joseph  Hotchkiss,  of  Willow  Springs,  Mo. ; 
Mrs.  S.  W.  Adams,  of  Atchison,  Kan. 


ROBERT  L.  GRIMES. 


Robert  L.  Grimes,  farmer  and  stockman,  of  Lancaster  township,  Atchison 
county,  Kansas,  is  one  of  the  representative  and  enterprising  citizens  of  the 
county  who  have  made  good.  He  has  been  a  resident  of  Kansas  for  the  past 
forty-four  years,  and  during  that  time  has  worked  his  way  upward  by  his 
own  unaided  efforts  and  is  now  the  owner  of  350  acres  of  good  Kansas  soil. 
Of  late  he  has  practically  retired  from  active  farming,  and  has  rented  out  his 
land,  that  he  may  lie  able  to  take  a  well  earned  repose  and  enjoj-  a  life  of 
leisure. 

Robert  L.  Grimes  was  born  Februaiy  11,  1852.  in  Fayette  count}',  Penn- 
sylvania, a  son  of  James  and  Margaret  (Laughlin)  Grimes,  both  of  whom 
were  born  and  reared  in  that  county.  The  father  was  born  May  i,  1824,  and 
was  the  son  of  Plenry  and  Sallie  Grimes,  who  came  of  old  pioneer  stock  in  the 
Keystone  State,  and  were  of  Scotch  and  German  descent.  Henry  was  a  black- 
smith and  made  a  good  living  for  his  family.  James  Grimes  was  reared  in  his 
native  county,  and  when  he  grew  up  became  a  farmer.  He  tilled  the  soil  in 
Pennsylvania  until  1871,  and  then  disposed  of  his  holdings,  and  migrated  west- 
ward, to  Kansas,  investing  his  cash  capital  in  Lancaster  township,  where  he 
bought  160  acres,  located  in  sections  15,  5  and  18,  Atchison  county.  There 
were  little  or  no  improvements  on  his  land  when  he  bought  it,  but  with  charac- 
teristic thrift,  he  improved  the  land  and  made  it  into  a  desirable  place  of  resi- 
dence. Like  others  who  came  to  the  county  in  that  early  day  he  went  through 
the  "grasshopper  era,"  and  was  discouraged  for  a  time  but  licld  on,  and  as  a 
result  became  fairly  well  to  do  in  the  course  of  time,  as  better  years  followed 
the  lean  era.  He  lived  on  his  farm  imtil  his  demise  in  1905,  and  at  the  time 
of  his  death  was  one  of  the  well  respected  and  best  known  citizens  of  his 
township.     Grimes,  senior,  was  married  in  Fayette  county,  Pennsylvania,  to 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  643 

Margaret  A.  Laughlin.  and  this  marriage  was  blessed  b)-  the  following  chil- 
dren :  Robert  Laughlin.  subject  of  this  sketch ;  William,  a  farmer  of  Lancaster 
township;  Elizabeth,  deceased;  John  A.,  Huron,  Kan.;  Mrs.  Sallie  Hardin, 
Lancaster  township,  and  Hugh  L.,  Lancaster  township.  The  mother  of  the 
foregoing  children  was  born  February'  12,  1828,  and  departed  this  life  in 
1901.  She  left  the  impress  of  a  noble  and  womanl}-  character  upon  the  lives 
of  her  children,  who  have  all  led  exemplary  li\'es  and  been  a  credit  to  their 
parents.     She  was  a  daughter  of  Robert  Laughlin,  a  farmer  of  Pennsylvania. 

Robert  L.,  with  whom  this  review  is  directly  concerned,  was  reared  to 
young  manhood  on  the  family  farm  in  Fa3-ette  county,  Pennsylvania,  received 
his  early  education  in  the  nearby  district  school,  and  at  the  age  of  nineteen 
years  accompanied  liis  parents  to  the  new  home  in  this  county.  His  first 
schooling  was  obtained  in  the  Mt.  Vernon  district  in  his  native  count}-,  and  he 
also  attended  the  school  near  his  new  home  in  Lancaster  township,  when  not 
assisting  his  father  in  developing  their  Kansas  farm.  He  remained  on  the 
home  farm  until  he  was  twenty-seven  years  of  age,  and  after  his  marriage,  he 
launched  into  agricultural  pursuits  for  himself  by  renting  a  tract  of  land  for 
two  years.  His  first  efforts  in  his  own  behalf  were  successful  and  he  then 
used  his  savings  to  purchase  a  tract  of  land  in  Lancaster  township,  south  of 
Eden.  His  first  investment  was  in  a  farm  of  160  acres,  which  he  improved  as 
his  prosperity  continued  to  increase.  By  the  exercise  of  industry,  self-denial 
and  good  financial  management,  he  has  become  the  owner  of  350  acres  of  fine 
land.  This  land  has  twenty-five  acres  of  standing  timber,  which  is  a  valuable 
asset  when  one  considers  that  timber  is  almost  a  rarety  in  the  greater  part  of 
Kansas.  Mr.  Grimes  cultivated  his  land  until  1914,  when  he  decided  to  shift 
some  of  the  burden  which  grew  heavy  as  he  felt  himself  taking  on  added 
years,  and  he  accordingly  rented  it,  but  retains  the  supervision  of  the  farm. 

For  several  years  Mr.  Grimes  has  been  a  breeder  of  Shorthorn  cattle,  and 
takes  considerable  interest  in  his  fine  stock.  His  success  in  farming  is  due  to 
the  fact  that  he  has  not  been  content  to  just  be  an  ordinary  farmer,  but  has 
endeavored  to  keep  abreast  of  tiie  latest  developments  in  agriculture  and  has 
aimed  to  keep  the  best  of  live  stock  on  his  place.  He  has  an  excellent  barn, 
32x60  feet  in  dimension,  with  a  capacity  of  eighty  tons  of  hay,  and  which 
cost  over  $1,500,  despite  the  fact  that  most  of  the  lumber  used  in  its  construc- 
tion was  cut  and  sawed  from  the  timber  on  his  place. 

Mr.  Grimes  was  married  April  16,  1879,  to  Miss  Viola  Wilson,  who  has 
borne  him  two  children:  Mrs.  Edith  .Shufflebarger,  living  on  a  farm  in  Lan- 
caster township,  and  Mrs.  Franketta  Carson,  whose  husband  is  farming  the 
Grimes  farm  land.     Mrs.  Grimes  was  l)orn  in  Lancaster  township,  December 


644  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY 

21,  1862,  and  is  a  daughter  of  Andrew  and  Xancy  (Carpenter)  \\'ilson,  who 
came  to  Atchison  county  from  Kentucky  in  the  early  pioneer  days.  Andrew 
Wilson  was  a  Union  veteran  who  saw  valiant  service  during  the  Civil  war. 
In  political  matters  Mr.  Grimes  has  always  been  identified  with  the  Demo- 
cratic party,  and  has  served  as  a  member  of  tiie  school  board  in  his  townslup. 
He  attends  religious  services  at  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  and  is 
a  member  of  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America. 


CHRIST  KANNING. 


Tlie  pro\erbial  success  of  the  members  of  the  German  race,  who  Iiave 
left  the  Fatherland  in  search  of  fortune  in  America,  is  well  illustrated  in  re- 
viewing the  career  of  Christ  Kanning,  of  Lancaster  township,  Atchison 
county,  Kansas.  In  a  little  more  than  a  score  of  years,  beginning  with  prac- 
tically no  capital,  Mr.  Kanning  has  accumulated  240  acres  of  tlie  best  land  in 
Atchison  count}'.  He  is  the  owner  of  two  well  improved  farms,  and  it  was 
necessary  for  him  to  luiild  practically  all  of  tlie  impro\ements  on  his  home 
place  since  purchasing  the  land  in  1893. 

Christ  Kanning  was  Ijoni  in  \\"estphalia.  a  province  of  Prussia  in  the 
German  Empire,  May  20,  1854.  He  is  a  son  of  Henry  and  Christena  (Poos) 
Kanning,  who  were  the  parents  of  seven  children,  three  of  whom  are  de- 
ceased. The  parents  spent  their  lives  in  tlie  Fatherland.  Christ  Kanning  is 
the  only  memlicr  of  the  family  li\'ing  in  Atchison  county:  two  of  the  children 
live  in  Germany,  and  the  other  resides  in  Illinois.  Christ  received  eight  years 
of  scliooling  in  his  native  land,  became  a  farmer  in  W'estplialia,  and  in  1889 
left  the  old  home  and  immigrated  to  Madison  county,  Illinois,  where  he 
worked  as  a  farm  liand  four  years.  In  1893  he  migrated  westward,  to  Atch- 
ison county,  and  witii  liis  savings  bought  eighty  acres  of  land  in  section  24, 
Lancaster  township.  This  tract  \vas  improved  at  the  time  of  purchase,  but 
Christ,  in  keeping  with  the  polic}'  of  his  neighbors  and  the  other  enterprising 
farmers  of  tliis  noted  township,  was  not  satisfied  with  the  buildings,  and  has 
practically  replaced  all  the  original  improvements  with  residence  and  barns 
more  in  keeping  witli  his  ambition  and  prosperity.  He  has  erected  a  large, 
eight-room  residence,  and  a  barn  40x46  feet,  a  granary,  and  a  large 
windmill  which  pumps  the  water  for  his  home  and  live  stock.  The 
Harry  Searls  place,  wiu'cli  he  also  owns,  is  a  very  well  improved  farm,  and  is 
located  just  one-half  mile  east  of  the  home  farm  of  Mr.  Kanning.  It  is  a  well 
kept  modern  place.     Mr.  Kanning  keeps  graded  stock  on  his  place. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  645 

Mr.  Kanning  was  married  February  29,  1888,  to  Caroline  Stahlliut.  and 
tliis  marriag;e  has  been  lilessed  with  ^even  cliildren.  namely:  Henry,  deceased: 
Mrs.  Christina  Poos,  Benton  township;  Mrs.  Mary  W.  Poos,  Benton  town- 
ship; Bertha,  Otto,  William,  and  Ada,  all  of  whom  are  at  home  with  their 
parents.  Mrs.  Kanning  was  born  April  27,  1869,  in  Madison  county,  Illinois, 
and  is  a  daughter  of  Henry  and  Mary  (Debtner)  Stahlhut,  both  of  whom 
were  natives  of  Germany,  immigrating  to  America  and  settling  in  Madison 
county,  Illinois,  where  they  died.  Mr.  Kanning  is  one  of  those  citizens  who 
believe  in  doing  their  own  thinking  in  political  affairs,  and  is  not  allied  with 
any  political  party,  voting  for  the  man,  regardless  of  his  politics,  and  making 
up  his  own  mind  as  to  each  candidate's  personal  fitness  to  abh'  perform  the 
duties  of  the  office  sought.  He  and  his  family  are  members  of  the  German 
Lutheran  church. 


THEO  INTFEN. 


Thei)  Intfen  has  l;een  a  resident  of  Atchison  county  for  o\-cr  lialf  a 
century.  He  has  seen  the  county  transformed  from  a  wilderness  and  un- 
broken prairie  to  a  land  of  fertile  farms  and  thriving  cities  and  towns.  Prac- 
tically all  of  his  life  has  been  spent  within  sight  of,  or  within,  Atchison,  and 
be  has  witnessed  and  taken  part  in  the  wonderful  growth  of  his  home  city. 
Nearly  thirty  years  of  his  life  have  been  spent  in  building  up  the  immense 
furniture  and  house  furnishing  business  now  located  in  his  own  building  at 
623-625  Commercial  street.  This  business  had  its  initial  beginning  in  1887 
in  the  old  Municipal  theater  liuilding,  under  the  firm  name  of  Miller  &  Intfen. 
In  1890  the  store  was  mo\ed  to  the  west  half  of  the  Ramsey  building,  where 
it  remained  under  Mr.  Intfen's  management  until  November  25,  1912,  when 
it  was  removed  to  the  present  quarters.  Mr.  Intfen  purchased  the  building 
and  thoroughly  remodeled  it,  erecting  a  new  and  modem  front,  and  building 
an  addition  on  the  rear,  50x150  feet.  A  stock  worth  over  $40,000  is  carried 
on  three  floors  and  the  basement.  .\n  immense  credit  business  is  handled 
in  a  successful  manner,  and  nine  men  are  employed  by  Mr.  Intfen  in  the  car- 
ing for  the  trade.  Goods  from  the  Intfen  store  are  sold  over  a  wide  range 
of  territory,  the  store  having  patrons  located  in  Tennessee,  Iowa,  Florida, 
Philippine  Islands,  the  Dakotas,  Arkansas,  Nebraska,  Oregon,  Illinois.  Mich- 
igan, Oklahoma,  and  other  states.  He  does  an  extensive  business  in  Kan- 
sas and  Missouri,  and  cares  for  a  great  many  orders  received  from  a  distance. 


646  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

During  the  year  of  191 3  he  made  over  757  shipments  from  Atchison  to  dis- 
tant railway  points.  Mr.  Intfen  is  an  extensive  advertiser  and  believes  in 
pubHcity  for  a  healthy,  growing  concern  such  as  he  has  built  up. 

Theo.  Intfen  was  born  December  24,  186 1.  in  Weston,  Mo.,  and  is 
a  son  of  William  and  Mary  (Piekman)  Intfen.  of  Prussia.  The  Intfen 
home  was  just  across  the  Holland-Prussian  line.  William  Intfen  and  his 
wife  immigrated  to  America  in  1853  and  made  their  first  home  for  a  number 
of  years  at  Weston,  Mo.  In  October,  1862,  they  crossed  the  Missouri  river 
by  means  of  a  ferry  and  located  on  a  farm,  two  and  one-half  miles  north  of 
Atchison.  The  elder  Intfen  developed  his  farm  and  reared  a  family.  At  this 
time  there  were  not  many  settlers  in  Atchison  county,  and  the  city  was  but 
a  village.  The  first  store  of  the'town  was  then  doing  business,  and  Theo 
Intfen  can  recall  its  appearance.  Large  trees  stood  on  the  site  of  many  of 
the  present  business  blocks.  William  Intfen  became  the  owner  of  180  acres 
of  land,  and  was  a  prosperous  farmer  for  those  days.  Mrs.  Intfen  died  on 
the  home  farm  in  1885.  William  Intfen  came  to  Atchison  after  her  death, 
and  died  in  1901,  at  a  ripe  old  age.  Five  children  were  born  to  them,  namely : 
John  T..  a  mercliant. 'of  Atchison:  Theo.  the  subject  of  this  sketch;  Mrs. 
Minnie  Miller,  living  at  714  Laramie  street:  INIrs.  .\nna  Falk.  of  Andale, 
Kan. ;  Henry  died  at  the  age  of  two  years. 

Theo  Inlfen  was  reared  on  the  pioneer  farm  and  attended  the  dis- 
trict school  in  his  neighborhood.  He  assisted  his  father  on  the  home  place 
until  he  attained  his  majority,  and  then  decided  to  do  things  for  himself.  He 
went  to  Kanopolis,  Eldridge  county,  Kansas,  and  opened  the  first  store  in 
the  town.  He  sold  sixty-two  dollars'  worth  of  merchandise  the  first  day  he 
arrived  from  boxes  in  the  street  before  getting  into  the  store.  He  placed 
the  first  stock  of  goods  in  Kanopolis.  and  made  the  first  sale  of  merchandise 
in  the  town.  One  year  after  establishing  this  store  he  sold  out  at  a  nice  profit 
and  retumed  to  Atchison,  where  he  engaged  in  the  furniture  business,  as 
before  stated.  His  success  has  been  due  to  pronounced  ability  as  a  salesman, 
and  his  excellent  judgment  in  financial  affairs,  and  a  knowledge  of  what  the 
people  will  buy,  and  the  carrying  out  of  his  plan  to  supply  patrons  on  the 
credit  plan,  which  is  optional  with  the  customer. 

Mr.  Intfen  was  ni'irried  in  1893  to  Miss  F.mma  Ziliold,  and  to  this  union 
has  been  born  a  daughter,  Louise,  born  September  29,  1894.  educated  in 
Atchison  and  graduated  from  the  Atchison  Business  College.  From  19 12 
until  her  marriage  she  was  her  father's  bookkeeper.  She  was  married  on 
October  17.  H)i5.  to  LeRov  .\.  Osterbog.  in  charge  of  cost  department  of  the 
Atchison  Saddlery  Company.    Mrs.  Intfen  is  a  daughter  of  Merman  Zibold, 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  647 

a  native  of  Germany,  who  first  settled  in  St.  Louis,  then  lived  in  St.  Joseph, 
and  from  there  came  to  Atchison. 

Mr.  Intfen  is  an  independent  Democrat,  politically,  and  does  his  own 
thinking  as  to  what  candidates  he  will  support  for  office,  when  it  is  time  for 
him  to  cast  his  ballots.  While  interested  in  good  government,  he  does  not 
take  an  active  part  in  political  affairs.  He  is  strictly  a  business  man,  who 
has  built  up  a  monument  to  his  own  individual  enterprise  and  energy  through 
the  development  of  the  large  Intfen  store.  He  is  likewise  interested  in  his 
home  citv  and  takes  a  just  pride  in  the  fact  that  he  has  done  his  share  to 
assist  the  development  of  Atchison,  and  is  proud  of  the  knowledge  that  he 
has  witnessed  the  growth  of  a  beautiful  and  prosperous  city  from  its  very 
beginning.  He  is  a  member  of  St.  Benedict's  Catholic  Church,  and  is  affil- 
iated with  the  Modern  Woodmen. 


THOMAS  FINNEGAN. 


Thomas  Finnegan,  an  Atchison  county  pioneer,  who  came  to  this  county 
forty-eight  years  ago,  is  a  successful  farmer  of  Shannon  township,  and  has 
resided  on  his  present  place  for  forty  years.  Thomas  Finnegan  is  a  native 
of  Ireland,  born  in  1842,  and  is  a  son  of  Patrick  and  Hanora  Finnegan.  The 
father  died  when  Thomas  was  less  than  a  year  old,  and  the  mother  came  to 
this  country,  and  died  in  Atchison  county,  at  the  home  of  her  son,  Thomas,  in 
1899,  at  the  remarkably  advanced  age  of  102  years. 

When  Thomas  Finnegan  immigrated  to  America,  he  first  settled  in  Con- 
necticut, where  he  remained  for  five  years.  He  then  went  to  Iowa,  remain- 
ing in  that  State  for  fifteen  years.  While  living  in  Iowa  he  worked  out  by 
the  month  a  great  deal  and  often  worked  for  as  low  as  eight  dollars  per 
month.  In  March,  1867,  he  came  to  Kansas,  and  after  spending  a  short  time 
in  Atchison  county,  removed  to  Doniphan  county,  and  for  about  two  years 
worked  at  breaking  prairie  land  with  ox  teams.  He  followed  farming  about 
two  years  in  Doniphan  county,  and  was  also  interested  in  a  threshing  outfit, 
which  he  operated  for  a  time,  and  in  1870  he  returned  to  Atchison  county, 
and  in  187 1  bought  160  acres  of  land  in  Shannon  township,  where  he  has  since 
been  engaged  in  farming  and  has  met  with  uniform  success.  He  has  one  of 
the  best  farms  in  Atchison  county,  under  an  excellent  state  of  cultivation, 
with  a  large  producing  orchard.  Mr.  Finnegan  is  a  great  lover  of  trees  and 
timber,  and  in  the  early  days  in  Kansas  planted  a  great  many  trees,  and  now 


648  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

has  a  fine  grove  on  his  place,  with  many  large  maple,  elm  and  walnut  trees, 
as  well  as  cottonwood,  which  adds  greatly  to  the  appearance  of  his  place. 

During  the  war  Mr.  Finnegan  was  employed  as  a  Government  teamster, 
and  in  1863  he  drove  transfer  teams  in  St.  Louis.  He  was  married  in  1869 
to  Miss  Anne  Morley,  a  native  of  Ireland,  horn  in  1850.  The  following 
children  have  been  bom  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Finnegan:  Nora  married  J.  J.  Slat- 
teiy.  Shannon  township;  John  resides  in  Atchison;  Mary  married  Joseph 
Schlesbaum,  Atchison;  Thomas,  Houston,  Tex.;  James  resides  in  California; 
Margaret  married  Joseph  Longan,  Doniphan  county ;  Agatha  resides  at  home, 
and  Roger,  farmer,  Atchison  county.  Mr.  Finnegan  leans  to  independence  in 
politics,  and  the  family  are  members  of  the  Catholic  church. 


SAMUEL  E.   BALLINGER. 


Adjoining  Atchison,  to  the  westward  there  are  many  beautiful  and 
well  kept  suburban  homes.  Along  the  road  which  borders  Forest  park 
on  the  west  are  some  especially  fine  homes  with  well  kept  grounds, 
dotted  with  flowers  and  shrubbery,  in  striking  contrast  to  the  unkempt  con- 
dition of  the  park  upon  which  these  suburban  estates  front.  These  homes 
make  ideal  places  for  people  who  have  spent  the  greater  part  of  their  lives  in 
farming  pursuits,  and,  while  wishing  to  be  near  the  city,  yet  wish  to  have 
a  larger  space  for  a  home  setting  than  the  thickly  settled  parts  of  the  town 
would  afford.  In  one  of  the  beautiful  homes  fronting  the  highway  resides 
Samuel  E.  Ballinger  and  his  faithful  wife  and  helpmeet,  who  have  been  resi- 
dents of  Atcliison  county  for  many  years  and  arc  both  descendants  of  old 
eastern  families. 

Samuel  E.  Ballinger  was  born  September  7.  1843.  "'  Salem  county.  Xew 
Jersey,  a  son  of  John  G.  and  Sarah  .Ann  (Reeves)  Ballinger.  flis  paternal 
grandfather  was  also  named  John  G..  wlio  married  a  (juaker  lady.  His 
maternal  grandfather  was  Stephen  Reeves,  a  scion  of  an  old  eastern  family, 
and  in  his  day  a  leading  ship  builder  of  New  Jersey.  The  father  of  Samuel 
E.  was  Ixirn  in  1827  and  died  in  1906.  During  his  life  he  was  a  miller  and 
farmer  and  prominent  in  the  affairs  of  Salem  county.  New  Jersey.  He  was 
twice  married,  iiis  first  wife,  Sarah  Ann,  dying  in  1850.  leaving  three  chil- 
dren :  Stephen  R.,  a  retired  miller  of  New  Jersey,  now  deceased ;  .Samuel  E.. 
and  Thomas  E.,  residing  in  Atchison.     John  G.  Ballinger's  second  wife  was 


l» 


1 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  649 

Sarah  Austin,  who  bore  him  the  following  children :  John.  Charles,  Walter, 
Ella,  Gertrude,  Emma,  and  Minnie. 

Samuel  E.  received  his  education  in  the  jjuhlic  schools  of  his  native 
county  and  State  and  early  learned  tn  perform  his  share  of  the  work  required 
in  the  operation  of  his  father's  gristmill  and  farm.  He  hauled  grist  from  the 
mill  to  town  and  to  the  patrons  of  his  father's  mil!  and  assisted  in  cultivat- 
ing his  father's  farm  when  yet  a  boy  in  years.  When  he  attained  young  man- 
hood he  was  associated  with  his  father  in  the  lixx-ry  and  feed  business  at 
Camden,  N.  J.,  for  a  period  of  three  years.  He  and  his  brother,  Stephen, 
then  bought  the  gristmill  which  they  operated  in  partnership  until  1871,  fol- 
lowing which  he  farmed  for  one  year  and  then  disposed  of  all  of  his  holdings 
with  the  intention  of  migrating  to  Kansas.  He  came  to  Atchison,  Kan.,  with 
a  capital  of  $350  which  he  invested  in  eighty  acres  of  improved  land,  cost- 
ing him  $2,400.  This  land  was  but  partly  improved,  with  a  modest  home  of 
two  rooms  and  a  lean-to  at  the  rear.  He  and  his  good  wife  by  dint  of 
economy  and  perseverance  soon  managed  to  pay  off  their  indebtedness  and 
to  erect  a  rather  pretentious  dwelling,  at  the  same  time  increasing  their  land 
holdings.  Their  first  purchase  was  an  eighty  acre  tract  near  the  home  farm, 
and  they  later  bought  a  tract  of  160  acres  near  Huron  in  Lan- 
caster to\\nship,  wliicb  they  later  traded  for  eighty  acres  near  Shannon. 
Mr.  Ballinger  was  the  possessor  at  one  time  of  240  acres  of  well  improved 
land.  As  age  crept  upon  this  worthy  couple  they  gradually  disposed 
of  their  land  holdings  until  they  retained  but  fortv  acres  of  the  home  place, 
and  they  moved  to  .\tchison  in  September  of  1907,  where  they  invested  in 
a  beautiful  suburban  estate  of  five  acres.  Eater,  when  tbev  disposed  of  the 
forty  acre  farm  tbe\'  added  ten  acres  to  the  suburlian  tract  which  has  since 
become  very  valuable  on  account  of  its  nearness  to  the  city. 

Mr.  Ballinger  was  married  September  7.  1870,  to  Janie  Louise  Paxson, 
and  to  this  union  have  been  born  children,  as  follows:  Mrs.  Evelina  Lruicas- 
ter,  of  Severance,  Kan.,  who  is  tlie  mother  of  six  children,  namely:  Samuel 
E.,  Sarah  Catharine,  William  Andrew,  Fred,  Harry  and  Leonard;  Mrs.  Sarah 
Elizabeth  Yaple,  of  Atchison,  mother  of  children  as  follows :  .Albert,  Louise, 
Ruth,  Esther  (deceased),  John,  Edwin,  Austin,  Raymond,  and  Ernest,  and 
twin  boys,  Harold  Paxson  and  Herbert  Ballinger.  The  mother  of  these 
children,  Jane  Louise  (Paxson)'  Ballinger,  was  born  December  2,  t8_|  |,  in  the 
city  of  Philadelphia,  daughter  of  Sanuiel  W.  and  Catharine  (  S])eer)  I'a.x- 
son.  Her  father  was  the  son  of  Irish  parents  and  her  mother  was  born  of 
German  ])arentage.  Samuel  W.  was  a  carpenter  by  trade  who  was  married 
in  Camden,  X.  J.,  and  plied  his  trade  in  that  \icinil\-  for  manv  vears.     Tie 


650  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

served  in  behalf  of  the  Union  during-  the  Civil  war  in  a  Pennsylvania  regiment 
of  volunteers.  A  brother,  Henry,  served  in  the  Tenth  regiment  of  New 
Jersey  volunteer  infantry. 

Mr.  Ballinger  has  always  been  a  Republican  in  politics,  but  has  never 
taken  an  active  part  in  political  matters.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Central 
Protective  Association.  He  is  essentially  a  home  man  and  takes  a 
pride  in  keeping  his  attractive  home  in  excellent  condition,  and  car?  be  seen 
most  any  day  working  about  the  grounds  surrounding  the  Ballinger  home. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ballinger  are  a  worthy  couple,  kind  and  indulgent  with  their 
children  whom  they  have  endeavored  to  rear  so  that  they  might  lead  upright 
nnd  worthy  lives  in  the  community. 


CHARLES  WILTJAM  ROBINSON. 

Charles  William  Rol)insnn.  county  ph\sician  of  .\tcIiison  county,  assistant 
surgeon  for  the  Missouri  Pacific  Railroad  Company,  and  one  of  the  prom- 
inent and  successful  members  of  the  medical  profession  in  northeastern  Kan- 
sas, is  a  native  son  of  the  Sunflower  State  and  was  Iwrn  on  his  father's  farm 
in  Noble  township.  Marshall  county.  March  i.  1890,  a  son  of  William  1~.  and 
Mary  (Critchfield)  Robinson.  His  parents  were  born  in  Buchanan  county. 
Missouri,  his  father  in  1853,  and  his  mother  in  1857.  William  F.  Roliinson 
Ijccame  a  resident  of  Kansas  in  the  seventies,  locating  in  Marshall  county, 
where  he  engaged  in  farming  and  stock  raising.  He  is  one  of  the  extensive 
land  owners  of  that  county,  his  properties  exceeding  1.200  acres.  He  has 
been  actively  identified  with  the  development  of  his  section,  is  one  of  his 
county's  most  influential  citizens,  and  has  attained  a  secure  position  in  its 
commercial,  social  and  political  life.  Mr.  Robinson  has  been  married  twice. 
Two  children,  James  M.  Robinson.  M.  D..  of  Hiawatha,  Kan  :  and  T,ucille. 
now  Mrs.  Dr.  A.  E.  Ricks,  of  Atchison,  were  born  of  the  first  marriage. 
Our  subject.  Dr.  Charles  W.  Robinson,  is  the  only  child  of  the  second 
marriage. 

Dr.  Robinson  received  his  earl}-  educational  discipline  in  the  public 
schools  of  his  native  county,  supplemented  by  a  course  in  the  Hiawatha 
.^cademy.  He  subsequently  completed  a  course  in  Washburn  College.  To- 
peka.  and  then  entered  the  medical  department  of  Kansas  University,  from 
which  he  was  graduated  with  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Medicine,  a  member 
(if  the  class  of  1913.     I'olluwing  his  graduation,  he  located  for  practice  in  the 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  65 1 

city  of  Atchison,  wliere  he  fomied  a  iiartnership  with  Dr.  C.  A.  F-illy.  Shortly 
after  engaging  in  the  practice  of  his  profession,  he  was  appointed  county 
physician,  an  unusual  honor  for  a  practitioner  to  receive  during  his  first  year 
of  practice.  That  he  has  filled  the  office  with  credit  is  attested  by  his  having 
been  re-appointed  in  1914,  and  again  in  1915.  Dr.  Robinson  has  built  up  a 
very  lucrative  practice  and  is  recognized  as  one  of  the  most  able  of  the  younger 
members  of  the  medical  profession  in  his  section  of  the  State.  The  demands 
of  his  practice  have  not  caused  him  to  forego  his  habit  of  study.  He  keeps 
abreast  of  the  advancement  in  medicine  and  surgery,  and  during  the  winter 
of  1914-15  completed  a  post-graduate  course  in  diseases  of  children  at  the 
Nursery  and  Child's  Hospital,  New  York  City.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Atchison  County  Medical  Society,  the  Kansas  State,  and  the  .American  Medi- 
cal Associations.  He  is  also  a  member  of  Orient  Lodge,  No.  57,  Ancient 
Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  of  Topeka ;  Atchison  Lodge,  No.  647,  Benevolent 
and  Protective  Order  of  Elks;  Atchison  Aerie,  No.  173,  Fraternal  Order  of 
Eagles,  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  Royal  Arcanum,  Fraternal 
Aid,  Kansas  Fraternal  Citizens,  Homesteaders,  Yeoman  of  America,  and 
Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen. 

Since  becoming  a  citizen  of  Atchison,  Dr.  Robinson  has  taken  an  active 
interest  in  those  measures  and  projects  which  have  had  for  their  object  the 
betterment  and  development  of  the  city.  He  also  finds  time  to  take  an  active 
part  in  its  social  life.     Dr.  Robinson  is  unmarried. 


JOHN  McINTEER. 


John  Mclnteer  was  a  builder  who  had  an  abiding  faith  in  the  eventual 
development  of  the  West.  He  was  a  pioneer  citizen  of  Atchison,  and  a  prom- 
inent figure  in  the  city  for  over  forty-five  years,  and  had  an  intimate 
acquaintance  with  tlie  sturdy  characters  who  had  much  to  do  with  the  de\'elop- 
ment  of  the  Sunflower  State.  He  came  to  Atchison  in  the  days  when  the 
great  wagon  trains  left  in  a  continuous,  and  often  unbroken,  stream  for  the 
Far  West  with  their  valuable  cargoes  of  freight.  So  great  was  his  confidence 
in  the  ultimate  growth  of  his  adopted  city  that  he  invested  his  savings  in 
real  property,  built  of  brick  and  stone,  which  are  still  standing  in  the  city. 
The  handsome  Mclnteer  block  on  Commercial  street  is  a  monument  to  his 
enterprise  and  faith  in  the  growth  of  the  city.     Mr.  Mclnteer  was  well  and 


652  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

favorably  known  among  the  coterie  of  famous  men  who  ha\e  cast  luster  upon 
Atchison  and  the  State  of  Kansas.  He  was  a  consistent  and  unremitting 
booster  for  his  home  city  and  State,  and  the  substantial  fortune  and  good 
name  which  he  left  behind  prove  his  judgment  and  business  acumen  to  have 
I'l'cn  sound  and  essentially  correct. 

Mr.  Mclnteer  was  born  in  Donegal,  Ireland,  in  1827.  and  immigrated  to 
.Vmerica  alone  when  a  boy.  He  had  heard  of  the  wonders  of  the  new  land 
across  the  ocean,  and  dreamed  of  one  day  sailing  across  the  waters  of  the 
broad  Atlantic  to  the  land  of  the  free,  there  to  seek  his  fortune.  How  his 
dream  came  true  is  told  in  the  succeeding  paragraphs,  llis  first  emplciyment 
was  in  Philadelphia  as  a  laborer.  Opjxirtunity  did  not  seem  {o  beckon  to  him 
in  the  "City  of  Brotherly  Love"  sufficient  to  hold  him,  however,  and  he 
turned  his  face  still  farther  to  the  westward,  going  to  the  newer  State  of  Indi- 
ana, where  he  learned  the  trade  of  harness  maker.  He  first  started  a  business 
of  his  own  in  Jeffersonville,  Ind.  W^hile  busily  engaged  in  this  Ohio  river 
town  in  plying  his  trade  with  a  fair  modicum  of  success,  he  heard  of  the  open- 
ing up  of  the  vast  stretches  of  land  west  of  the  Missouri  river.  His  Celtic 
imagination  was  still  working  and  he  pictured  to  liimself  the  possibilities  of 
realizing  his  ambitions  in  one  of  the  new  cities  of  Kansas.  His  decision  was 
soon  made;  he  heeded  the  famous  Greeley's  ach'ice,  "(ro  West,  _\-oung  ni;ui.  go 
West,  and  grow  up  with  the  couiitry."  Accordingly,  he  sold  out  his  little 
shop  and  started  for  Omaha.  On  the  way  up  the  Missouri  river  his  wife 
was  taken  ill  and  he  changed  his  plans  to  the  extent  of  stopping  in  Doni]ihan 
county.  Kansas,  and  taking  up  a  homestead.  One  year  later  he  traded  his 
claim  for  a  lot  at  Eighth  and  Conimercial  streets  in  .\tchison.  L'pon  this 
lot  he  built  a  small  shop,  where  he  again  began  the  manufacture  of  harness 
and  saddles.  For  several  years  he  supplied  the  great  overland  trains  which 
passed  to  the  Far  West.  His  trade  grew  and  he  was  compelled  to  enlarge  his 
quarters  and  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  harness  and  saddles  on  an 
extensive  scale.  .\s  he  prospered  and  accumulated  capital  he  erected  build- 
ings and  invested  in  real  estate  in  Atchison  and  tlie  nearby  city  of  St.  Joseph. 
He  also  erected  a  modern  brick  residence  where  his  widow  now  lives.  He 
died  July  17,  19OT. 

He  was  twice  married,  his  first  wife  being  .Mice  Conley,  who  died  in 
1892  without  issue.  In  1895  he  married  Mrs.  Anna  (Conlon)  Donovan,  of 
Montreal,  Canada,  whose  parents,  James  and  Anna  Conlon,  were  well  known 
citizens  of  Atchison,  and  whose  personal  history  will  be  found  in  the  biography 
of  Charles  I.  Conlon,  brother  of  Mrs.  Mclnteer.     Mrs.  Mclnteer  was  reared 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  653 

in  Atchison,  returned  to  New  York  with  her  parents,  and  was  there  married 
to  Peter  Donovan,  who  was  a  customs  officer  under  the  Canadian  Govern- 
ment at  Montreal.  He  died  in  Montreal  in  189 1.  Three  sons  were  born  of 
this  marriage:  Peter  Donovan,  a  wideh-  known  journalist,  of  Toronto,  now 
a  contributor  to  the  Toronto  Saturday  Night;  Fred,  in  the  insurance  and  real 
estate  business  in  Atchison :  Charles,  a  farmer  and  stockman,  residing  with 
his  mother. 

Mr.  Mclntcer  was  a  member  of  the  Catholic  church,  and  a  liberal  con- 
tributor to  his  own  and  other  religious  denominations.  He  was  one  of  those 
big-hearted,  whole-souled  gentlemen,  who  was  a  friend  to  all,  and  who  was 
liighly  regarded  for  his  many  excellent  qualities  of  heart  and  mind.  He  was 
independent  in  politics.  The  foregoing  brief  review  is  thus  contributed  to 
the  history  of  Atchison  county  in  order  that  it  be  placed  on  record  for  all 
time,  and  perchance,  prove  an  inspiration  for  other  young  men,  poor  in  purse, 
whose  destiny  is  yet  to  be  worked  out,  and  who  probably  dream  of  accumulat- 
ing wealth  or  a  competence  in  their  generation. 


HENRY  HANSON  LOUDENBACK. 

A  review  of  the  educational  institutions  of  Atchison  county  would  be 
incomplete  without  mention  being  made  of  the  Loudenback  School  of  Music. 
It  is  probable  that  no  institution  within  the  borders  of  the  State  of  Kansas 
has  had  a  more  rapid,  substantial  and  satisfactory  growth  than  has  the  school 
under  the  direct  supervision  and  management  of  Professor  Loudenliack. 
Established  in  1912  as  a  school  of  piano  and  theory,  enlarged  in  1913,  and 
incorporated  in  1914,  it  is  now  authorized  by  the  State  to  issue  diplomas  and 
certificates.  It  is  rapidly  building  an  enviable  reputation  for  thoroughness 
of  instruction,  having  graduated  pupils  who  are  conceded  to  be  artists  of 
recognized  ability,  and  its  importance  as  an  educational  institution  of  the 
highest  grade  is  appreciated  1)y  the  residents  of  its  home  city. 

Henry  Hanson  Loudenback,  founder  and  principal  of  the  Loudenback 
School  of  Music,  was  born  in  a  log  cabin  on  his  father's  farm  in  Hancock 
county,  Indiana  (the  count\-  seat,  Greenfield,  being  the  birthplace  of  James 
WTiitcomb  Riley),  March  17,  1879,  a  son  of  Daniel  and  Margaret  (McCray) 
Loudenback.  His  paternal  grandparents  were  Henry  Loudenback,  a  native 
of  Pennsylvania,  who  came  to  Hancock  county,  Indiana,  in  1836.  one  of  the 


654  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

early  pioneers  of  that  section,  and  Elizabeth  Brown,  a  native  of  Mrginia.  of 
German  ancestry.  Daniel  Loudenback  was  born  in  Hancock  county  in  1846 
and  reared  in  a  district  which  at  that  time  was  almost  a  wilderness.  Splitting 
rails  was  an  occupation  which  took  up  a  good  portion  of  his  time.  With  his 
father,  he  settled  on  a  farm  about  three  miles  from  Charlottesville.  This 
property  they  developed  into  a  highly  productive  farm.  Henry  Loudenback 
died  in  1905.  Daniel  engaged  in  business  in  Charlottesville  in  1882,  and  in 
1883  established  a  store  at  Wilkinson,  which  he  conducted  until  his  death,  in 
1888.  He  had  married,  when  a  young  man,  Margaret  McCray,  now  a  resident 
of  Wilkinson,  who  survives  him.  They  were  the  parents  of  two  children : 
Henry  Hanson,  the  subject  of  this  review,  and  Allie  Almeda  Cook,  of 
Wilkinson.  Ind. 

Henry  Hanson  Loudenback  received  his  educational  discipline  in  the 
public  schools  of  his  native  State,  and  in  1898  came  to  Kansas  and  joined 
relatives  who  resided  near  Centralia.  He  became  a  teacher  in  the  country 
schools,  and  later  spent  one  year  teaching  music,  going  from  place  to  place 
on  horseback.  From  early  childhood  he  had  given  evidence  of  remarkable 
musical  ability,  and  had  sung  in  public  when  only  four  years  of  age.  After 
learning  harmonies  from  his  sister,  he  began  to  improvise  his  own  melodies, 
and  to  harmonize  them  upon  the  reed  organ.  His  first  real  lessons  were 
taken  when  thirteen  years  of  age.  In  the  fall  of  1901  he  entered  Campbell 
L^niversity  at  Holton,  Kan.,  and  was  graduated  from  that  institution,  in 
music,  in  1902.  Since  receiving  his  degree  from  Campliell  College  he  has 
studied  piano,  harmony  and  composition  with  the  best  teachers  of  these  sub- 
jects in  America,  his  training  being  under  such  noted  musicians  as  Fannie 
Bloomfield  Zeisler,  of  Chicago,  the  world's  greatest  woman  pianist;  Mr. 
and  i^lrs.  A.  K.  Virgil,  of  New  York  City;  Peter  C.  Lutkin  and  Arne  Old- 
berg,  of  Northwestern  University,  at  Evanston ;  and  Allen  Spencer,  of  the 
American  Conservaton^-  of  Music.  Chicago.  From  1902  until  1906  he  was 
director  of  music  in  the  Atchison  County  High  School;  from  1906  until  1910, 
professor  of  music  in  South  Dakota  State  College  of  Agriculture  and  Mechan- 
ical Arts;  from  1910  until  1912.  director  of  piano,  pipe  organ,  and  musical 
theory  at  the  Dakota  W'esleyan  University.  In  191 2  he  founded  the  Louden- 
back School  of  Music  at  Atchison,  and  since  its  establishment  has  devoted 
his  entire  time  to  its  management  and  the  teaching  of  piano  and  musical 
theory.  He  is  an  accredited  teacher  of  piano  and  theory  by  the  Kansas  State 
Music  Teachers'  Association,  and  was  a  member  of  the  executive  committee 
of  that  organization  which  issued  certificates  to  accredited  teachers  in  Decern- 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  655 

her,  191 4.  and  was  appointed  a  member  of  the  committee  on  piano  standards 
for  1915,  and  in  December,  1910,  was  elected  vice-president  of  that  associa- 
tion, and  was  appointed  a  member  of  the  special  accrediting  committee.  He 
has  appeared  twice  as  piano  soloist  with  the  Minneapolis  Symphony  Orches- 
tra, and  numljers  among  his  friends  many  of  the  great  musicians  of  the 
present  day. 

Professor  I-X)udenljack  married  on  June  28,  1900,  Aliss  Flora  Donald, 
a  daughter  of  George  and  Christy  C  Black)  Donald,  of  Centralia,  Kan.  Her 
father  was  an  early  settler  and  prominent  farmer. 

Professor  and  Mrs.  Loudenback  are  the  parents  of  the  following  chil- 
dren:  George  Daniel,  born  November  23,  1901 ;  Allie  Mae,  torn  March  12, 
1904;  Ramona  Lolita,  born  July  25,  1905;  Henry,  born  August  17,  1907; 
and  Donald,  born  July  19,  1909.  The  children  have  inherited  their  father's 
love  of  music  and  show  talent. 


FRANK  P.  WERTZ. 


Frank  P.  Wertz,  deputy  county  clerk  of  Atchison  county,  is  one  of  the 
progressive  young  men  of  the  county.  He  was  born  at  Parnell.  Atchison 
county,  September  2,  1888,  and  is  a  son  of  David  M.  and  Elizabeth 
Caroline  Wertz,  natives  of  Pennsylvania.  They  were  married  in  their  native 
State  and  shortly  afterwards  came  West,  and  located  on  a  farm  in  Atchison 
county,  where  they  have  been  very  successful.  David  M.  Wertz  began  life 
with  nothing,  and  by  industry  and  keen  foresight  has  become  one  of  the  sub- 
stantial and  well-to-do  men  of  Atchison  county.  He  has  always  taken  a  com- 
mendable interest  in  the  welfare  of  his  community.  To  David  M.  Wertz 
and  wife  have  been  born  the  following  children :  Frank  P.,  the  subject  of 
this  sketch;  F.va  married  H.  J.  Barber,  a  banker,  of  Cummings,  Kan.;  Abra- 
ham, a  farmer  and  stockman,  Mt.  Pleasant,  Atchison  county;  Fredrick,  a 
farmer  in  Mt.  Pleasant  town.ship,  Atchison  county;  Rosetta,  the  wife  of  Fred 
C.  Voelker,  a  farmer,  of  Shannon  township,  Atchison  county,  and  Bertha  E., 
who  resides  at  home. 

Frank  P.  Wertz  was  reared  on  the  home  farm  in  Atchison  county  and 
educated  in  the  public  schools,  graduating  from  the  Atchison  County  High 
School.  He  then  took  a  cour.=e  in  the  Atchison  Business  College,  and  grad- 
uated in  1909.    He  then  became  assistant  cashier  of  the  State  Bank  of  Cum- 


656  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

mings,  and  remained  in  tliat  position  for  two  years,  when  he  resigned  to 
accept  his  present  position.  Frank  1'.  \\'ertz  takes  a  Hve  interest  in  the  wel- 
fare of  the  community.  He  is  a  member  of  the  ^lasonic  l(jdge  and  the 
Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen.  He  is  a  popular  county  official,  and 
his  genial  manner  and  obliging  nature,  coupled  with  efficiency  and  close 
application  to  the  duties  of  his  office,  have  won  for  him  many  stanch  friends 
and  supporters. 


THOMAS  L.  CLINE. 


For  sixty  years  Thomas  L.  Cline  has  lived  in  Mt.  Pleasant  township, 
Atchison  county,  and  he  is  one  of  the  oldest  of  Kansas  pioneers  hi  point  of 
years  of  residence  in  the  State.  Coming  to  this  county  when  he  was  ten 
years  of  age  with  his  parents  he  has  lived  to  see  Kansas  become  prosperous 
and  the  vast  prairie  transformed  liy  the  hand  of  man  into  a  truly  good  place 
to  live.  He,  himself,  has  risen  in  the  course  of  time  to  become  one  of  the 
wealthy  farmers  of  the  county,  and  despite  his  three  score  and  ten  years  of 
age  he  still  oversees  the  work  on  his  large  farni  of  320  acres. 

Mr.  Cline  was  born  October  8,  1845,  '"  Hemy  county,  Iowa,  a  son  of 
Henrv  and  Eleanor  (  Lcanord )  Cline.  lioth  natives  of  Ohio.  The  parents  of 
both  Henry  and  Eleanor  moved  at  a  very  early  day  from  Ohio  to  Illinois, 
where  they  were  married.  The  parents  of  T.  L.  Cline  lived  but  a  short  time 
in  Illinois  and  then  removed  to  Henry  county,  Iowa,  where  four  of  the  chil- 
dren were  born,  of  whom  T.  L.  was  the  youngest.  The  family  lived  in  Iowa 
for  sixteen  vears  and  came  to  Kansas  as  carlv  as  TS53.  Henry  settled  on  a 
quarter  section  of  land,  which  is  still  in  the  family,  and  is  owned  by  Thomas 
L.,  adjoining  the  quarter  section  upon  which  the  home  of  the  subject  is 
located.  At  the  time  the  Clines  located  in  .\tchison  county  the  country  was  a 
vast  reach  of  unpeopled  prairie  broken  by  belts  of  timber  along  the  streams. 
Prairie  fires  were  very  common  in  those  days.  Henry  Cline  persuaded  a 
neighbor  to  preempt  the  adjoining  section  to  his  and  eventually  bought  it  and 
increased  his  acreage  to  480  acres  in  all.  An  interesting  feature  of  the  Cline 
farm  is  the  stone  fencing  which  is  built  around  a  portion  of  the  farm.  Stone 
fences  are  a  rarit\-  in  Kansas  ami  are  found  onlv  in  the  occasional  places  where 
stone  is  plentiful,  and  their  bu'lding  re(|nired  tune  and  plotUv  of  it  on  the  part 
of  men  who  in  the  early  days  made  the  building  of  stone  fences  a  vocation 
and  f(illo\\ed  it  as  their  method  of  earning  a  living.  While  a  portion  of  the 
stone  work  on  the  farm  has  been  replaced  by  wire  fencing,  300  rods  of  this 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  657 

fence  are  in  excellent  condition  despite  the  fact  that  it  was  erected  over  forty- 
five  years  ago.  T.  L.  Cline  in  speaking  reminiscently  of  the  old  days  recalls 
that  the  "grasshopper"  visitation  of  1866  was  every  whit  as  bad  as  in  the  years 
of  1874  and  1875,  and  he  also  recalls  seeing  a  company  of  "red  shirts"  or 
border  ruffians  encamped  near  his  father's  farm.  Henry  Cline  died  in  1875, 
his  widow  d\ing  in  ujoi  at  the  home  nf  her  (laughter.  Mrs.  Mary  E.  Blodgett. 
Henry  and  Eleanor  Cline  reared  the  following  children:  Julia  Ann  (Jay),  de- 
ceased, at  Rock  Creek,  Kan. ;  Mary  E.  Blodgett,  Walnut  township ;  Charles  \\". 
died  in  Union  service  at  Drywood,  Mo.,  and  Thomas  L.,  the  youngest. 

T.  L.  Cline  grew  up  on  his  father's  farm  and  has  never  lived  anywhere 
else  since  he  was  ten  years  of  age.  He  was  married  in  1874  to  Miss  Susan 
V^andiver.  The  following  cliildren  were  born  of  this  marriage:  Ora,  wife  of 
Edward  Bradley,  of  Atchison  county;  Nellie,  wife  of  Martin  Decker,  living  in 
Leavenworth  county,  Kansas;  Charles  Cline,  farming  on  the  home  place  ;  T.  L., 
Jr.,  better  known  as  Lloyd,  at  home  with  his  parents  and  assists  in  farm  wf)rk. 
The  mother  of  these  childern  was  born  February  11,  1853,  in  Green  county, 
Wisconsin,  a  daughter  of  Edward  and  Irene  (Holloway)  Vandiver,  the 
former  a  native  of  Kentucky  and  the  latter  of  Providence,  R.  L  The  respec- 
tive parents  of  Edward  and  Irene  Vandiver  removed  from  their  native  states 
to  Illinois,  and  it  was  in  that  State  that  they  were  married.  Shortly  after 
their  marriage  they  moved  to  Wisconsin  and  settled  on  a  farm  near  Monroe, 
in  Green  county.  They  resided  in  Wisconsin  for  si.xteen  years  and  then  re- 
turned to  Schuyler  county,  Illinois.  After  a  residence  of  ten  years  in  Illinois 
they  came  to  Atchison  county,  Kansas,  to  make  a  permanent  home.  Edward 
\'andiver  was  a  personal  friend  of  .-\liraham  Lincoln  and  often  rode  witli  Lin- 
coln to  and  from  political  gatherings.  His  political  beliefs  were  the  same 
as  Mr.  Lincoln's.  Mr.  Vandiver  was  also  acquainted  with  Stephen  .A. 
Douglas  and  attended  the  famous  Lincoln  and  Douglas  debates. 

For  one  year  after  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cline  lived  at  the  home 
of  Mr.  Cline's  parents,  when  T.  L.  built  a  home  for  himself  on  a  part  of  the 
family  estate.  After  liis  father's  demise  he  Iwught  iiis  mother's  interest  in 
the  estate  and  moved  to  the  old  home  place  where  he  still  resides.  Mr.  Cline 
has  always  been  a  stockman  and  a  large  feeder  of  cattle  and  hogs.  He  is  now 
raising  sheep  and  has  about  140  head  of  these  animals  on  his  farm.  He  has 
always  been  a  stanch  Republican,  as  his  father  was  before  him.  and  has  usually 
taken  an  active  part  in  political  and  civic  affairs.  He  served  for  many  years 
as  a  member  of  the  school  board  and  was  succeeded  by  his  son,  Charles,  as 
a  member  of  the  board  when  T.  L.  refused  to  serve  any  longer.     He  was  one 

42 


658  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

of  the  organizers  of  the  F"armers  State  Bank  of  Potter.  Kan.,  and  is  generally 
found  in  the  forefront  of  all  good  movements  tending  to  promote  the  welfare 
of  the  people  in  his  neiglib«->rhood.  Mr.  Cline  carries  his  years  lightly  and  can 
be  seen  almost  any  day  directing  the  farm  work  and  is  ven,-  active  for  his 
years.  Thomas  L.  Cline  is  one  of  Atchison  county's  grand  old  men  and  is  a 
true  Kansas  pioneer. 


ROBERT  FORBRIGER. 


In  the  present  incumbent  of  tlie  comity  assessor's  office,  the  people  of 
Atchison  county  are  extremely  fortunate  in  having  a  painstaking,  faithful 
and  conscientious  public  servant  who  believes  in  doing  his  duty  by  the  people, 
taxjiayers,  and  for  the  people  as  the  law  provides.  It  is  probable  that  no  other 
individual  in  the  county  has  a  wider  or  more  intimate  knowledge  of  values 
and  property  ownership  in  Atchison  county  than  Mr.  Forbriger.  Born  in 
Atchison  county  in  the  pioneer  days  when  the  county  was  in  process  of  early 
settlement,  he  has  grown  up  with  tlie  city  and  county  and  has  a  speaking  ac- 
quaintance with  almost  every  person  within  the  confines  of  his  native  heath. 
Kind  and  obliging  to  a  high  degree,  he  has  made  himself  invaluable  as  a 
citizen  and  able  county  official,  and  is  well  liked  and  highly  esteemed  for  his 
many  excellent  qualities. 

The  father  of  the  gentleman  named  in  the  foregoing  paragraph  was 
Robert  Forbriger,  a  native  of  Saxony,  Germany,  born  in  1825,  immigrated  to 
America  in  1848  and  died  in  the  city  of  his  adoption  in  1886.  The  senior 
Forbriger  was  a  man  of  good  education,  and  came  of  a  family  of  scholars 
and  educators  in  his  native  land.  Therefore,  he  was  well  equipped  to  fight 
a  winning  battle  for  success  in  the  land  of  his  adoption.  He  first  located  in 
Elgin.  111.,  and  after  a  residence  of  ten  years  in  that  city,  came  to  Atchison 
in  1858.  This  thriving  and  beautiful  city  was  then  in  its  infancy,  and  Mr. 
Forbriger  had  the  distinction  of  being  one  of  its  foremost  citizens  and  builders 
in  the  eary  days.  He  obtained  a  job  in  the  J.  E.  Wagner  hardware  store, 
which  was  situated  on  the  southeast  corner  of  Fourth  and  Commercial  streets. 
Not  long  afterward  he  engaged  in  the  insurance  and  real  estate  business  and 
from  that  drifted  into  the  banking  business.  He,  with  George  Storch  and 
John  Belz,  established  the  German  Savings  Bank,  which  was  later  reorganized 
as  the  United  States  National  Bank.  This  new  organization  erected  the 
building  at  the  corner  of  Si.xth  and  Commercial  streets.     Mr.  Forbriger  was 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  659 

connected  wilh  the  hanking  concern  until  his  death,  after  which  the  institu- 
tion was  again  reorganized.  He  was  active  in  civic  and  business  affairs  in 
Atchison  during  his  long  residence  here,  and  was  always  a  booster  for  his 
adopted  city,  liberal  in  his  donations  and  support  of  public  enterprises,  and 
a  benefactor  of  churches  and  charitable  enterprises.  It  is  said  of  him  that 
he  always  generously  responded  to  calls  for  assistance  in  the  name  of  charity, 
religion  or  civic  betterment  of  the  community.  As  a  citizen  he  did  his  duty 
in  an  official  capacity,  serving  as  a  member  of  the  city  council  and  as  an  active 
member  of  the  city  school  board.  During  the  early  sixties  when  Atchison 
was  yet  a  village  he  served  as  a  member  of  the  town  council.  In  addition  he 
served  three  terms  as  city  assessor.  While  a  Democrat  in  politics,  he  was  a 
great  admirer  and  warm  personal  friend  of  the  late  Senator  Ingalls,  and  it 
was  the  Senator's  custom  to  make  his  headquarters  in  Mr.  Forbriger's  office 
while  at  home,  on  his  return  from  Washington.  This  pioneer  citizen  was  a 
charter  member  and  officer  of  the  Turner's  Society,  a  famous  athletic  organ- 
ization in  the  early  days.  He  was  reared  in  the  Lutheran  faith,  but  was 
broadly  tolerant  of  all  creeds  and  religious  beliefs.  It  was  only  natural  that 
he  should  have  been  a  charter  member  of  the  Atchison  Masonic  lodge,  and  the 
Independent  Order  of  Odd  Feows.  During  the  Civil  war  he  was  enrolled 
as  a  member  of  the  State  militia,  and  responded  to  the  call  for  volunteers 
to  repel  Price's  invasion  and  served  in  Colonel  Quigg's  command. 

Robert  Forbriger,  the  elder,  was  married  in  1862  to  Helen  Geier,  born 
in  Limbach.  Baden,  Germany,  and  died  in  Atchison.  She  came  from  her 
native  land  to  Philadelphia  with  a  sister  and  cousin,  and  from  there  journeyed 
to  Atchison.  To  them  were  born  three  children  as  follows :  Robert,  of  this  re- 
view ;  Emil,  engaged  in  business  in  East  Atchison;  Bertha,  wife  of  ]\I.  Xoll, 
druggist  of  Atchison. 

Robert  Forbriger,  the  son,  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  and  St. 
Benedict's  College.  He  then  entered  his  father's  bank  and  also  engaged  in 
tlie  insurance  business.  After  his  father's  death  he  continued  in  the  insur- 
ance business  for  a  number  of  years,  until  he  began  his  service  as  postoffice 
clerk,  during  Cleveland's  administration.  After  four  years  in  the  mercantile 
business  he  filled  the  office  of  deputy  register  of  deeds  for  four  years :  served 
three  years  as  deputy  county  assessor,  and  was  electd  to  th  office  of  county 
assessor  in  19 12,  and  again  elected  or  appointed  to  the  office  by  the  board  of 
county  commissioners  in  1914.  In  his  younger  days  he  served  several"  vears 
as  a  regular  fireman  under  three  successive  fire  chiefs,  and  two  terms  as  city 
councilman.  While  originally  a  Democrat,  he  deserted  the  party  in  1896.  as 
many  others  did,  to  follow  the  teachings  of  William  McKinley,  and  now  takes 


66o  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

an  active  part  in  Republican  politics,  and  is  sincere  and  active  in  his  work  in 
behalf  of  the  candidates  of  his  party.  Having  been  born  in  Atchison,  April 
4,  1863,  it  is  only  natural  that  he  sliould  gather  for  his  sustenance  some  of 
the  needful  in  the  way  of  property,  and  is  the  owner  of  a  fine  fruit  farm  of 
twenty-eight  acres  near  the  city,  and  in  addition  has  five  residence  properties 
in  the  city,  witii  properties  in  Oklahoma  and  Seattle,  Wash. 

Mr.  Forbriger  was  married  May  21,  1888,  to  Carrie  Wagner,  and  to  them 
have  been  born  two  children :  Helen,  wife  of  Leo  T.  Markey,  a  banker  of 
Greeley,  Kan. ;  Ralph,  a  student  of  electrical  engineering  in  the  Mississippi 
Agricultural  and  Mechanical  College,  at  Starkville,  Miss.  The  mother  of  these 
children  was  born  at  Port  Washington,  near  Milwaukee,  and  is  a  daughter  of 
Henry  and  Rosa  Wagner,  natives  of  Germany,  who  removed  from  Milwaukee 
to  Atchison  wiiere  Henry  Wagner  became  a  l^ridge  contractor  and  builder. 
Mr.  Wagner  for  a  long  period  of  years  did  practically  all  of  tlie  bridge  con- 
struction work  in  Atchison  county. 

Mr.  Forbriger  is  a  member  of  St.  Benedict's  Catholic  Church,  and  is 
I)road  and  toerant  in  his  religious  views,  taking  tlie  staple  ground  lliat  the 
manner  of  life  a  man  lives,  regardless  of  his  religious  Ijelief,  determines  his 
salvation.  He  is  affiliated  with  the  Modern  Woodmen,  the  Ancient  Order 
of  United  Workmen,  the  Fraternal  Citizens,  and  the  Modern  Brotherhood  of 
America. 


HIRAM  H.  HACKNEY, 


The  measure  of  a  man's  real  wortli  to  a  community  determines  his  stand- 
ing and  niche  in  the  local  hall  of  fame.  \\'hile  several  things  may  be  summed 
up  in  the  final  reckoning  as  to  what  constitutes  a  really  useful  citizen,  his 
service  to  his  fellow  citizens  in  furthering  institutions  which  are  of  the  great- 
est benefit  to  the  greatest  number  takes  precedence  over  wealth,  business 
ability,  political  success,  or  any  accomplishments  which  have  a  tendency  to 
place  the  individual  alicad  of  his  fellow  men.  Xo  greater  service  to  a  city 
can  be  rendered  than  l)y  the  building  up  of  a  modern,  ])rogressive  public  school 
system.  He  who  furthers  the  cause  of  education  in  a  practical  manner  and 
takes  a  keen  interest  in  the  success  of  the  city's  educational  systems,  as  an  un- 
selfish task,  befitting  his  citizenship,  is  entitled  to  an  everlasting  place  in  the 
hearts  and  minds  of  his  fellow  citizens.  The  public  school  system  of  Atchison 
is  a  monument  to  the  labors  of  Hiram  H.  Hackney,  and  his  fellow  members  of 
the  board  of  cflucation  diuHng  tlie  eiglit  years  while  Mr.  Hackney  served  as 
president  of  the  board. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  66 1 

Hiram  H.  Hackney  is  a  native  of  Fayette  county,  Pennsylvania,  horn 
near  Uniontown,  November  30,  1859.  He  is  a  son  of  Hiram  PI.  and  Elizabeth 
(\\'yley)  Hackney,  both  natives  of  Pennsylvania.  The  Hackney  family  in 
America  came  originally  from  the  town  of  Hackney,  England,  now  a  part 
of  the  city  of  London,  in  tlie  early  part  of  the  seventeenth  century.  Hiram 
H.,  the  elder,  was  born  in  1822,  and  died  in  1899.  He  was  the  son  of  John 
Hacknev.  liorn  in  1776,  and  lived  on  the  original  homestead  of  the  Hackneys, 
who  were  Quaker  followers  of  William  Penn.  Elizabeth  W'yley  was 
born  in  1830.  a  daughter  of  Jacob  and  Hannah  Wp.y  \\'}le\-,  members  of 
an  old  colonial  family  of  Irish  descent.  Hiram  H.,  Sr.,  was  a  resident  of 
Uniontown  in  his  old  age,  and  was  the  last  surviving  member  of  the  board  of 
directors,  chartering  the  First  National  Bank  of  Uniontown.  He  was  well 
to  do  and  in\-este(l  some  of  his  funds  in  the  West,  becoming  one  of  the 
original  stockholders  of  the  First  National  Bank  of  Atchison.  He  was  also 
a  "Forty  Niner,"  going  overland  to  the  gold  fields  of  California  in  1848.  w'th 
a  train  of  fortune  hunters  who  outfitted  at  St.  Louis  and  fought  continuall) 
with  the  Indians  on  the  trip  across  the  plains  and  mountains.  He  engaged  in 
the  mercantile  business  at  Sacremento  and  MaiTSville,  Cal.,  for  a  period  of 
two  years.  He  returned  home  by  way  of  Cape  Hom,  but  made  another  trip 
before  settling  down  to  the  pursuit  of  farming  and  business  in  his  natix'e 
State.  His  brother,  Samuel,  died  of  mountain  fever  while  engaged  in  mining 
in  the  gold  fields  of  California.  Mr.  Hackney  became  an  extensive  farmer, 
stockman  and  banker,  and  prospered  exceedingly.  He  was  known  as  a  solid 
Quaker  citizen  "whose  word  was  as  good  as  his  note."  Of  his  fi\'e  children, 
four  are  living  as  follows:  Mrs.  Edward  G.  Hudson,  of  Newton,  Kan. ;  Edgar 
S.,  of  Uniontown ;  Dr.  Jacob  S.,  a  practitioner  in  Uniontown,  and  Francis, 
who  died  in  Pittsburgh. 

Hiram  H.  Hackney,  of  Atchison,  was  educated  in  the  State  Normal 
School  at  California,  Penn.,  and  Duff's  Mercantile  College,  Pitt.sburgh.  He 
did  farm  work  while  a  }outh,  and  taught  school  for  two  years.  His  father 
having  purchased  an  interest  in  the  First  National  Bank  of  this  city  he  came 
here  in  188 1  and  served  as  assistant  cashier  and  director  of  the  bank  until 
1910.  He  then  sold  his  holdings  and  retired  from  banking  pursuits  on  ac- 
count of  ill  health,  due  to  long  years  of  close  confinement  to  his  duties.  He 
then  established  a  real  estate,  insurance,  bond  and  loan  business  which  he  is 
now  conducting  with  success.  Mr.  Hackney  is  interested  in  Atchison  real 
estate,  and  coal  lands  in  Pennsylvania,  and  is  vice-president  of  the  Blair 
Milling  Company  of  Atchison. 


662  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

In  politics  he  is  a  Republican,  and  the  only  office  he  has  ever  held  has 
been  tiiat  of  member  of  the  lioard  of  education,  from  the  presidency  of  which 
body  he  has  only  recently  retired.  Of  his  services  on  behalf  of  the  public 
schools  during-  his  sixteen  years'  membership  on  the  board,  Tlic  Atchison 
Globe  said:  "H.  H.  Hackney  retired  last  night  as  a  member  of  tlie  school 
board  and  that  board  lias  lost  its  most  useful  member  for  at  least  two  reasons : 
Mr.  Hacknev  had  the  ability  to  handle  the  school  finances  and  the  time  neces- 
sary to  accomplish  the  things  the  board  laid  out.  In  addition  he  possessed 
an  ambition  to  establish  a  system  of  schools  and  equipment  that  would  reflect 
credit  on  the  city  and  on  the  school  board.  He  was  a  member  of  the  board 
for  sixteen  years  and  its  president  for  eight  years,  and  during  the  eight  years 
he  was  president  he  never  had  a  disagreement  with  a  member  and  there  was 
never  a  question  came  up  which  was  not  settled  either  I)}-  an  unanimous  \-ote 
or  in  a  way  that  left  the  members  friendly.  There  never  was  a  'row'  in  the 
school  board  and  there  never  was  a  session  where  reporters  were  barred.  In 
the  last  eight  years  and  under  the  management  of  Mr.  Hackney,  the  school 
board  has  spent  $300,000  in  school  betterments  and  the  total  indebtedness  is 
but  $25,000  greater  than  it  was  eight  years  ago.  This  includes  the  new 
Ingalls  Building,  Washington  Building,  accepting  the  plans  and  letting  all 
contracts  for  the  new  Martin  building,  now  under  course  of  construction,  re- 
building Franklin  and  building  the  new  Douglas  school.  In  these  eight  years 
manual  training,  mechanical  drawing,  domestic  art  and  science,  a  commercial 
department,  normal  training,  agriculture  and  physical  training  have  been 
added  to  the  high  school,  a  school  nurse  employed,  music  added  to  all  grades 
and  kindergardens  established  in  two  buildings.  Since  Mr.  Hackney  liecame  a 
member  of  the  board  the  high  school  enrollment  has  increased  from  66  to  338 
and  the  faculty  from  three  to  twenty  members."    .    .    . 

During  the  lime  Mr.  Hackney  was  a  member  of  tiie  school  board  he 
missed  l)ut  one  regular  meeting.  He  is  president  of  tlie  board  of  trustees  of 
the  First  Presbyterian  Church  and  is  a  member  of  the  board  of  dn-ectors  of 
the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association. 

He  was  married  in  September  of  1888,  to  Frances  Blair,  a  daughter  of 
E.  K.  Blair,  deceased,  fomierly  of  Fayette  county,  Pennsylvania,  founder  of 
the  P>lair  Milling  Company  of  Atchison.  Mrs.  Hackney's  mother  was  Bar- 
bara I  Allen  )  i'llair.  She  was  born  and  reared  in  Atchison,  in  the  house  lo- 
cated on  the  same  lot  where  the  Hackne\s  now  live,  with  tlie  exception  of 
their  first  two  years  of  married  life,  during  which  the  new  home  was  erected 
at  102 1  North  Third  street.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hackney  have  been  born 
two  children  of  whom  ihey  are  justly  proud,  Helen  Elizabeth,  born  1890,  a 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  663 

graduate  of  the  College  Preparatory  School  of  Atchison,  and  the  Bennett 
School  for  Girls,  located  on  the  Hudson,  in  New  York,  carrying  honors  at 
both  her  graduations;  Edward  Blair  Hackney,  born  in  1893.  is  a  graduate 
of  the  city  high  school  and  tlie  Kansas  University  at  Lawrence,  where  he  re- 
ceived the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts.  While  a  student  of  the  university 
he  managed  the  /fly  Hawker,  the  college  annual,  and  perfomied  his  duties  so 
ablv  and  so  thoroughly  that  Chancellor  Strong  declared  that  the  "Annual" 
issue  under  his  management  was  the  best  ever  issued,  the  cost  of  which  was 
$4,500,  and  managed  so  well  that  a  nice  profit  was  earned.  The  young  man 
is  now  a  traveling  salesman  for  the  Blair  Milling  Company. 


GEORGE  EDWIN  WHITE. 


George  Edwin  White,  leading  physician,  of  Effingham,  Kan.,  was  bom 
at  Savanna,  Andrew  county,  Missouri,  April  18,  1867,  a  son  of  Willis  and 
Rachel  ( Hall)  White,  natives  of  Indiana.  Willis  was  the  son  of  Drury 
\\'hite,  who  was  born  and  reared  in  Virginia,  and  was  a  pioneer  settler  in 
Grant  county,  Indiana,  where  he  hewed  a  farm  and  home  from  the  virgin 
timber  at  a  time  when  it  required  men  of  hardihood  and  the  greatest 
endurance  to  withstand  the  rigors  of  a  life  in  the  unbroken  wilderness  of 
the  Hoosier  State.  Willis  White  was  born  August  12.  1840,  and  when 
he  attained  voung  manhood,  hearkened  to  the  call  of  President  Lincoln  for 
troops  to  quell  the  rebellion  of  the  Southern  States,  and  enlisted  at  the  first 
call  for  "thirty  thousand."  He  served  for  ninety  days  in  the  Tenth  regiment, 
Indiana  infantry.  He  migrated  to  Missouri  in  1866  and  ])lied  his  trade  of 
blacksmith  in  the  town  of  Savanna  until  1880,  when  he  mo\ed  to  Greenleaf, 
Kan.,  and  conducted  a  blacksmith  shop,  in  addition  to  cultivating  his  farm, 
which  he  purchased  near  Greenleaf.  In  the  fall  of  1907  he  moved  to  Effing- 
ham, Kan.,  and  is  living  a  retired  life.  Mrs.  White  died  in  1885,  at  the  age 
of  forty-three  vears.  Twelve  children  were  born  to  Willis  White  and  wife, 
four  of  whom  are  deceased :  John,  Henr}%  and  Maiy,  deceased ;  Frank,  for 
several  years  a  practicing  physician  of  note  in  Effingham,  and  who  died  in 
October,  1912,  as  a  result  of  an  accident;  Charles,  of  Kansas  City;  Dr.  George 
Edwin,  with  whom  this  narrative  is  directly  concerned;  .\lbert  H.,  a  fanner, 
in  Dickin.son  county;  Mrs.  Dora  Hill,  of  Kansas  City:  William,  living  in 
California ;  Mrs.  Laura  Shields,  of  California ;  Elmer,  a  farmer,  of  Jackson 
countv:  Lerov.  a  farmer,  of  Effingham.     Willis  White  was  twice  married, 


664  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

his  second  wife  being  Elizabeth  Heavenridge,  of  Indiana,  wlio  bore  him  six 
cliildren :  Jnlia.  employed  in  the  Soldier's  Home  at  Leavenworth,  Kan. ;  Her- 
man, a  farmer  in  western  Kansas;  Earl,  of  Effingham;  Editli,  at  home; 
Ralph,  also  at  home,  and  a  child  who  died  in  infancy. 

George  Edward  WTiite  received  his  elementary  education  in  tlic  public 
schools,  studied  three  years  in  the  Kansas  Medical  College  at  Topeka,  and 
graduated  from  the  Medical  University  at  Kansas  City  in  1905.  For  a  period 
of  five  and  one-half  years  he  practiced  medicine  in  Dickinson  county,  Kan- 
sas; practiced  for  two  years  in  Brown  county,  Kansas,  and  located  in  Effing- 
ham in  the  fall  of  1912. 

Dr.  White  was  married  in  1895  to  Sadie  .\.  Phillippi,  who  died  in  1911, 
leaving  five  cliildren,  namely :  Willis,  George,  Lester,  Birdie,  and  Harold,  all 
of  whom  are  at  home  and  attending  the  public  and  high  schools.  One  child, 
Ralph,  died  in  infancy.  Dr.  White  again  married  in  1912,  to  Ada  M.  Elliot, 
a  capable  and  talented  woman,  who  is  a  good  and  kind  motlier  to  the  doctor's 
children. 

Dr.  White  has  achieved  a  reputation  as  a  well  read  and  capable  prac- 
titioner, and  his  practice  in  Effingham  and  the  surrounding  country  is  con- 
stantly growing.  He  keeps  abreast  of  the  times  and  the  latest  discoveries  in 
the  science  of  healing,  and  is  associated  with  various  important  medical  socie- 
ties, among  them  being  the  county.  State,  and  National  societies,  the  Golden 
Belt,  and  the  Northeast  Kansas  Medical  association,  the  Aesculapian 
.Society,  and  the  University  Medical  College  of  Kansas  City  Alumni.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren,  and  is  fraternally  connected  with  the 
Knights  of  Pythias,  the  Knights  and  Ladies  of  Security,  and  the  Mystic 
Workers.  He  is  a  Republican.  Ixit  has  very  little  time  for  political  affairs. 
Dr.  White  is  a  genial,  whole-souled  gentleman,  who  loves  his  profession  and 
his  fellowmen.  . 


GEORGE  W.  THOMPSON. 


George  W.  Thompson  is  one  of  the  oldest  pioneers  living  in  the  State  of 
Kansas,  and  is  all  probability  the  oldest  living  pioneer  in  Atchison  county 
today.  His  career  has  been  an  interesting  and  even  romantic  one,  and  reads 
like  a  tale  from  modern  fiction.  Homesteader,  farmer,  statesman,  politician 
and  man  of  wide  influence  are  terms  wliich  can  well  be  applied  to  this  aged 
gentleman  who  has  spent  sixty-one  years  of  his  four  score  and  eight  in  assist- 
ing in  the  development  of  the  Sunflower  State. 


./rf)/-f/e    if.    ^/irJM/iifin   antt    'ir/e 
One  of  the  Oldest  Pioneer  Couples  in  Atchison  County 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  665 

George  W.  Thompson  was  born  in  Georgetown,  K)'.,  Octoljcr  i8,  1827, 
a  son  of  Benjamin  and  Nancy  (Baxter)  Thompson,  natives  of  Virginia  and 
Maryland,  respectively,  and  descendants  of  old  southern  stock.  Benjamin 
Thompson  was  born  in  Virginia  in  1799,  the  same  year  in  wliich  George 
Washington  died.  He  was  a  son  of  George  Thompson,  wlio  removed  from 
Virginia  to  Kentucky  in  181 1,  walking  the  entire  distance  over  the  Blue  Ridge 
mountains  tij  the  new  home  in  the  forests  of  Kentucky,  where  they  lix'ed  until 
1843,  and  then  joined  the  infhi.x  of  settlers  who  were  going  into  Platte  county, 
Missouri.  The  Thompsons  loaded  their  entire  effects  on  wagons  and  drove  as 
far  as  Frankfort,  Ky.,  and  then  boarded  an  Ohio  river  steamer  whicli  carried 
them  to  St.  Louis.  An  interesting  episode  of  this  trip  concerns  tlie  ]jassage  of 
the  boat  over  the  falls  at  Louisville,  Ky.,  or  five  miles  below  that  city.  At 
that  time  the  water  was  very  high  in  the  river,  and  the  captain  of  the  steamer 
decided  to  take  a  chance  and  go  over  the  falls.  During  the  passage  the 
pilot's  steering  gear  broke  and  the  boat  drifted  over  the  falls  without  guid- 
ance in  safety,  but  not  without  expressions  of  fear  on  the  part  of  tlie  passen- 
gers. This  boat  was  the  "Meridian,"  one  of  the  fast  steamers  of  the  river, 
and  it  frecjuently  raced  with  otlier  river  craft.  The  trip  required  about  three 
days  from  Louisville  to  St.  Louis,  which  was  at  that  time  a  city  of  about  50,- 
000  inhabitants.  Mr.  Thompson  recalls  that  the  boats  were  lined  up  along 
the  wharfs  at  St.  Louis  for  over  one  and  one-half  miles,  and  he  has  never  for- 
gotten tlie  sight.  About  five  days  longer  were  required  to  make  the  trip 
from  St.  Louis  to  Parkville,  Mo.,  the  trip  ending  on  June  14,  having  com- 
menced June  I,  1843.  Benjamin  plied  Iiis  trade  of  bricklayer  in  Platte 
county,  and  built  the  Green  Hotel  in  Platte  City,  which  is  still  standing  as  a 
monument  to  his  skill  and  handicraft  as  a  mason.  He  was  the  first  lirick 
mason  in  Platte  City  and  lie  erected  the  Green  Hotel  in  1844.  Benjamin 
became  prominent  in  the  affairs  of  Platte  county  and  was  a  fine  orator  and 
public  speaker. 

For  manv  }'ears  he  was  an  acti\e  and  influential  figure  in  tlic  political 
lite  of  Platte  county,  and  he  was  a  poet  who  left  many  evidences  of  creative 
literarv  abilitv  which  are  still  jirized  among  the  archives  of  the  county.  He 
resided  in  Missouri  until  i860  and  then  came  to  Kansas  where  he  spent  the 
remainder  of  his  days,  dying  in  Mt.  Pleasant  township  in  1862.  His  wife 
survived  him  an4  lived  to  an  advanced  age,  dying  in  1892,  having  been  born 
in  Rosamount  county,  Maryland,  near  Curlew.  They  reared  a  fine  family 
of  nine  children,  of  which  George  W.  was  the  third  child. 

George  W.  Thompson,  with  whom  this  review  is  directly  concerned,  grew 
to  sturdy  manhoofl  in  old  Kentucky,  and  was  educated  in  tlie  neighborhood 


666  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

schools.  Since  boyhood,  he  has  been  a  student  and  is  at  this  day  one  of  the 
best  read  men  of  his  generation.  He  learned  the  trade  of  bricklayer  under 
his  father  and  followed  the  trade  while  living  in  Missouri.  As  early  as 
1854  he  came  to  Kansas,  on  the  day  following  the  passage  of  the  Kansas- 
Nebraska  act  which  tlirew  the  Territory  open  to  settlement.  He  came  up 
the  Missouri  river  in  a  small  boat  and  landed  at  the  mouth  of  Nine  Mile 
creek  in  Leavenworth  county.  After  investigating  the  possibilities  in  this 
countv,  he  filed  upon  a  Government  claim  and  went  back  to  his  home  in  Platte 
county,  returning  in  January  of  1854  to  erect  a  log  cabin.  This  erected,  he 
again  went  home,  returning  in  November  and  roofed  his  cabin  with  clap- 
boards made  by  liim  and  his  brother,  and  built  a  stone  chimney  and  daubed 
the  chinks  with  mud.      He  located   permanently  on  his  claim   January    15. 

1855,  and  on  his  way  nearly  lost  his  oxen  in  the  river.  In  the  meantime  a 
man  named  Dunham  had  jumped  his  claim,  and  it  became  necessary'  for  him 
and  Dunham  to  compromise  matters  and  divide  tlie  land  which  was  considered 
valuable  because  it  had  a  very  fine  spring  of  good,  pure  water  availalile.  Two 
years  later  Mr.  Thompson  sold  his  claim  and  entered  160  acres  of  land  in 
Mt.   Pleasant  township,  Atchison  county.     He  moved  to  Atcliison  June   14, 

1856.  He  developed  this  farm  and  lived  on  it  for  forty-eigiit  years,  or  until 
1914,  when  lie  came  to  Atchison  to  reside  witli  his  daugliter,  Mrs.  Keats. 

Mr.  Thompson  was  married  in  Missouri  in  1850,  to  Rebecca  Stigers,  a 
native  of  Knox  county,  Ohio,  born  April  18,  1831,  a  daughter  of  Conrad  Stig- 
ers, a  native  of  Germany.  The  mother  of  Mrs.  Thompson  was  Mary  Snell 
Stigers,  who  was  burn  in  \'irginia,  of  French  parents,  and  whose  father  was 
shipwrecked  on  the  coast  of  Virginia.  Slie  was  a  direct  descendant  of  the 
famous  Frencli  family  of  D'  Estang,  and  her  father  was  a  connection  of  Count 
D'  Estang.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  George  U'.  Thompson  were  born  nine  children: 
Benjamin  T.,  Ijorn  October  11,  1850,  in  Missouri,  and  died  March  12,  1902; 
Mary  Katharine,  born  October  2,  1854,  wife  of  Asa  Barnes,  of  Mt.  Pleasant 
township,  Atchison  county;  John  Emmet,  born  February  17,  1857.  in  .\tchi- 
son  county,  and  now  residing  in  California;  Harriet  M.,  Ijorn  .April  2,  1850, 
wife  of  T.  M.  Grant,  Atchison  county;  Louis  T.,  born  May  8,  1861.  died  May 
I,  1864;  Mrs.  Dora  T.  Keats,  born  March  21,  1864,  wife  of  H.  T.  Keats,  of 
Atchison;  George  McClelland,  born  May  20,  1867,  a  farmer.  Mt.  Pleasant 
township;  Clara  Thompson,  born  September  5,  1870,  and  Albert  T.,  born 
October  5,  1873,  died  in  infancy. 

Tlie  Thompson  family  is  one  of  the  oldest  in  .Vmcrica  and  is  of  English 
origin.  Tlie  founder  of  the  family  came  to  Virginia  with  Capt.  John  Smith 
in    1607,  and  through  the  marriage  of  John  Rolfe    with    Pocahontas,    the 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  667 

princess  daughter  of  old  King  Powhatan  of  the  Indian  tribes  of  Virginia,  the 
family  and  successive  generations  claim  to  have  Indian  blood  in  their  veins. 
They  are  or  were  connected  with  the  famous  Pickett  family,  of  whom  General 
Pickett  was  a  member.  It  will  thus  be  seen  that  on  one  side  the  present  mem- 
bers of  the  family  can  lay  claim  to  being  descended  from  the  nobility  and  on 
another  to  being  descended  from  an  Indian  princess  and  one  of  the  earliest 
of  the  old  Virginia  gentlemen.  It  is  not  to  be  wondered  that  the  founder  of 
the  family  in  Atchison  county  has  made  such  a  fine  record  during  his  long 
residence  here. 

Mr.  Thompson  has  always  taken  an  active  and  influential  part  in  the 
political  affairs  of  Kansas,  and  has  been  a  life-long  Democrat.  He  has  the 
unicjue  distinction  of  having  voted  for  but  one  candidate  who  was  elected 
President,  and  that  was  Franklin  Pierce  in  1852.  This  is  probably  due  to  the 
fact  that  he  has  always  been  independent  in  his  voting,  and  acted  upon  his 
own  convictions  when  it  came  time  to  cast  his  ballot.  His  last  vote  was  cast 
for  Theodore  Roosevelt.  When  Populism  was  in  vogue  in  Kansas  he  voted 
for  the  Populist  candidate  for  President.  It  was  only  natural  that  he  himself 
become  a  candidate  for  office  on  account  of  his  education  and  the  inherent 
gift  for  leadership.  He  served  as  a  member  of  the  Kansas  leg'islature  at  the 
sessions  of  1867,  1868  and  1869,  and  has  been  a  candidate  a  few  times  since. 
At  another  time,  early  in  his  career,  he  was  elected  superintendent  of  public 
instruction  in  Atchison  county,  but  refused  to  serve,  and  sent  in  his  resigna- 
tion. His  last  candidacy  for  the  legislature  was  given  him  by  the  fusion  of 
the  Populists  and  Democrats,  l)ut  he  was  defeated  b}-  \\'hite  by  a  very  small 
majority.  During  the  campaign  of  1866,  he  was  asked  to  become  a  candi- 
date for  the  legislature  by  many  Republican  friends  and  upon  the  advice  of 
his  man_\-  friends  in  the  county,  he  cast  his  votes  for  both  Ross  and  Pomeroy 
for  the  positions  in  the  United  States  Senate.  It  is  a  matter  of  history  that 
both  Ross  and  Pomeroy  were  elected  to  represent  Kansas  in  the  United 
States  Senate,  Ross  subsequently  making  himself  very  conspicuous  by  voting 
against  the  impeachment  of  Andrew  Johnson. 

This  fine  old  pioneer  was  also  a  soldier  in  the  Civil  war,  and  served  as 
first  lieutenant  of  the  company  commanded  by  Capt.  Asa  Barnes  in  the 
battle  of  Westport.  Mrs.  H.  T.  Keats,  daughter  of  Mr.  Thompson,  has  in 
her  possession  a  number  uf  interesting  souvenirs  of  this  battle,  among  tliem 
being  the  belt  buckle,  and  bayonet  worn  by  her  father  in  the  battle,  and  the 
company's  flag,  Captain  Barnes'  shoulder  straps,  and  James  Binkley's  cap 
box,  in  addition  to  having  some  of  the  Government  scrip,  with  which  the 
soldiers  were  paid.     The  colonel  of  the  Twelfth  regiment  was  Colonel  Louis 


668  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

L.  Treat,  another  member  of  the  company  being  T.  L.  CHne.     Very  few  of 
the  members  of  this  company  or  regiment  are  now  living. 

On  October  8,  191 5.  this  noted  old  pioneer  was  eighty-eight  years  old 
and  still  vigorous,  mentally.  His  power  of  thinking  is  not  much  diminished, 
and  he  is  still  a  reader  and  student.  Constant  reading  and  thinking,  we  are 
told,  is  conducive  to  longevity  and  Mr.  Thompson  has  always  been  a  great 
reader  and  student  of  history 'and  philosophy.  He  is  a  man,  self-made  and 
self-taught,  and  is  blessed  with  a  keenness  of  intellect  far  above  tlie  average. 
His  life  has  been  a  well  rounded  and  useful  one.  and  lie  has  had  a  career  of 
which  he  and  his  children  and  grandchildren  can  well  be  proud.  His  long 
life  has  been  clean  and  for  years  he  has  been  a  stern  advocate  of  temperance 
and  has  practiced  his  own  belief.  In  his  younger  days  he  was  a  noted  and 
powerful  orator  who  had  the  ability  to  thrill  and  sway  his  hearers.  Few  men 
can  look  back  over  a  longer  vista  of  years,  well  spent  in  honest  pursuits,  and 
in  behalf  of  his  fellow  men  than  George  W.  Thompson.  All  honor  to  him 
as  the  oldest  and  most  distinguished  living  pioneer  of  Atchison  today. 


B.   F.   TOMLINSON. 


B.  F.  Tomlinson,  deceased,  was  a  pioneer  merchant  and  meat  packer 
of  Atcliison,  and  left  behind  him  an  imperishable  record  for  honesty  and  fair 
dealing,  which  has  never  been  surpassed  in  the  mercantile  history  of  the  city. 
He  was  born  December  25,  1838,  in  Covington,  Ky.,  a  son  of  Leroy  Tom- 
linson, who  was  also  a  native  of  Kentucky.  The  mother  of  B.  F.  Tomlinson 
died  when  he  was  a  small  boy,  and  as  a  consequence  little  is  known  regard- 
ing her  antecedents.  The  Tomlinsons  are  a  very  (jjd  American  family.  Le- 
roy Tomlinson  was  a  commission  merchant  and  meat  packer,  who  later  re- 
moved from  Covington  to  Louisville,  Ky.,  and  became  prominently  identi- 
fied with  the  business  interests  of  that  city.  He  conducted  a  large  packing 
establishment  and  handled  as  high  as  100  beeves  at  one  time  in  his 
abattoirs,  wholesaling  the  product  of  his  packing  houses  to  meat  merchants 
in  the  cities  and  towns  bordering  the  Ohio  river. 

B.  F.  Tomlinson.  with  whose  career  this  review  is  directly  concerned, 
was  reared  and  educated  in  the  city  of  Louisville,  Ky.,  and  when  he  was  but 
fifteen  years  of  age  his  father  died,  his  stepmother  dying  one  year  later.  Be- 
ing an  only  child,  he  was  left  witli  the  responsibility  of  his  father's  extensive 
business.    The  excellent  training  which  his  father  had  given  him.  here  came 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  669 

into  good  stead,  and  he  carried  on  the  packing  business  successfully,  paying, 
in  the  course  of  time,  a  considerable  indebtedness  which  his  father  had  in- 
curred. After  his  marriage  in  Louisville  in  i860,  he  continued  to  conduct 
his  business  in  Louisville  until  1870,  at  which  time  he  disposed  of  his  pos- 
sessions and  came  to  Atchison.  Here  he  engaged  in  the  butcher  and  pack- 
ing business,  and  soon  held  a  prominent  place  in  the  mercantile  life  of  the 
city. 

B.  F.  Tomlinson  was  married  September  11,  i860,  to  Miss  Elizabeth 
Alexander,  who  was  born  May  11,  1840,  in  Bedford,  Ind.  She  was  a  daugh- 
ter of  Robert  M.  and  Emily  (Legrant)'  Alexander.  Her  father  was  a  coach- 
maker  by  trade,  and  removed  from  Bedford,  Ind.,  to  Louisville,  Ky.,  where 
he  died  in  1900,  at  the  age  of  eighty-nine  years.  Much  interesting  history  can 
he  narrated  concerning  the  mother  of  Mrs.  Tomlinson,  who  was  born  in  New 
Orleans,  and  was  one  of  three  children  born  to  her  parents,  who  were  of 
French  origin.  The  elder  Legrant  was  a  drygoods  merchant  in  the  southern 
city,  and  the  story  goes,  that  on  one  of  his  regular  trips  to  Cincinnati,  Ohio, 
to  buy  a  stock  of  goods  for  his  store,  he  left  two  of  the  children  at  home,  and 
on  arriving  in  Cincinnati  he  placed  Emily  in  charge  of  a  Scotch  family  by 
the  name  of  McDonald,  and  with  whom  he  had  been  in  the  habit  of  stopping 
while  on  business  in  Cincinnati.  Emily  at  that  time  was  twelve  years  of  age, 
and  was  a  prime  favorite  witli  the  McDonald's  who  begged  her  parents  to 
leave  her  at  their  home  during  the  time  which  would  elapse  until  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Legrant  made  their  next  trip  from  New  Orleans  to  Cincinnati.  They 
did  so,  but  sad  to  relate,  the  little  girl  never  saw  nor  heard  from  her  parents 
again,  and  what  became  of  them  .she  never  learned,  and  she  was  consequently 
reared  to  womanhood  liy  the  kind  foster  parents.  In  an  earlier  year  than 
this  at  New  Orleans,  and  at  a  lime  when  Emily's  father  was  very  sick  with 
rheumatism,  a  band  of  over  one  hundred  Indians  was  encamped  near  the 
Legrant  home  at  New  Orleans,  One  of  the  other  children  was  also  afflicted 
with  cancer  of  the  face.  The  medicine  men  of  the  Indian  tribe  effected  a 
cure  of  biitli  the  cancer  and  the  father's  rheumatism.  Tlie  Indians  were  very 
affectionate  toward  Emily  and  called  her  the  "pretty  scjuaw,"  which  was 
only  natural,  as  she  grew  up  to  become  a  very  beautiful  woman,  eventually 
becoming  the  wife  of  Robert  M.  Alexander,  and  after  her  husband's  demise, 
made  her  home  with  her  daughter  at  Atchison,  where  she  died  in  November 
of  1904,  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-nine  vears. 

B.  F.  Tominson  died  in  January,  1895.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Tomlinson  were 
the  parents  of  eight  children:  Martha  J-,  wife  of  Louis  Nelson,  of  St.  Joseph, 
Mo.,  and  mother  of  one  child,  Frank  B. ;  Emma  T.  Bosanko,  deceased,  left 


670  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

one  son,  Harry;  Lydia,  wife  of  Frank  Russell,  of  St.  Paul,  Minn.,  and  mother 
of  one  son,  Clarence  Russell;  Alice,  wife  of  W.  L.  Johnson,  of  Atchison; 
Anna  A.,  wife  of  Charles  Robertson,  of  Chicago;  Robert,  a  resident  of  Co- 
lumbia, Mo.,  and  who  has  one  daughter,  Ecce  Tomlinson ;  Franklin,  de- 
ceased:  Birdie  died  in  infancy.  Tlie  motlier  of  these  children  is  now  three 
score  and  fifteen  years  of  age,  but  does  not  appear  to  be  over  fifty  years  old. 
She  is  remarkably  w^ell  preserved  and  has  a  keen  mind,  and  is  especially 
proud  of  her  husliand's  record  and  fine  family  of  cliildren. 

Mr.  Tomlinson  was  a  member  of  several  fraternal  societies,  among  tliem 
being  the  Modern  Woodmen,  the  Knights  of  Honor,  and  the  Ancient  Order 
of  United  Workmen.  He  was  politically  allied  with  tlie  Democratic  party, 
luit  never  sought  political  preferment.  He  was  well  and  favorably  known 
,ind  highly  respected  in  business  circles  in  Atchison,  his  greatest  and  kindliest 
trait  being  his  generosity  in  giving  assistance  to  the  poor  and  desendng 
of  the  city.  He  was  always  ready  to  listen  to  the  call  of  the  suffering  and 
improvident,  and  never  turned  away  a  supplicant  in  dire  need  ernpty  handed. 
It  might  be  said  of  him  that  he  was  too  generous  for  liis  own  financial  wel- 
fare, liut  he  sincerely  believed  in  the  wholeness  of  his  nature  in  giving  of  his 
sustenance  to  tliose  whom  he  deemed  in  need.  The  indulgence  of  this  Chris- 
tian trait  of  giving  naturally  endeared  his  memory  to  a  host  of  friends,  who 
will  long  remember  him.  Few  men  were  more  liberal  or  kinder  than  this 
upriglit  gentleman. 


TOHN  D.  HAWK. 


In  the  science  of  agriculture,  as  well  as  the  learned  professions,  there 
are  always  men  who  are  naturallv  endowed  with  the  powers  of  leadership, 
and  are  so  progressive  and  energetic  that  they  lead  in  the  \an  of  better  and 
more  productive  farming  where  others  follow.  Atchison  county  has  its 
quota  of  these  progressive  agriculturists  who  arc  not  content  to  be  just  com- 
mon, every-day  farmers,  but  are  ambitious  to  l)ecome  specialists  in  agricul- 
tural work.  John  D.  Hawk,  of  Benton  township,  Atchison  county,  holds  a 
place  in  the  front  rank  of  successful  and  enterprising  farmers  in  .\tchison 
county,  and  is  the  owner  of  one  of  the  inost  productive  and  best  equipped 
agricultural  plants  in  the  county,  or  northeast  Kansas.  His  farm  comprises 
170  acres,  located  in  section  2,  range  618,  Benton  township.  .\  good  farm 
liome  sets  well  back  from  the  road,  in  the  rear  of  whicli  is  a  large  red  barn. 
86x46    feet,    hip    roofed    and    flanked    by    a    modern    silo,    built    in    1910, 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  67I 

and  which  is  the  first  wood  silo  erected  in  Atchison  county.  Mr. 
Hawk  is  beginning  the  breeding  of  thoroughbred  Jersey  cattle,  and  at  the 
present  time  has  a  fine  dairy  herd  of  twenty-five  head,  among  which  is  a 
number  of  pure  breds  .  Leading  this  herd  is  "Shawan  Majesty."  a  pure  bred 
bull.  He  also  specializes  in  Poland  China  hogs,  and  is  meeting  with  success 
in  the  breeding  and  raising  of  live  stock.  Mrs.  Hawk  keeps  a  pure  strain  of 
Black  Langshan  poultry  and  handles  this  end  of  the  farm  work  with  profit 
nnd  satisfaction. 

John  D.  Hawk  was  born  Novemlier  19,  1875,  on  a  farm  in  Coshocton 
county,  Ohio,  a  son  of  Lafayette  T.  Hawk,  of  Benton  township,  a  sketch  of 
whom  appears  in  this  volume.  He  was  seven  years  of  age  when  his  parents 
removed  to  Atchison  county,  Kansas,  from  their  Ohio  home.  Here  he  at- 
tended the  district  school,  and  had  the  advantage  of  one  year's  study  in  the 
county  high  school.  He  worked  on  the  home  farm  with  his  father  until  1898, 
when  he  beagn  for  hin:self  in  the  spring  of  that  year  on  the  McClennon  farm 
which  he  rented  for  two  years.  After  his  marriage  he  removed  to  his  pres- 
ent place  which  is  the  old  Law  homestead.  He  erected  the  present  barn  and 
the  large  poultry  house  on  the  place  and  made  various  other  improvements 
including  the  building  of  the  silo. 

Mr.  Hawk  was  married  March  15,  1899,  to  Miss  Alice  M.  Law,  who  has 
borne  him  eight  children,  of  whom  seven  are  living :  \Wlter  Gale,  born  Jan- 
uary 12,  and  died  February  i,  1900;  Herbert,  aged  fifteen  years;  Kenneth, 
born  November  19,  1902;  Dorothy,  aged  ten;  Mateel,  nine  years  old;  John, 
aged  six  years;  and  twins.  Vera  and  Veda,  born  December  12,  19 11.  The 
mother  of  these  children  was  born  in  Toronto,  Canada,  a  daughter  of  Edwin 
and  Mar)'  Alice  Law,  both  of  whom  were  born  in  England.  Edwin  Law 
comes  of  a  family  of  singers,  and  it  is  a  matter  of  record  that  his  mother 
.sang  before  Queen  Victoria  on  otie  occasion,  and  was  noted  throughout  Eng- 
land as  a  singer  of  note.  The  Laws  immigrated  from  England  and  first  set- 
tled in  Canada,  going  from  there  tc  Ohio,  and  after  a  short  residence  in  the 
Buckeye  State,  migrated  to  Doniphan  county,  Kansas,  from  whence  they 
came  to  Atchison  county  and  purchased  the  farm  where  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hawk 
now  reside.  There  were  five  children  in  the  family :  Alfred  Law,  Ella,  .Alice, 
Walter,  and  one  died  in  infancy.  Mrs.  Law  died  on  the  farm,  and  Mr.  Law 
died  in  Canon  City,  Colo.  After  his  first  wife's  death,  Mr.  Law  again  mar- 
ried, and  had  one  daughter,  Lillie,  by  his  second  marriage. 

Mr.  Hawk  is  a  Republican,  but  his  activities  do  not  tend  to  political 
affairs.  For  several  years  he  has  been  actively  identified  with  agricultural 
affairs  in  Atchison  countv,  and  his  influence  has  ever  been  exerted  in  behalf 


6/2  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

of  better  farming.  He  is  president  of  the  Atchison  County  Farm  Bureau, 
of  which  institution  he  is  one  of  the  organizers.  In  connection  with  Fred 
Sutter,  Alexander  McClennon,  he  assisted  in  the  promotion  of  the  Farm 
Bureau  and  its  estabhshment,  and  the  consequent  employment  of  County 
Agent  Taylor  as  a  skilled  farm  farm  instructor.  This  is  now  considered  as  one 
of  the  finest  and  most  beneficial  moves  ever  made  in  the  county  in  behalf  of 
the  farmers  of  the  county,  and  even  the  most  incredulous  who  were  unwilling 
to  support  the  movement  are  now  coming  into  line  and  becoming  enthusiastic 
over  the  possibilities  for  bettering  farm  conditions  in  the  county  as  the  result 
of  the  efforts  put  forth  by  its  zealous  supporters.  This  committee  during  the 
winter  of  1914-1915  visited  every  part  of  the  county,  in  the  preliminarv' 
organization  and  missionary  work,  and  enrolled  200  fanners  as  supporters 
of  the  project.  Mr.  Hawk  is  likewise  president  of  the  Atchison  county 
Fanners'  Institute.  He  attends  the  Christian  church,  of  wliich  Mrs.  Hawk 
is  a  member,  and  is  fraternally  affiliated  with  the  Central  Protective 
Association. 


HERBERT  J.  BARBER. 

A  man's  standing  in  the  community  where  he  resides  or  transacts  his 
business  affairs  is  usually  gauged  by  his  usefulness  to  society  and  his  activities 
in  behalf  of  the  general  good  of  his  fellows.  If  he  be  of  the  class  of  citizens 
who  are  seeking  to  benefit  the  community  in  wliich  he  is  engaged  in  business, 
he  is  a  decided  benefit  to  that  community.  Such  an  individual  is  Herbert 
J.  Barber,  banker  of  Cummings,  Kan.  Mr.  Barber  is  a  native  of  the  Sun- 
flower State,  and  is  a  son  of  one  of  the  early  pioneers.  The  story  of  Moses 
Barber,  his  father,  I'nion  veteran,  Kansas  pioneer,  and  one  of  the  first  suc- 
cessful fruit  growers  of  Atchison  county,  is  interesting  and  borders  on  the 
romantic  to  a  considerable  degree.  Over  fifty  years  ago,  directly  after  his 
honorable  discharge  from  the  Union  senice  at  Leavenworth,  Moses  Barber 
set  out  on  horseback  to  find  a  place  for  a  home  in  Atchison  county.  He  found 
the  homestead,  and  at  the  same  time  found  a  sweetheart  who  later  became 
his  wife  and  fought  the  good  fight  with  him  through  the  lean  years  and  good 
ones  until  he  attained  to  the  realization  of  his  ambitions  to  obtain  a  com- 
petence. He  became  widely  known  as  the  "Apple  King"  of  Kansas  as 
a  result  of  his  remarkable  success  as  a  grower  of  apples,  and  cultivated  what 
was  in  all  probability  the  largest  apple  orchard  in  existence  in  the  State  of 
Kansas  in  his  day.     His  son,  Herbert,  has  followed  in  his  father's  footsteps 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  673 

and  is  fast  making-  a  name  for  himself  in  the  field  of  finance.  Speaking  in 
a  biographical  sense,  Herbert  J-  Barber  was  born  on  the  old  homestead  of 
his  father  in  Mt.  Pleasant  township,  April  ii,  1871,  a  son  of  Moses  and  Mary 
(Hubbard)  Barber,  the  former  a  native  of  Rhode  Island,  and  the  latter  a 
native  of  Virginia. 

Moses  Barber  was  born  in  South  Kingston,  Rhode  Island,  April  22, 
1833,  a  son  of  James  and  Elizabeth  Barber,  natives  of  Rhode  Island,  of  co- 
lonial ancestry  and  English  descent.  A  brother  of  James  was  Colonel  Barber, 
who  served  in  the  War  of  1812,  and  the  grandfather  of  Moses  Barber  was  a 
Revolutionary  soldier.  Moses  was  reared  to  young  manhood  on  his  father's 
farm  in  Rhode  Island,  and  then  migrated  westward  to  Illinois.  After  a 
residence  of  a  few  years  in  Illinois  he  came  to  Kansas  and  was  a  resident  of 
the  State  upon  the  outbreak  of  the  rebellion  of  the  Southern  States.  He  en- 
listed in  Company  I,  Second  regiment,  Kansas  cavalry,  in  1861,  and  was  soon 
promoted  to  ranking  sergeant  of  his  company.  He  served  his  country  well 
and  faithfully  and  took  part  in  several  hard  fought  engagements  with  his 
regiment,  and  received  liis  honorable  discharge  at  the  close  of  the  war  at 
Leavenworth,  Kan.  After  receiving  his  discharge  from  the  service  he  set 
out  on  horseback  in  search  of  a  homestead,  riding  the  faithful  cavalry  horse 
which  had  carried  him  through  the  strenuous  days  of  the  Civil  war.  His 
route  led  him  in  a  northwesterly  direction  from  Ft.  Leavenworth  through 
Atchison  county.  He  stopped  for  sustenance  and  rest  at  the  home  of  a  fam- 
ily named  Hubbard  at  Pamell,  Kan.  Mr.  Hu])bard  was  a  pro-slavery  and 
State  rights  man  who  had  removed  from  tlie  Southland  in  1855  after  two 
years  in  Missouri,  a  State  rights  advocate,  and  although  Mr.  Barber  was  his 
guest,  they  had  frequent  clashes  over  the  troubles  of  the  South  and  war  inci- 
dents. The  bitterness  of  the  great  conflict  had  not  yet  Iieen  nbliteratcd,  and 
it  was  only  natural  tiiat  the  Union  veteran  and  State's  rights  man  should 
have  disagreements.  This  was  not  all  of  their  troubles,  as  time  soon  deve- 
loped. Mr.  Hubbard  had  an  attractive  daughter,  and  ihcrel)}-  li;ings  ;i  lale 
of  romance.  Mary  Hubbard  was  the  acme  of  beauty  in  the  eyes  of  young 
Barber  and  he  purposely  stayed  around  in  the  neighborhood  that  he  could  be 
near  Mary  and  do  his  courting  despite  the  e\-ident  antijiathy  of  Fatlier  Hub- 
bard. In  fact,  Moses  often  said  later,  "Tliat  was  the  reason  I  stayed  there." 
The  attraction  between  Mary  and  Moses  grew  into  friendship,  friendship  rip- 
ened into  love,  and  the  son  of  the  North  and  the  daughter  of  the  South  were 
married.  The  parental  opposition  to  this  natural  outcome  of  the  meeting 
of  two  young  souls  who  were  evidently  destined  for  each  other  was  so  great 

43 


6/4  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

that  a  quiet  marriage  was  necessary.  Moses  and  Mary  quietly  departed  one 
day  and  returned  to  the  parental  roof  as  rnan  and  wife.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hub- 
bard soon  afterwards  decided  to  accept  the  inevitable  and  become  fond  of 
their  son-in-law.  Time  and  subsequent  events  proved  that  Moses  and  Mary 
were  well  mated  and  the  marriage,  if  a  hasty  one,  proved  to  be  very  happy 
in  the  years  to  come.  Mr.  Hubbard  soon  afterward  went  west  to  satisfy  the 
gold  fever  which  obsessed  him  and  Moses  Barber  settled  down  on  his  father- 
in-law's  farm  which  he  purchased,  thus  beginning  a  highly  successful  career 
as  an  agriculturist.  The  first  home  of  him  and  his  young  wife  was  a  little 
log  cabin  which  formerly  belonged  to  the  Hul:)l)ards,  but  as  prosperity  came 
as  the  reward  of  years  of  careful  husbandry,  he  erected  a  handsome  farm 
residence  of  thirteen  rooms  which  still  stands  on  the  place,  built  in  1882.  Mr. 
Barber  was  one  of  the  first  men  in  Kansas  to  see  the  possibilities  in  fruit 
growing  and  early  began  to  develop  that  part  of  the  farming  avocation.  He 
planted  four  or  five  acres  of  apple  trees  as  a  start  in  his  horticultural  experi- 
ments, and  his  success  with  his  first  orchard  was  so  gratifying  that  he  in- 
creased his  apple  orchards  to  sixty  acres  of  bearing  trees.  He  became  widely 
known  as  the  "Apply  King  of  Kansas."  \\'hile  managing  his  immense  fruit 
orchard  he  did  not  neglect  the  other  side  of  the  farm  work  and  cultivated 
assiduously  and  successfully  his  large  farm  of  320  acres  of  land  in  Mt.  Pleas- 
ant township.  In  the  early  days  he  was  a  large  cattle  feeder  and  made  large 
shipments  to  the  stock  markets. 

Moses  Barber  was  married  May  15,  1865,  to  Miss  Mary  Hubbard  and 
this  union  was  blessed  with  two  cliildren :  Mrs.  Abigail  Ilraxman.  of  Wick- 
ford,  R.  I.,  and  Herbert  J.,  with  whom  tliis  review  is  directly  concerned.  Mr. 
Barber  departed  this  life  July  3,  1S96,  after  having  lived  a  long  and  useful 
life  which  was  profitaljle  as  well  as  happy.  Mrs.  Mary  (Hubbard)  Barber, 
his  sur\-iving  widow,  was  born  May  7,  1845,  in  Roanoke  county,  Virginia,  and 
was  a  daughter  of  Clark  and  Rebecca  Hubbard,  botli  of  whom  were  born  and 
reared  in  Virginia  and  came  to  Kansas  in  1855.  Mrs.  Barber  resides  with 
her  son,  Herbert  J.,  in  Atchison,  Kan. 

Herbert  J.  Earlier  attended  tlie  district  school  of  his  neighborhood  in 
Mt.  Pleasant  township  and  later  pursued  a  course  in  the  Atchison  Business 
College.  After  finishing  his  business  course  he  returned  to  his  father's  farm 
and  took  charge  of  the  fruit  growing  and  general  farming.  Later  lie  spent 
three  years  in  Colorado  in  the  employ  of  a  Denver  wliolcsale  book  and  station- 
ery house.  In  1894  he  returned  to  the  home  farm  and  successfully  managed 
it  until   1908.     He  then  remo\ed  to  Cummings,   Kan.,  and  assisted  in  the 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  6/5 

organization  of  the  Cnmming\s  State  Bank.  He  became  the  cashier  of  this 
institution  and-  has  given  evidence  of  decided  financial  and  business  aliility 
of  a  high  order  in  his  vocation.  Besides  his  banking  interests  Mr.  Rarber 
has  land  holdings  in  Colorado  and  western  Ivansas.  He  makes  his  residence 
at  I020  Santa  Fe  street  in  Atchison. 

The  marriage  of  H.  J.  Barber  and  Miss  Eva  Wertz  was  solemnized  in 
February  IQ,  igc2.  Mrs.  Barber  was  born  the  twenty-sixtli  of  May.  1878,  in 
Pennsylvania,  a  daugliter  of  David  and  Eliza  Wertz,  Ijoth  of  whom  were  born 
and  reared  in  the  Keystone  State.  David  Wertz  was  for  many  years  a  mer- 
chant at  Pamell,  Kan.,  and  is  now  living  in  retirement  at  that  place.  The 
mother  of  Mrs.  Barber  is  now  deceased.  One  child,  Mary  Reta,  born  August 
13,  1904,  has  blessed  the  marriage  of  Herbert  J.  and  Eva  Barber. 

Politically,  Mr.  Barber  is  a  Republican,  and  has  held  the  office  of  trustee 
of  Alt.  Pleasant  township  for  four  years.  He  and  his  family  are  religiously 
affiliated  with  the  Baptist  church.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Ancient  Free  and 
Accepted  Masons,  Washington  lodge,  No.  5,  of  Atchison,  and  the  Modern 
Woodmen  of  America.  Mr.  Barber  is  a  booster  and  public-spirited  citizen 
by  nature  and  is  always  ready  and  willing  to  support  an\thing  for  the  good 
of  the  community  and  the  people.  Every  civic  program  whicii  will  lia\-e  a 
tendency  to  benefit  the  wliole  of  tlie  people  finds  him  as  one  of  its  warmest 
supporters. 


ROBERT  PINDER. 


Robert  Finder,  tlie  efficient  and  capal)le  manager  of  tiic  b'ffingham 
Lumber  Company,  while  liaving  been'  a  resident  of  Effingham  Init  a  few 
years,  has  so  identified  himself  with  the  life  of  the  communitv  and  taken 
such  an  active  part  in  the  city's  affairs,  that  his  citizenship  is  an  important 
and  component  part  of  the  body  politic.  He  is  a  hustler  in  both  thought 
and  deed,  and  strives  to  advance  his  city  as  well  as  managing  his  business 
at  i^rofit,  and  so  as  to  gain  increasing  prestige  for  ■  the  lumber  com- 
pany's business,  which  has  been  under  tiie  present  management  since  19 12. 
The  company  conducts  a  general  lumber  business,  and  sells  all  kinds  of  build- 
ing material,  such  as  farm  gates,  Crown  and  Tulsa  silos,  of  superior  make, 
tiling,  roofing  and  roof  paints,  etc.  The  sheds  and  yards  cover  six  lots, 
and  Mr.  Pinder  employs  two  men  to  care  for  the  business.  The  president 
of  the  company  is  W.  C.  Alexander,  of  Atchison ;  the  vice-president  is  T. 


676  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

B.  Pinder,  of  Clifton,  Kan.,  and  the  general  manager  and  secretary-treasurer 
is  Robert  Pinder,  with  whom  this  narrative  is  directly  concerned. 

Robert  Pinder  was  lx)m  September  5,  1S72,  in  Timberland.  England,  a 
son  of  John  and  Anna  (Burton)  Pinder,  who  were  farmers  in  their  native 
countr)-,  and  about  1894  immigrated  to  this  country  and  settled  on  a  farm  near 
Everest,  Kan.,  where  they  died.  In  1886  Rol)ert  was  indentured  at  Martin- 
dales,  Eng'land.  for  three  years  and  one  and  one-half  years  at  Horncastle,  to 
grocery  and  provision  merchants,  with  the  understanding  that  he  was  to 
receive  his  board  and  lodging,  and  liis  fatlier  was  to  provide  for  other  neces- 
saries, such  as  wearing  apparel,  and  medicine,  in  case  of  sickness.  His 
periods  of  indenture  required  both  day  and  night  service  and  to  play  no 
games,  or  frequent  taverns  or  dice  tables,  or  contract  matrimony,  or  buy 
and  sell.  For  an  American  boy  to  be  required  to  do  anything  of  this  sort 
would  be  considered  the  rankest  injustice,  and  he  would  rebel  at  being  com- 
pelled seemingly  to  sacrifice  his  lilierty  and  become  a  bound  employe  for  so 
long  a  time.  But  such  is  the  custom  in  England,  and  the  training  which 
Robert  Pinder  received  during  his  four  and  one-half  years  of  indenture 
proved  exceedingly  valuable  to  him  in  later  years.  After  serving  his  time 
as  an  apprentice  he  continued  in  the  provision  l)usiness  for  three  and  one- 
half  years  longer,  and  then  came  to  America,  journeying  direct  to  Doniphan 
countv  in  1894.  In  the  spring  of  the  following  year  he  moved  out  on  the 
farm  owned  bjr  his  father,  who  had  brought  tlie  entire  family,  with  the 
exception  of  one  lirother,  to  this  country.  He  assisted  his  father  in  the  cul- 
tivation of  the  farm  for  four  years,  and  then  accepted  a  position  in  the  lum- 
ber business  of  E.  L.  Alexander,  at  Everest,  Kan.,  in  the  spring  of  1899. 
Three  months  later  he  became  manager  of  the  Purcell  Lumber  Company, 
at  Pnrcell.  Kan.,  and  remained  in  this  position  for  three  years,  following 
wliich  employment  he  was  manager  of  tlie  Alexander  Lumber  Company 
at  Ilavensville.  Kan.,  for  over  ten  years.  In  the  spring  of  1912  Mr.  Pin- 
der came  to  Effingham  and  took  charge  of  the  Effingham  Lumber  Com- 
pany. His  success  in  the  lumber  business  has  been  marked  and  rapid,  and 
is  an  indication  of  true  and  tireless  business  ability  of  a  high  order.  He  is 
secretary  and  a  stockholder  of  the  Alexander  Lumber  Company,  a  large  con- 
cern;  secretary  of  the  Harrison  Lumber  Company,  of  Garnett,  Kan.,  and  is 
interested  in  this  concern  as  a  stockholder.  Mr.  Pinder  also  administered 
llie  family  estate  after  his  father's  death  in  1909.  and  his  mother's  demise 
in  the  year  following.  There  were  eight  children  in  th.e  family :  Frederick 
died  in  infancy:  Tolin  W..  living,  in  England;  Edith  Mary,  wife  of  William 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  677 

Finder,  of  Huron.  Kan.;  Robert;  Charles,  a  farmer  living  near  Jluron: 
Henrietta  died  at  Everest;  Emma  A.,  wife  of  Arthur  Harris,  of  Everest; 
Thomas  Benton,  in  the  lumber  business  at  Clifton,  Kan. 

Mr.  Finder  was  married  November  i,  1900,  to  Harriet  M.  Finder,  who 
was  horn  in  Denton,  a  daughter  of  A.  G.  Finder,  a  farmer,  residing  near 
Huron,  Kan.  Four  children  have  blessed  this  union:  Ruth  Mary,  born -in 
November,  1901 ;  Cecil  Francis,  born  in  1903;  Leslie  Benton,  born  in  1906; 
John  Sylvester,  bom  in  1909. 

Mr.  Finder  is  a  progressive  Republican,  and  has  pronounced  and  de- 
cided views  upon  independence  in  politics,  and  believes  in  "a  government  of 
the  people  and  by  the  people,"  and  not  for  the  benefit  of  the  favored  few.  Fie 
is  affiliated  with  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  and  is  fraternally  allied 
with  the  Knights  and  Ladies  of  Security,  and  the  Lumberman's  "Hoo-Hoo" 
societv. 


THOMAS  T-  FOTTER. 


For  twentv-four  years  Thomas  J.  Fotter  has  served  the  people  well  and 
faithfully  as  postmaster  of  the  town  which  was  named  in  honor  of  his  father. 
Joseph  Potter,  one  of  the  distinguished  pioneer  settlers  of  Atchison  county. 
Kansas.  Thomas  ].  Potter  was  born  January  29,  1856,  on  a  farm  which 
later  became  the  townsite  of  Potter,  Kan.,  and  was  settled  upon  by  his 
father  in  1854.  Mr.  Potter  probably  holds  the  record  for  long  and  continuous 
residence  in  Atchison  county  as  a  native  son  of  this  county.  He  was  a  son 
.of  Joseph  and  Minerva  (Wiley)  Potter,  natives  of  Kentucky  and  descendants 
of  colonial  ancestry,  Thfimas  Potter,  father  of  Joseph,  tracing  his  ancestry 
direct  to  a  member  of  the  colony  founded  at  Jamestown,  Va.,  by  Capt.  John 
Smith,  in  1607.  Thomas  Potter,  grandfather  of  T.  J.,  was  born  in  old  \'ir- 
ginia,  and  was  a  pioneer  settler  in  Lincoln  county,  Kentuck}'. 

Joseph  Fotter  was  born  in  1819  in  Kentucky,  married  there  and  reared 
a  family.  When  Kentucky  began  to  take  on  a  crowded  condition,  which  was 
inimical  to  a  great  many  of  the  early  settlers  of  the  Daniel  Boone  class. 
Thomas  Potter  conceived  the  idea  of  migrating  westward,  as  Boone  had  done. 
Accordingly,  he  sent  his  son,  Joseph,  to  the  wild  country  of  Saline  county, 
Missouri,  to  find  out  alwut  the  fertility  of  the  land,  and  to  determine  whether 
or  not  the  country  was  suitable  for  settlement.  Joseph  made  the  trip  in 
safety  and  made  a  favorable  report  on  his  arrival  home.    The  family,  there- 


6/8  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

upon,  disposed  of  their  land  holdings  in  Kentucky-  and  made  the  overland 
trip  to  Missouri,  finally  locating  in  Buchanan  county  of  that  State,  near  the 
town  of  DeKalb,  in  1846.  Here  Joseph  Potter  was  married  in  183 1  to 
Minerva  Wiley,  whose  parents  had  migrated  from  the  old  home  in  Kentucky 
to  Buchanan  countv.  Missouri,  about  the  same  time  the  Potter  family  had 
settled  there.  Three  years  later,  in  1854.  Joseph  Potter  and  his  wife  re- 
moved to  Atchison  county  and  filed  upon  an  160  acre  claim,  on  part  of  which 
acreage  the  town  of  Potter  is  now  built.  This  was  some  years  before  Kan- 
sas became  a  State,  and  about  the  time  the  great  struggle  between  the  pro- 
and  anti-slavery  men  was  beginning  for  the  control  of  Kansas.  Joseph  Pot- 
ter was  a  strong  anti-sla^■er^■  man,  who  was  not  afraid  to  voice  his  convic- 
tions in  unmistakable  language  at  any  and  all  times.  He  was  firm  in  his 
belief  that  slavery  was  an  evil  which  should  be  abolished,  and  his  aggressive- 
ness led  him  into  frequent  conflicts  with  the  pro-slaver>-  advocates.  He  was 
one  of  the  able  and  fearless  leaders  of  the  anti-slaverx-  contingent  in  Atchison 
county,  and  many  times  he  was  threatened  with  physical  violence.  At  the 
time  of  one  of  the  territorial  elections,  only  three  Free  State  votes  were  cast 
in  Joseph  Potter's  precinct.  Four  thousand  votes,  a  number  far  in  excess  of 
the  actual  number  of  voters  in  the  territor}-.  were  cast  at  this  election,  and 
pro-slaver^-  men  came  from  Missouri,  and  even  from  Kentucky,  and  voted 
several  times  in  favor  of  making  Kansas  a  slave  State. 

Joseph  Potter  was  a  Mexican  war  veteran.  He  enlisted  in  1846  as  a  pri- 
vate soldier  in  the  regular  army  of  the  United  States,  and  served  throughout 
the  Mexican  conflict  under  Col.  Sterling  Price.  WTien  the  Civil  war  broke 
out  he  was  appointed  recruiting  officer  for  the  Federal  Government,  and 
later  served  as  a  captain  in  the  Kansas  State  militia.  Joseph  Potter  served, 
one  term  as  a  member  of  the  State  legislature.  In  the  year  1886  the  town 
of  Potter  was  established  and  named  in  his  honor. 

One  of  the  most  cherished  of  the  friendships  of  this  hardy  pioneer  was 
that  of  the  late  Senator  John  J.  Ingalls.  a  friendship  which  began  in  the 
troublous  days  preceding  the  Civil  war.  and  endured  until  death  parted  them, 
long  afterward.  Mr.  Potter's  first  impression  of  John  J.  Ingalls  was  obtained 
at  an  anti-slavery  meeting  held  in  Mount  Pleasant  township,  and  he  was  fond 
of  relating  the  ocairrence  after  the  Senator  became  a  Xation-wide  character 
of  prominence.  Joseph  Potter  was  the  political  leader  of  the  anti-slavery 
party  in  that  section  of  the  State  at  the  time,  and  Mr.  Ingalls.  then  a  young 
man  of  twenty-five,  had  opened  his  law  office  a  few  weeks  previously  in  the 
old  town  of  Sumner.  Kan.     Ingalls  spoke  at  this  meeting,  and  it  is  recalled. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  679 

that  as  he  arose  to  speak,  a  tall  young  man,  pale  and  slender,  the  impression 
that  he  made  upon  his  audience  was  small,  and  there  were  those  present  who 
even  sneered  when  he  began  to  speak.  It  was  not  long,  however,  as  the 
future  senator  swung  into  his  theme,  until  he  convinced  his  auditors  that  he 
had  a  thorough  knowledge  of  Kansas  conditions,  and  cnuld  speak  with  an 
eloquence  and  honesty  of  delivery  that  was  convincing.  The  listeners  who 
came  to  scoff,  left  the  meeting  as  warm  admirers  of  Mr.  Ingalls,  and  Mr. 
Potter  was  forever  afterward  his  warm  supporter. 

Joseph  Potter  and  his  wife  were  the  parents  of  eight  children,  as  fol- 
lows: Celia  J.,  wife  of  T.  Lawler,  of  Cowles,  Neb.;  Francis,  livhig  on  the 
old  home  place  in  \\'alnut  township;  Alice  P.,  residing  on  the  home  farm; 
losephine  P.,  wife  of  J-  W.  Miller,  c-f  Atchison;  Thomas  J. ;  Samuel  L..  a 
banker,  living  at  Cutbank,  Mont. ;  John  J.,  also  living  on  the  old  homestead. 

Thomas  J.  Potter  was  born  and  reared  on  the  old  home  farm  of  the 
Potter  family,  and  followed  the  occupation  of  a  tiller  of  the  soil  until  he  was 
twenty-seven  years  of  age.  He  was  appointed  postmaster  of  the  town  of 
Potter,  and  was  re-appointed  in  i8c;8,  and  has  held  the  office  continuously  ever 
since,  lie  was  married  in  1882  to  Fannie  M.  Brown,  a  daughter  of  John 
Brown,  of  Alissouri.  Two  children  bless  this  union :  George  Potter,  in  the 
United  States  mail  service  in  Chicago,  III,  and  Garland  J.,  wife  of  Charles 
Pruitt,  of  Sioux  Falls,  S.  D.  The  mother  of  these  children  died  in  February, 
1906.  In  the  year  1913  Mr.  Potter  took  for  his  second  wife,  Mrs.  Estella 
Everharclt,  widow  of  Charles  Everhardt.  and  a  daughter  of  N.  D.  West,  a 
native  of  New  Jersey,  who  settled  in  Kansas  in  the  early  territorial  days. 

Mr.  Potter  is  politically  allied  with  Republican  party  and  is  a  supporter 
of  Republican  principles.  He  belongs  to  the  Christian  church,  and  is  fra- 
ternallv  affiliated  with  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America. 


BENJAMIN  F.  SHAW. 


Benjamin  F.  Shaw,  hardware  merchant,  of  Potter,  Kan.,  is  a  native  of 
Atchison  county,  and  is  one  of  Potter's  younger  successful  business  tnen.  He 
was  born  October  11,  1882.  on  a  farm  in  this  county.  He  is  a  son  of  Henry 
and  Martha  (Nelson)  Shaw,  the  former  a  native  of  Roodhouse,  111.,  and 
the  latter  of  Missouri.  Both  parents  are  of  English  ancestry.  Henry  Shaw 
came  to  Kansas  in  1867  when  a  young  man  twenty  years  of  age.  When  he 
came  here  he  had  a  ca.sh  capital  of  about  $100.     He  was  of  a  saving  disposi- 


680  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

tion,  however,  and  it  was  not  long  until  he  became  the  owner  of  a  fine  farm 
of  320  acres  in  Leavenworth  county,  Kansas.  He  is  now  residing  in  Leaven- 
worth, living  on  a  small  farm  of  twenty  acres  within  the  city  limits. 

Benjamin  F.  is  the  fourth  of  six  children  born  to  Henry  and  Martha 
Shaw,  and  is  the  only  son.  He  spent  his  boyhood  days  on  his  father's  farm 
and  attended  the  district  school  in  his  neighborhood,  \^^^en  nineteen  years 
of  age  he  came  to  Potter  and  entered  the  employ  of  L,  M.  Jewell,  in  his  gen- 
eral merchandise  store.  He  began  working  for  a  salary'  of  sixteen  dollars 
per  month.  When  Mr.  Jewell  took  charge  of  the  Potter  State  Bank  as  cash- 
ier, Mr.  Shaw  was  placed  in  charge  of  the  Jewell  lumber  yard  and  furniture 
store.  Shortly  afterward  he  was  enabled  to  purchase  a  half  interest  in  the 
furniture  store.  Within  a  year  he  sold  his  interest  in  the  furniture  business 
and  bought  a  half  interest  in  the  hardware  store  of  J.  C.  Helvey.  Upon  j\Ir. 
Helvey's  death,  three  years  later,  Mr.  Shaw  purchased  his  foi-mer  partner's 
interest,  and  has  since  conducted  the  business  entirely  in  his  own  name,  as  the 
sole  proprietor.  Mr.  Shaw  has  met  with  sig-nal  success  in  his  business  ven- 
ture, and  has  grown  with  the  town  of  Potter.  He  has  increased  the  value  of 
the  hardware  stock  in  his  establishment  from  $2,200  to  over  $7,000.  In 
addition  to  his  business  he  is  the  owner  of  farm  lands  near  the  town  of  Pot- 
ter. This  is  a  considerable  accomplishment  for  a  young  man  who  began  his 
career  with  practically  no  capital,  but  a  willingness  to  do  llie  best  he  could, 
and  endowed  with  plenty  of  energy-  and  intelligence. 

Mr.  Shaw  was  married  in  November  of  1904  to  Miss  Louise  Bessler, 
of  Leavenworth,  Kan.  His  political  affiliations  are  with  the  Democratic 
party,  and  he  is  fraternally  connected  with  the  Modern  W'oodmen  lodge. 


LAWRENCE  GRIFFIN. 


A  review  of  the  life  of  the  late  Lawrence  Griffin,  of  Effingham,  Kan., 
is  the  story  of  a  poor  Irish  lad  who  left  his  native  land,  served  his  adopted 
country  in  the  Civil  war,  became  a  pioneer  in  Kansas,  and  was  a  railroad 
builder  and  successful  farmer,  and  in  the  course  of  years  realized  in  full  his 
boyhood  dream  of  wealth  and  position  in  the  great,  free  land  of  America. 

Lawrence  Griffin  was  born  in  County  Galway,  Ireland,  in  183S.  a  son  of 
poor  Irish  parents.  When  a  boy  in  his  teens  he  immigrated  to  America 
and  joined  his  brother,  Michael,  in  Ohio,  and  there  engaged  in  farm  work  for 
a  living.     He  worked  his  way  westward,  and  at  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  war 


^.  ^yrf^/in' 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  68l 

was  driving  a  stage  coach  out  of  Springfield,  III,  where  he  enlisted  August 
3,  1862,  in  Company  C,  Twenty-seventh  regiment,  Illinois  infantry,  and  served 
until  his  honorable  discharge,  September  20,  1864.  He  fought  in  many  im- 
portant battles,  among  them  being  Belmont,  Mo.,  Union  City,  siege  and  cap- 
ture of  Island  No.  10,  Farmington  Mills,  siege  and  capture  of  Vicksburg, 
Lookout  Mountain,  Mission  Ridge,  and  the  battle  of  Chattanooga.  After  the 
war  he  went  to  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  and  from  that  city  made  his  way  to  Atchison, 
where  he  took  a  contract  under  J.  P.  Brown  for  building  a  portion  of  the 
grade  of  the  Central  Branch  railroad,  at  that  time  under  course  of  construc- 
tion. His  first  job  was  the  grading  of  one  mile  of  road  called  section  20 
in  partnership  with  a  Mr.  Keean.  In  partnership  with  James  Brady  he  then 
graded  two  miles  of  road  near  Wetmore,  Kan.  He  saved  his  money  which 
he  made  from  his  grad.ing  operations  and  in  1867  was  married  and  piuxhased 
a  farm  of  eighty  acres  near  Arrington  on  the  creek  bottoms.  He  was  com- 
pelled to  leave  this  place  after  one  year  on  account  of  ague  and  invested  in 
160  acres  of  land  north  of  Arrington,  which  he  later  sold  and  bought  160  acres 
of  higher  land  four  miles  west  of  Effingham.  This  was  prairie  land  which 
he  at  once  began  to  improve  and  made  into  a  permanent  home  for  his  family. 
He  and  his  wife  first  lived  in  a  small  house  and  were  often  discouraged  and 
faced  failure  many  times,  but  persistence  and  fortitude  finally  won  out  and 
they  became  the  possessors  of  400  acres  of  well  improved  land  on  which  were 
erected  two  sets  of  farm  buildings.  Three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  yet  re- 
main intact  of  the  original  holdings,  which  are  rented  to  tenants.  In  iQoS 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Griffin  left  the  farm  and  purchased  a  handsome  residence  in 
Effingham  where  Mrs.  Griffin  now  resides. 

'Slv.  Griffin  was  married  November  25.  1865,  in  the  old  St.  Benedict's 
Church  in  Atchison,  to  Miss  Ellen  Gallagher,  the  marriage  ceremony  being- 
performed  by  Fatlier  Timothy.  Ten  children  have  blessed  this  union,  as 
follows:  Michael  died  in  infancy;  Martin  Lawrence,  a  farmer  at  Wetmore, 
Kan. ;  Ellen,  wife  of  James  Bergen,  Graham  county,  Kansas ;  Elizabeth,  wife 
of  Michael  Murphy,  Dallas,  Texas ;  Anna,  at  home  with  her  mother ;  Patrick 
Henry,  conducting  a  livery  business  at  Effingham;  John  J.,  cultivating  the 
home  farm ;  Frank,  agent  for  the  Southern  Life  Insurance  Company,  Wichita 
Falls,  Texas;  Walter  L.,  a  traveling  salesman,  Dallas,  Texas,  and  who  grad- 
uated from  the  Atchison  County  High  School,  and  studied  two  years  at  St. 
Benedict's  College ;  James  Ambrose,  also  a  graduate  of  the  Atchison  County 
High  School,  and  now  a  stenographer  in  the  office  with  his  brother  at  Dallas, 
Texas.  The  mother  of  these  children  was  born  September  13,  1850,  at  La 
Salle,  111.,  a  daugliter  of  Martin  and  Anne    (Corcoran)    Gallagher,  both  of 


682  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

whom  were  born  in  Count)-  ]\layo.  Ireland.  Thej-  came  to  this  countr)-  when 
young  and  Mr.  Gallagher  took  up  a  homestead  in  Illinois  and  also  engaged 
in  freighting  from  La  Salle  to  Chicago.  He  died  in  185 1,  and  the  widow, 
accompanied  by  Ellen  and  two  sons,  came  U>  Atchison  county  in  i860  and  made 
their  home  here.  Mrs.  Gallagher  married  again,  her  second  husband  being 
Frank  Cullen,  who  preempted  land  near  Muscotah,  upon  wliich  tlie  family 
moved  from  Atchison  in  1863.  Mr.  Cullen  died  in  1888.  The  mother  of 
Mrs.  Griffin  died  in  1890,  at  the  age  of  sixty-six  years. 

Lawrence  Griffin  was  a  member  of  the  Catholic  church  and  was  always 
a  liberal  contributor  to  the  support  of  that  denomination,  giving  substantially 
in  aid  of  the  building  of  the  Catholic  church  in  Effingham.  While  he  was  a 
rough  and  read^•  type  of  man  who  took  the  world  as  he  found  it.  he  was  very 
moral  and  Ijelieved  in  living  according  to  the  golden  rule.  He  was  \ery 
charitable  to  the  poor  and  worthy  and  was  a  kind  husband,  and  a  loving  and  in- 
dulgent father,  whose  sole  aim  in  amassing  a  comfortable  fortune  was  to  pro- 
vide well  for  his  wife  and  children.     In  this  aim  he  succeeded. 


CHARLES    E.    BARKER. 


Tlie  Xation  owes  a  debt  to  the  veterans  of  the  Civil  war,  who  gave  the 
liest  years  of  their  voung  lives  to  the  defense  of  the  Union,  and  marched 
under  the  star-spangled  lianner  under  tlie  leadership  of  such  lieroes  as  Grant, 
Sherman  and  Sheridan,  which  can  never  1)e  fully  repaid.  The  ranks  of  the 
grand  army  of  brave  and  true  men  who  liave  worn  the  blue  are  gradually 
thiiniing  out,  and  where  once  they  were  numliered  in  liundrcds  and  thousands 
throughout  this  l)road  land,  there  are  now  but  few  in  each  community.  These 
veterans  were  of  the  salt  of  the  earth,  and  no  lietter  type  of  manliood  ever 
trod  the  earth  or  marched  to  the  strains  of  martial  music  than  the  old  guard, 
which  saved  the  Union,  at  the  call  of  Abraham  Lincoln.  Living  on  a  farm, 
in  the  northwest  part  of  Benton  township,  Atchison  county,  Kansas,  is  a  sur- 
vivor of  General  Sherman's  victorious  "march  to  the  sea."  Comrade  Charles 
E.  Barker  gave  three  years  of  his  life  in  tlie  defense  of  the  Union  and  flag, 
and  has  a  war  record  which  has  been  equalled  or  surpassed  by  but  few  men 
who  shouldered  a  musket  to  save  the  Union  from  dissolution. 

Charles  E.  Barker,  well-to-do  farmer,  of  Atchison  county,  Kansas,  was 
born  in  Fulton  county,  Illinois,  April  4,  1842,  a  son  of  John  and  Eleanor 
{  Rutledge)    Barker.     Tlie  father  of  Charles  was  born  in  \^irginia  July  20. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  683 

1786,  and  learned  tlie  blacksmitli's  trade  when  yet  a  boy.  He  migrated  to  Ful- 
ton county.  Illinois,  as  early  as  1826,  and  there  operated  a  blacksmith  shop. 
He  was  twice  married,  his  second  wife  being  Eleanor  Rutledge,  who  bore 
him  three  children:  George  R.,  deceased;  James  Lee,  deceased;  Charles  E. 
The  four  children  by  the  first  marriage  were  Joseph,  John  W.,  Sarah,  and 
Elizabeth,  deceased.  The  mother  of  Charles  E.  was  born  in  Greenbrier  county, 
Virginia.  November  2S,  1801,  and  died  September  3,  1873.  John  Barker  died 
in  Fulton  county,  Illinois,  in  September  of  186 1. 

Charles  E.  Barker  grew  up  on  his  father's  farm,  and  helped  in  the  shop 
and  on  the  farm  until  his  enlistment,  at  the  age  of  twenty  years.  iVt  the 
outbreak  of  the  war  he  barkened  to  Lincoln's  call  for  volunteers  to  quell  the 
rebellion  of  the  Southern  States,  and  went  to  Vermont,  111.,  where  he  en- 
isled in  Company  !•".  One  Hundred  and  third  regiment,  Illinois  infantry, 
August  14.  1862,  under  the  command  of  General  Sherman,  and  Mr. 
Barker  acted  as  commissary  sergeant  in  Tennessee  and  the  South.  He  par- 
ticipated in  the  following  engagements :  Vicksburg,  Mission  Ridge,  Kenesaw 
Mountain.  Resaca.  Ga..  Peachtree  Creek,  Ga.,  Dallas,  Gristleville,  November 
26,  1864.  and  many  others,  his  regiment  being  in  twenty-seven  battles  in  all. 
He  marched  under  Sherman's  banner  from  Atlanta  to  the  sea,  and  then 
marched  in  the  Grand  Review  at  \Vashington.  D.  C.  He  was  honorably  dis- 
charged at  Chicago,  III,  Julv  7,  1865.  He  returned  home  after  his  discharge, 
and  remained  in  Fulton  county.  Illinois,  until  1883.  when  he  disposed  of  his 
holdings  there  and  went  to  Dade  county,  Missouri,  where  he  bought  a  farm. 
He  remained  in  Dade  county  for  several  years,  living-  on  various  farms  which 
he  bought  and  sold.  In  August,  1887,  he  went  to  Furnace  county,  Nebraska, 
and  purchased  a  half  section 'of  land,  to  which  he  added  160  acres  later,  which 
he  sold  in  1903  to  his  .son,  Harry.  On  March  i.  1891,  he  went  to  Brown 
county,  Kansas,  and  h\'ed  there  until  his  removal  to  Atchison  county.  In 
1894  he  came  to  Atchison  county,  Kansas,  and  bought  160  acres  of  land  in 
the  northwest  corner  of  Benton  township.  He  improved  this  farm  and  cul- 
tivated it  with  profit  to  himself.  He  maintains  good  graded  live  stock  on 
his  acreage  and  is  considered  one  of  the  really  successful  agriculturists  of 
the  county.     Nearly  all  of  his  land  is  sown  to  alfalfa  and  grasses. 

On  April  19,  1866,  Mr.  Barker  was  married  to  Maiy  E.  Pontious,  who 
has  Ix)rne  him  six  children,  as  follows :  Leonard,  a  farmer,  of  Norton  county, 
Kansas;  Ira  C  of  (ioiiding,  Idaho;  Harry  F..,  living  in  Brown  county,  Kan- 
sas; William  L.,  a  fanner,  of  Kapioma  township,  .\tchisnn  county.  Kansas; 
Perry,   residing  in   Stanford,   Neb.;  Nora,  deceased.     The  mother  of  these 


684  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

children  was  bom  in  Ohio,  a  daughter  of  Andrew  and  Ann  (Bear)  Pontious, 
natives  of  Germany. 

Mr.  Barker  is  a  Democrat  of  the  old  school,  and  is  a  firm  believer  in 
Democratic  principles.  He  belongs  to  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  Ef- 
fingham Post,  and  numbers  among  the  members  of  this  organization  many 
warm  friends  and  comrades.  He  has  taken  his  place  in  the  community  as  a 
representative  citizen,  who  enjoys  the  respect  and  esteem  of  all  who  knov/ 
him.  He  can  look  back  over  his  three  score  and  thirteen  years  of  life 
vnth  satisfaction  and  realize  with  complacency  that  it  has  been  well  spent,  and 
he  has  accomplished  all  that  any  good  American  could  wish  for  on  this  earth. 


JOHN  E.  SULLIVAN. 


If  a  man  has  the  inherent  ability  and  energy  in  his  makeup  to  enable  him 
to  succeed,  he  is  going  to  do  it.  The  life  stories  of  all  successful,  self-made 
men  bear  out  this  contention,  and  there  are  numberless  instances  of  success 
among  the  younger  generation  in  the  West  which  are  well  \vorth  recounting. 
John  E.  Sullivan,  real  estate  dealer,  loan  and  insurance  agent,  of  Effingham, 
Kansas,  is  a  representative  example  of  the  class  referred  to  in  the  foregoing 
statement.  Mr.  Sullivan  was  destined  to  succeed  in  his  faiTning  and  business 
ventures,  and,  while  a  young  man,  he  has  already  made  his  mark  in  the  world, 
and  is  one  of  the  substantial  and  influential  citizens  of  Atchison  county. 

John  E.  Sullivan  was  bom  on  a  farm,  near  Rulo,  Richardson  county, 
Nebraska,  January  20,  1873.  He  is  a  son  of  Murty  and  Mary  (Rawley) 
Sullivan,  substantial  and  well  respected  citizens  of  Effingham.  The  former 
was  bora  in  Ireland  in  1847,  and  the  latter  is  a  native  of  Canada,  bom  of 
Irish  parents  in  1852.  Murty  Sullivan  left  Ireland  in  1865,  immigrated  to 
America  and  settled  near  Rulo,  Neb.  He  made  his  own  way  in  this  countn% 
and  accumulated  a  large  farm  in  Nebraska,  on  which  he  resided  until  igio, 
when  he  removed  to  Effingham  and  purchased  a  farm  adjoining  the  town  on 
the  south.  Murty  and  Man,'  Sullivan  are  the  parents  of  the  following  chil- 
dren :  James  and  Murty,  Jr.,  living  at  Hardin,  Mont. ;  Daniel  D.,  a  farmer,  of 
Benton  township,  .'\tchison  county,  Kan.:  John  E.,  the  subject  of  this  review; 
Mrs.  John  Vogel,  of  Falls  City.  Neb. ;  Sister  M.  Teresa,  a  sister  of  the  Ursu- 
line  Convent,  of  York,  Neb.,  and  a  teacher  in  St.  .^ngela's  Academy  there. 
The  familv  are  all  members  of  the  Catlnolic  church. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  685 

lohn  E.  received  Ins  primary  education  in  the  common  schools  of  his 
native  county  in  Nebraska,  and  finished  his  education  in  St.  Benedict's  Col- 
lege. Atchison,  Kan.,  graduating  from  the  commercial  department  of  that 
institution  in  1894.  He  then  took  a  special  teachers'  course' at  the  Lincoln, 
Neb.,  Normal  School.  He  taught  school  for  seven  years  in  Richardson 
county,  Nebraska,  and  practically  all  of  his  teaching  was  done  in  two  schools 
of  his  home  county.  Upon  his  marriage  in  1897  he  engaged  in  farming  in 
Nebraska,  and  it  is  a  matter  of  pride  witli  Mr.  Sullivan  that  he  earned  more 
money  in  two  years  of  fanning  operations  than  he  had  in  all  of  liis  seven 
years  of  teaching,  another  reason  why  the  farm  is  the  best  place  for  a 
young  and  ambitious  man  to  make  money.  His  success  as  a  farmer  de- 
termined his  future  career,  and  he  decided  to  stick  to  the  agricultural  country 
for  all  time,  imbued  with  the  belief  that  there  is  money  to  be  earned  in 
farming,  or  in  handling  farm  lands.  He  left  Nebraska  in  December  of  1901, 
and  came  to  Atchison  county,  Kansas,  where  he  purchased  a  farm,  one  and 
one-half  miles  south  of  Effingham,  his  first  farm  being  the  northwest  quar- 
ter of  section'  34-618.  He  is  at  present  the  owner  of  400  acres  of  well 
improved  land  which  is  kept  in  a  high  state  of  cultivation  by  improved 
methods  of  farming.  Mr.  Sullivan  raises  considerable  live  stock  on  his  acre- 
age and  aims  to  feed  all  the  grain  raised  on  the  land  to  live  stock.  He 
specializes  in  Hereford  cattle  and  Poland  China  hogs  and  aims  to  keep  only 
good  grade  of  stock  of  all  kinds.  At  the  time  of  his  purchase  of  the  farm 
land  in  Atchison  county,  the  land  itself  was  in  poor  condition,  and  the  soil 
had  become  impoverished  by  contiinial  cropping  of  a  single  staple.  Through 
the  modern  method  of  crop  rotation  Mr.  Sullivan  is  revivhig  the  fertility  of 
the  soil,  and  at  the  present  time  the  greater  portion  of  his  farm  is  planted  to 
clover  and  grasses,  for  the  purpose  of  renewing  the  strength  of  the  soil,  the 
process  being  assisted  by  the  raising  and  feeding  of  live  stock  on  the  place. 
The  Sullivan  farm  has  splendid  improvements,  which  were  placed  on  it  by 
Mr.  Sullivan,  who  erected  a  modern  eight-room  house  and  a  good  barn.  In 
1907  Mr.  Sullivan  was  induced  ti)  take  up  insurance  work  as  a  side  line,  in 
the  interest  of  a  Nebraska  insurance  company,  and  met  with  great  success 
in  his  new  line  of  work.  He  later  took  up  the  real  estate  business  and  the 
handling  of  loans,  and  has  been  likewise  successful  in  establishing  a  perma- 
nent business  which  requires  his  attention  and  necessitates  an  office  in  Ef- 
fingham. The  Sullivan  real  estate  and  loan  office  is  well  located  in  the 
Farmers  and  Mcrcliants  State  Bank,  of  which  concern  Mr.  Sullivan  served 
as  cashier  and  a  director  for  several  years. 


686  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

He  was  married  February  i6,  1897,  '0  Mary  Majerns,  a  native  born  res- 
ident of  Richardson  county,  Nebraska,  and  a  daughter  of  Jacob  and  Eliza- 
beth (Wilker)  Majerus,  the  former  a  native  of  Germany,  and  the  latter  of 
Ohio,  of  German  parents.  Seven  children  have  blessed  this  union,  namely: 
P.  Justin,  aged  seventeen,  and  a  student  of  St.  Benedict's  College,  class  of 
1916;  Leo,  aged  thirteen  years:  Nellie,  ten  years  old;  Elizabeth,  aged  eight; 
Edward,  six  years  old;  Agnes,  three  years  of  age;  and  Mary,  born  January 

28,  1915.  ■  .  .  .  . 

Mr.  Sullivan  is  a  Democrat  who  takes  an  active  and  influential  part  in 
the  affairs  of  his  party  in  Atchison  county,  having  been  the  candidate  of  the 
party  for  county  treasurer  in  1914.  He  is  fraternally  affiliated  with  the 
Modern  Woodmen,  of  Effingham,  the  Knights  of  Columbus,  of  Atchison, 
and  the  Central  Protective  Association. 


SAMUEL  L.  LOYD. 


Samuel  L.  Loyd,  an  enterprising  and  successful  farmer,  of  Shannon 
township,  ^\•?ls  born  June  11,  i860,  in  Brown  ccnmty.  Ohio,  a  son  of  Thomas 
F.  and  Celina  (McGinness)  Loyd,  natives  of  Kentucky  and  Ohio,  respectively. 
His  ])atemal  ancestors  were  of  ^^'elsh  extraction.  William  Loyd.  grandfather 
of  Samuel  Loyd,  after  making  a  home  for  Iiis  family  in  this  country,  started 
on  a  return  trip  to  his  native  land,  in  order  to  secure  a  legacy  which  liad 
been  willed  to  him  by  a  deceased  relative,  and  on  the  way  was  afflicted  with 
cholera,  and  died.  With  his  death,  practically  all  knowledge  of  the  family  in 
tlie  old  countr}'  passed  away,  and  his  widow  and  two  children  were  left  to 
get  along  as  best  ihev  could.  Two  years  later  tlie  widow  died.  Thomas 
F.  Loyd  was  reared  by  a  Mr.  Boyd,  and  removed  from  Kentucky  to  Brown 
county,  Ohio,  when  he  became  of  age,  and  there  married  Celina  McGinness. 
About  1865  he  set  out  for  the  western  country  to  obtain  cheaper  land,  and 
make  a  permanent  home  for  his  family,  .\fter  Hying  for  one  year  in  Clark 
county,  Missouri,  he  loaded  his  effects  on  a  covered  wagon,  and  with  his 
wife  and  children  crossed  the  the  Missouri  river  at  St.  Joseph,  and  settled  on 
a  farm  in  Doniphan  county,  Kansas,  April  14,  1866.  ■  Thomas  F.  Loyd  was 
a  member  of  ihe  Home  Guard  in  Brown  county,  Ohio,  during  the  Civil  war. 
He  was  born  in  1825,  and  died  in  1910.  His  wife,  Celina,  was  bom  in  1829, 
an<l  ilicd  in  11)06.     Tliev  were  the  parents  of  ten  children,  seven  of  whom  are 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  687 

living:     William.    Mollie.    deceased.    Charles,    deceased,    Samuel    L.,    Anna. 
George,  Effie,  Otis,  Oscar,  and  Celina,  deceased. 

Samuel  L.  Loyd  was  six  years  of  age  when  his  parents  located  in  Doni- 
phan county,  and  consequently  knows  a  great  deal  about  the  early  days  in 
Kansas,  and  the  struggles  of  the  early  settlers  to  make  homes  on  the  prairie. 
He  was  brought  up  on  the  farm,  and  attended  tlie  district  school  when  pos- 
sible, and  learned  very  early  in  life  to  do  farm  work.  After  his  marriage 
he  farmed  in  Doniphan  county  until  1899,  when  he  came  to  Shannon  town- 
ship in  Atchison  county,  and  purchased  160  acres  of  fine  land,  which  he  has 
brought  to  a  higli  state  of  cultivation.  During  his  sixteen  years  of  residence 
here  lie  lias  improxed  his  farm  to  a  consideralile  extent,  and  has  spent  over 
$5,000  in  the  erection  of  a  handsome  Ijrick  residence  which  sets  far  back  on  a 
rise  of  ground  and  is  reached  from  the  higiiway  by  a  private  driveway.  Other 
improvements  on  the  place  in  the  way  of  buildings  and  fences  have  cost  him 
over  $1,500.  A  severe  stonn,  which  swept  this  section  May  3,  1903.  did 
damage  to  the  extent  of  over  $500  to  his  Iniildings.  and  lie  found  it  necessary 
to  repair  all  of  this. 

Mr.  Loyd  was  married  September  2,  1896,  to  Miss  Lulu  \'oelker.  born 
and  brought  up  in  Atchison  county,  a  few  miles  north  of  the  city  of  Atch- 
ison. To  this  union  five  children  have  been  born:  Myrtle  Ceina.  Edna  Lula, 
rad  \oelker,  a  weaitiiy  and  pniminent  farmer  residing  on  one  of  the  finest 
good  educations  by  their  ambitious  parents.  ]\Irs.  Loyd  is  a  sister  of  Con- 
rad Voelker.  a  wealthy  and  prominent  farmer  residing  on  on.e  of  the  finest 
farms  in  llie  county,  alxiut  four  miles  north  of  .Atchison,  and  who 
earned  tlie  title  of  "Cabbage  King"  of  Kansas,  because  of  his  wonder- 
ful success  in  growing  that  vegetable  some  years  ago.  Mrs.  -Loyd 
was  Ijorn  July  14.  1872,  and  is  a  daughter  of  Karl  \'oelkcr.  who  immigrated 
to  this  country  from  Germany  in  186 1,  and  operated  a  dairy  and  truck  farm 
in  Shannon  township  for  several  years.  The  mother  of  Mrs.  Loyd  was 
Christina  Neuhaus,  of  German  parents.  Further  details  of  the  history  of  the 
Voelker  family  are  found  elsewhere  in  this  volume.  Conrad  M..  a  nephew 
of  Mrs.  Loyd,  is'  county  clerk  of  Atchison  county. 

Mr.  Loyd  is  a  Republican,  but  gives  little  or  no  attention  to  political 
affairs,  other  than  to  vote  as  his  conscience  dictates.  He  is  affiliated  with 
the  Central  Protective  Association,  and  is  a  memljer  of  (lood  Intent  lodge, 
of  Shannon  township.  While  Mrs.  Loyd  was  reared  in  the  Lutheran  faith, 
the  members  of  the  Loyd  family  attend  the  Methodist  church,  b'or  a  man 
who  was  forced  to  make  his  own  way  in  the  world,  Mr.  Loyd,  with  the 


688  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

assistance  of  his  faithful  wife,  has  accomplished  a  great  deal,  for  whicli  he 
deserves  credit  and  honor  among  his  neighlxirs. 


JULIUS  KAAZ. 


The  life  storj'  of  Julius  Kaaz,  founder  and  proprietor  of  tlie  manufac- 
turing concern  which  bears  his  name,  is  an  account  of  the  achievements  of 
a  self-made  man  who  left  his  native  land  to  seek  opportunity  and  fortune 
in  Atchison,  and  found  it.  During  the  period  of  thirty-four  years  of  his  life 
which  has  been  spent  in  his  adopted  city,  Mr.  Kaaz  has  succeeded  even  beyond 
his  expectations  and  has  made  a  place  for  himself  an  enviable  one  in  the  city. 
He  arrived  in  Atchison  in  1881  without  a  dollar,  but  endowed  with  a  willing- 
ness to  do  whatever  came  to  hand,  imbued  with  a  desire  to  succeed  where  the 
opportunity  awaited  him.  The  Julius  Kaaz  Manufacturing  Companv  is  a 
monument  to  his  industry  and  ambition.  This  is  one  of  the  thriving  and 
important  establishments  in  the  city  of  Atchison,  and  is  widely  known  as  one 
of  the  city's  leading  industries.  The  extensive  plant  covers  two  floors  of  a 
building,  52x130  feet,  and  from  eighteen  to  twenty  men  are  employed  in 
the  mill  proper,  and  from  five  to  thirty-five  men  are  given  employment  at 
outside  work.  The  factory  is  conveniently  located  at  1200-1208  Main  street 
and  is  fully  equipped  with  all  modern  machinery  to  facilitate  the  manufac- 
ture of  the  high  grade  products  which  consist  principally  of  bank,  church 
and  store  fixtures,  made  to  the  order  of  the  purchaser.  An  example  of  the 
high  grade  work  turned  out  by  the  Kaaz  plant  can  be  seen  in  the  interior 
fixings  and  furniture  of  the  German-American  State  Bank  of  Atchison.  Mr. 
Kaaz  ships  his  output  to  Kansas  and  Nebraska  cities  and  all  parts  of  the 
United  States,  and  it  is  unsurpassed  in  quality  and  finish. 

Julius  Kaaz  was  bom  March  26.  1854,  in  Prussia,  German  Empire,  a 
son  of  Daniel  and  Christina  (Schroeder)  Kaaz.  who  were  the  parents  of  four 
children :  Willielmina  Loeproeck,  a  widow  residing  in  Atchison  countv ;  Ern- 
est, Atchison ;  Mrs.  Christina  Schmeling,  deceased ;  Julius,  the  youngest  of  the 
family.  Daniel  Kaaz  was  a  carpenter  by  trade  and  came  to  Atchison  from 
Gennany  with  his  family  in  1881.  He  resided  with  his  son  Julius  upon  his 
retirement  from  active  labor  until  his  death  in  1902.  His  wife.  ChrLstina. 
was  bom  in  1821,  and  died  in  1895. 

Julius  Kaaz  attended  the  schools  of  his  native  land  and  studied  archi- 
tecture.    He  learned  the  trade  of  carpenter  under  his  father,  but  could  not 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  689 

content  himself  to  settle  down  in  his  native  land  and  follow  in  the  footsteps 
of  his  forebears.  When  still  a  voung  man  the  germ  of  ambition  called  him  to 
other  lands,  and  his  goal  was  America.  His  desire  to  better  his  condition  led 
him  to  set  sail  for  this  counti-y  in  1881,  arriving  in  Atchison,  where  he  at  once 
sought  employment.  His  first  work  was  cutting  cordwood  in  the  timber  land, 
south  of  the  city,  during  the  winter,  and  in  the  spring  of  the  following  year 
he  worked  on  the  Missouri  river,  making  and  placing  riprap.  Soon  afterward 
he  was  gi\en  a  jcb  working  at  his  trade  for  $1.50  per  day.  For  one  year  he 
worked  for  wages,  and  at  length  decided  to  embark  in  business  for  himself  and 
began  taking  contracts  at  a  time  when  he  had  no  capital  worth  speaking  of.  It 
was  even  necessary  for  him  to  borrow  the  saw  and  hammer  which  be  used  in 
his  work.  In  1885  be  formed  a  partnership  with  Henry  Braun  in  the  contract- 
ing business  which  continued  until  1909,  when  they  dissolved  partnersliip.  In 
1907  Mr.  Kaaz  erected  his  first  planing  mill  which  has  grown  into  his  pres- 
ent extensive  establishment  consisting  of  plant,  yards  and  warerooms. 

He  was  married  to  Ida  Schmeling  in  1883,  and  to  this  union  have  been 
born  nine  children,  as  follows:  Emil,  Lena,  Robert,  Lydia,  Julius  E.,  Otto, 
Fred,  Arthur,  Martha.  Of  these  children  Martha  is  deceased,  Lydia  is  her 
father's  secretary,  Fred  is  also  employed  in  the  office,  and  Otto  H.  is  employed 
in  the  mill.  Mrs.  Kaaz  was  born  September  6,  1856,  in  Prussia,  German  Em- 
pire, and  is  a  daughter  of  August  and  Ernestine  fPolzien)  Schmeling.  She 
left  her  native  land  when  sixteen  years  of  age  and  came  to  Atchison. 

Mr.  Kaaz,  while,  politically  allied  with  the  Republican  party,  is  an  inde- 
pendent voter  who  believes  in  voting  for  the  individual  who  seems  to  lie  most 
capable  of  serving  the  people,  rather  than  supporting  an  avowed  politician. 
He  and  the  members  of  his  family  are  affiliated  with  the  German  Lutheran 
church  and  are  liberal  supporters  of  this  denomination. 


GEORGE  \V.  REDMOND,  M.  D. 

A  greater  service  in  behalf  of  mankind  than  a  life  devoted  to  healing  the 
sick  and  curing  the  halt  and  the  lame  can  not  be  considered,  and  when  this 
service  has  been  rendered  far  from  the  comforts  of  the  city  and  during  the 
storms  of  many  seasons  in  the  open  country  from  the  pioneer  era  in  Kansas 
down  to  the  present  time,  the  value  of  such  service  to  humanity  is  inestimable. 
The  unsung  heroes  of  the  medical  fraternity  are  the  large  class  of  country 

44 


690  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY 

practitioners  who  go  their  way  year  after  year,  uncomplainingly  and  satis- 
fied with  the  good  the}-  are  doing  for  their  fellow'  creatures.  Great  fortune 
is  not  theirs,  but  the  inevitable  reward  and  the  satisfaction  of  a  task  well  and 
faithfully  done  is  theirs  to  ha\e.  Of  this  great  class  the  biographer  is  pleased 
to  record  the  facts  concerning  the  life  and  career  of  George  W.  Redmond,  the 
second  oldest  physician  in  Atchison  county,  and  one  of  the  oldest  medical 
men  in  Kansas.  For  nearly  half  a  century  Dr.  Redmond  has  practiced  his 
profession  among  the  tillers  of  the  soil  in  the  neighlKjrhood  of  Potter,  and 
the  southeastern  part  of  Atchison  county,  and  in  the  northeast  part  of  Leaven- 
worth county,  Kansas.  During  all  this  time  he  has  remained  true  to  his 
calling,  and  resisted  the  call  of  the  towns  and  cities,  where  an  easier  life 
might  be  lived.  He  has  likewise  progressed  with  the  profession  and  en- 
deavored to  keep  abreast  of  the  wonderful  developments  in  the  science  of 
medicine,  arriving  at  the  point  in  his  career  where  he  is  a  specialist  in  his 
profession. 

Dr.  George  W.  Rechiioiul  was  liorn  in  Bourbon  county,  Kentucky.  October 
19,  1849,  3  son  of  Oscar  Redmond  and  Susan  (Orr)  Redmond,  the  fonncr  a 
native  of  Bourbon  county,  and  the  latter  a  native  of  Nicholas  county,  Ken- 
tucky. Both  were  bom  in  the  same  year,  1820,  and  the  mother  of  Dr.  Red- 
mond was  a  daughter  of  William  Orr,  a  captain  in  the  American  army  in  the 
War  of  18 1 2.  William  migrated  to  Kentucky  from  Pennsylvania  shortly 
after  peace  was  declared  between  England  and  the  United  States,  and  was 
one  of  the  pioneers  of  that  State.  Oscar  F.  Redmond,  father  of  George  W., 
was  a  son  of  William  Redmond,  was  also  one  of  the  pioneers  in  the  settle- 
ment of  old  Kentucky.  Both  the  Orr  and  Redmond  families  were  of  tliat 
sturdy  Scotch  Presbyterian  stock,  who  were  prominent  in  the  early  history 
of  Kentucky,  and  were  noted  as  true  pioneers  in  several  of  the  middle 
Western  States.  Oscar  F.  Redmond  was  a  farmer  in  Kentucky,  and  reared 
a  family  of  twelve  children,  of  whom  George  W.  was  the  fourth  child.  In 
1856  the  Redmond  family  remo\ed  to  Cooper  county,  Missouri,  where  they 
remained  until  1858,  and  then  settled  in  Platte  county,  Missouri,  where  the 
father  made  a  permanent  home  for  many  years,  afterwards  ending  his  days 
in  Muscotah,  Atchison  county,  Kansas.  The  mother  of  Dr.  Redmond  died 
in  Kansas  City  in  1892. 

When  the  Redmond  family  left  Kentucky,  George  W.  was  five  years 
of  age.  He  received  liis  primary  education  in  the  district  schools  of  Platte 
county,  Missouri,  and  graduated  from  the  Gaylord  Institute,  after  which  he 
began  the  study  of  medicine  with  his  uncle.  Dr.  H.  B.  Redmond,  in  Saline 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  69I 

county,  Missouri,  with  whom  he  studied  one  year.  He  then  entered  the  St. 
Louis  Me(h"cal  College,  of  St.  Louis,  Mu.,  completed  tiie  prescribed  two-vears' 
course,  and  graduated  therefrom  in  1869.  While  trying  to  decide  upon  a 
location,  and  almost  having  his  mind  set  upon  a  city  location,  he  recei\ed 
a  letter  from  his  sister,  Mrs.  Samuel  E.  King,  in  Atchison  county,  informing 
him  that  Dr.  John  Parsons,  of  Mt.  Pleasant,  was  in  need  of  a  young  assistant 
and  partner,  and  he  could  have  the  place  if  he  came  to  Kansas.  This  letter 
decided  his  course,  and  he  came  at  once  to  Atchison  county  and  began  his 
practice  with  Dr.  Parsons.  At  this  period  Mt.  Pleasant  was  an  important 
inland  town,  but  it  has  long  since  passed  into  the  realm  of  "disappeared  cities." 
Dr.  Redmond  remained  in  Mt.  Pleasant  a  little  over  two  years,  and  then 
located  in  Oak  Mills,  where  he  owned  a  farm,  and  l^uilt  up  an  enormous  med- 
ical practice  in  tlie  village  and  surrounding  countryside.  He  jjvacticed  in  Oak- 
Mills  for  thirty  years,  although  prevailed  upon  by  his  many  admirers  in  Atch- 
ison to  remove  to  the  larger  city  and  open  an  office.  During  the  winter  of 
1903  and  1904  he  pursued  a  post-graduate  course  in  the  post-graduate 
school  of  Chicago,  and  upon  his  return  to  Kansas,  in  the  spring  of  1904,  he 
located  in  Potter,  Atchison  county.  Of  late  years  Dr.  Redmond  has  become 
a  specialist  in  the  diseases  of  women,  and  it  is  in  this  branch  of  practice  that 
he  is  achieving  his  greatest  successes.  Obstetrics  has  long  been  his  specialty, 
and  he  undoubtedly  holds  the  record  in  Kansas  for  the  number  of  successful 
confinement  cases  at  which  he  has  officiated,  and  it  can  be  said  of  him,  that 
in  all  of  his  many  years  of  practice  he  has  never  lost  a  confinement  case, 
although  there  have  been  times  in  his  career  when  he  has  had  three  and  four 
cases  of  this  character  in  one  day. 

Dr.  Redmond  has  been  twice  married,  his  first  marriage  occurring  in 
1874  with  Anna  Douglass,  a  daughter  of  J.  M.  and  Sarah  Douglass,  who 
were  among  the  earliest  of  the  Atchison  county  pioneers.  Four  children 
blessed  this  union  :  Ethel,  of  Leavenworth,  Kan. :  Edith,  wife  of  Charles  Mun- 
.ger.  of  Atchison  county.  Kansas;  Virginia,  living  in  Leavenworth.  Kan.; 
Georgia  Redmond,  also  residing  in  Leavenworth.  Dr.  Redmond's  second 
marriage  took  place  in  1906  with  Carrie  A.  Sprong,  a  daughter  of  D.  H. 
Sprong,  an  early  pioneer  settler  of  Kansas,  a  sketch  of  whom  appears  in  this 
volume. 

While  Dr.  Redmond  is  a  Democrat  in  politics,  he  has  never  found  the 
time  to  take  an  active  part  in  political  affairs.  For  the  past  thirty-five  vears 
he  has  been  a  contributor  to  various  medical  journals,  among  them  being  the 
Medical  World,  of  Philadelphia,  one  of  the  oldest  and  most  widelv  read  med- 


6g2  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

ical  publications  in  the  United  States.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Atchison 
County  Medical  Society,  the  Kansas  State  Medical  Society,  and  the  American 
Medical  Association,  and  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  county  society  in 
1869.  and  is  the  only  surviving  original  member  of  the  society.  He  is  a 
member  of  Kickapoo  Lodge.  No.  4,  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons. 


FREDERICK  W.  LINCOLN. 

From  small  beginnings  larger  things  very  often  naturally  grow.  The 
candy  and  soft  drink  manufactory  of  Frederick  \\'.  Lincoln  on  South  Fifth 
street,  Atchison,  had  its  inception  in  a  very  modest  beginning.  In  fact,  Mr. 
Lincoln  first  began  manufacturing  his  fine  candies  at  his  residence,  corner  of 
Seventh  and  S  streets,  but  the  constant  growth  of  the  concern  soon  required 
larger  quarters,  and  his  present  factory,  erected  in  1893,  is  the  result  of  his 
enterprise,  a  building  20x60  feet  in  extent,  with  the  basement  in  use. 
He  employs  ten  people  the  year  round,  and  is  his  own  traveling  salesman, 
his  son,  Edward,  having  charge  of  the  business  during  his  father's  absence  on 
the  road.  The  products  of  the  Lincoln  factory  are  in  demand,  and  are  noted 
for  their  excellency.  In  191 2  the  manufacture  of  soda  and  soft  drinks  was 
added  to  supplv  a  demand  in  Atchison  and  the  surrounding  territory.  The 
manufactured  goods  of  the  Lincoln  factory  are  distributed  to  all  points  in 
Kansas  and  western  Missouri. 

Frederick  ^^'.  Lincoln  was  born  in  England  January  29,  1852,  a  son  of 
Edmund  B.  and  Jane  (Barrell)  Lincoln,  the  father  being  born  in  Norfolk, 
Intwood  county,  England,  and  the  mother  being  a  native  of  County  Cling- 
ford,  England.  They  were  the  parents  of  four  children :  Edward,  a  veteran 
of  the  Civil  war,  and  inmate  of  the  National  Soldiers'  Home  at  Sandusky, 
Ohio;  Mrs.  Mary  King,  of  Michigan;  Mrs.  Emily  S.  Moffit,  deceased;  Fred- 
erick W..  with  whom  this  review  is  directly  concerned,  and  who  was  reared 
bv  an  uncle,  ATr.  Barrell,  who  taught  him  the  baker's  trade.  The  Lincoln 
family  immigrated  to  .\merica  in  1853,  and  settled  in  Ohio,  where  Fred- 
erick was  reared  to  manhood  in  the  home  of  his  uncle.  He  worked  at  his 
trade  of  baker  until  1875,  when  he  came  to  Atchison,  and  was  employed  in 
tlie  hardware  store  of  W.  W.  Marlborough  for  a  few  years,  after  which  he 
worked  in  a  candy  shop  for  W.  B.  Howe,  who  taught  him  the  candy  maker's 
trade,     .\bnut   i88o  be  embarked  in  the  manufacture  of  candies  with  T.  L. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  693 

W'liite.  with  whom  he  was  associated  for  a  short  time,  and  e\enUially  engaged 
in  business  for  himself,  starting  in  his  home,  making  a  \-ery  modest  begin- 
ning. His  first  shop  was  near  his  residence,  but  the  business  soon  outgrew 
the  demands  made  upon  the  Httle  shop,  and  larger  quarters  soon  became 
necessary.  The  business  is  the  direct  outcome  of  the  persistence,  integrity 
and  industry  of  the  proprietor,  and  the  future  of  this  flourishing  concern 
is  bright  with  promise,  as  the  years  see  it  extend  its  natural  field,  and  it 
achieves  a  natural  and  deserving  growth. 

Mr.  Lincoln  was  married  January  26,  1879,  to  Laura  A\erill,  born  July 
20,  at  Cooper,  Maine,  a  daugliter  of  Joseph  and  Julia  A.  (Whitney)  Averill, 
natives  of  England  and  Scotland  respectively.  Mrs.  Lincoln  came  to  Atch- 
ison with  her  mother  and  resided  with  her  stepfather  and  mother  until  her 
marriage  with  Mr.  Lincoln.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lincoln  have  Ijeen  born  the 
following  children:  !Mrs.  Leona  Andrews,  of  Atchison;  Edward  E.,  born 
May  II,  1883,  educated  m  the  public  and  high  schools  of  Atchison  and 
brought  up  with  his  father  in  the  business,  married  in  1905  to  Freda  Spatz, 
w'ho  was  born  November  9,  1896,  in  Atchison,  a  daughter  of  Jacob  and  Jose- 
phine (Latenser)  Spatz,  natives  of  Germany  and  St.  Joseph,  Mo.,  re- 
spectively :  the  third  child  being  Frank,  a  machinist,  employed  at  Horton,  Kan. 

Mr.  Lincoln  is  a  Republican,  and  is  fraternally  allied  with  the  Ancient 
Order  of  L^nited  Workmen,  the  United  Commercial  Travelers,  and  the 
Modern  Woodmen  of  America.  He  and  the  members  of  his  family  belong 
to  the  Christian  church.  Mr.  Lincoln's  career  is  an  exemplification  of  the 
adage,  "Success  never  comes  to  him  who  waits,"  and  his  standing  in  tiie 
commercial  life  of  Atchison  today  is  due  to  the  fact  that  he  made  his  oppor- 
tunity and  is  justly  entitled  to  proper  recognition  as  one  of  the  city's  leailing 
factors. 


JOHN  C.   VALENTINE. 


John  C.  Valentine,  owner  and  proprietor  of  the  Northern  Kansas  Tele- 
phone Company  of  Effingham,  for  more  than  forty  years  has  been  a  resi- 
dent of  Atcliisnii  county.  The  Northern  Kansas  Telephone  Company,  of 
which  he  is  the  head,  was  organized  in  1903  as  a  coo])erati\'e  concern,  but 
is  now  owned  and  operated  by  Mr.  Valentine  and  his  son,  A.  G.  Valentine. 
The  lines  of  the  company  cover  a  section  of  country  within  a  radius  of  six  to 
ten  miles  of  Effingham.     Twenty-six  lines  are  supplied  with  good  service, 


694  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

and  the  company  has  over  435  subscribers  at  the  present  time.  The  plant 
is  well  equipped  and  is  noted  for  the  excellent  service  given  the  patrons. 

John  C.  \'alenline  is  a  native  of  Dearborn  county.  In(Hana.  and  was  liorn 
in  the  Hoosier  State  July  28,  1845.  a  son  of  George  and  Sarah  (Comforth) 
Valentine.  His  father  was  born  in  New  Jersey,  and  accompanied  his  parents 
to  the  IMiddle  W^'est,  locating  in  Cincinnati  when  George  was  a  child.  He  was 
reared  in  Cincinnati,  and  later  settled  in  Indiana.  His  mother  was  the  daugh- 
ter of  pioneer  stock  of  English  descent,  and  was  connected  with  the  Eubanks 
familv.  which  figured  in  the  early  history  of  Indiana.  Sarah  Valentine  died 
in  1863,  and  George  married  again,  after  which  he  settled  in  Illinois,  and  died 
near  Xenia,  that  State.  He  was  a  soldier  in  the  Civil  war,  and  served  in  an 
Ohio  cavalry  regiment  throughout  the  conflict.  John  C.  Valentine  enlisted 
in  the  134th  regiment,  Indiana  infantry,  in  the  spring  of  1864,  and  served 
until  his  lionorable  discharge  in  the  fall  of  tlie  same  year.  His  health  be- 
came poor  while  serving  in  Tennessee,  and  he  was  transferred  to  Louisville, 
Ky.,  and  sent  home  from  that  city.  He  was  kept  on  the  reserve  force  while 
serving  in  .Alabama,  and  was  in  the  breastworks  at  Decatur,  Ala.  At  this 
place  he  was  exposed  to  a  hot  fire,  and  recalls  that  it  was  a  very  uncomfort- 
able place  in  which  to  be.  During  the  winter  of  1866  he  taught  school  in 
Decatur  count}-.  Indiana.  He  remained  at  home  with  an  uncle.  William  Saw- 
don,  at  Aurora.  Ind.,  after  returning  from  the  wlar,  until  September,  1867, 
at  which  time  lie  went  to  Ft.  Madison,  Iowa,  and  there  met  some  friends. 
He  worked  on  farms  in  the  neighborhood  until  Christmas  of  that  year,  and 
then  left  for  Kansas,  arriving  at  Leavenworth  January  i,   1868. 

During  his  first  year  in  Kansas  he  broke  prairie  land  for  a  living;  the 
next  year  he  sold  sewing  machines,  and  made  good  at  that  avocation ;  the 
second  year,  winter  of  1868-69.  '^^  taught  school  in  Leavenworth  county,  and 
two  years  after  coming  to  this  State  he  was  married.  He  and  his  brnt'.ier. 
Charles,  broke  prairie  with  their  two  teams  in  Jeffer.son  county,  and  for  four 
years  after  his  marriage,  Mr.  Valentine  had  great  success  in  farming  in  that 
county,  raising  immense  crops  of  wheat.  In  the  year  1874  he  came  to  .Atch- 
ison county  and  settled  on  a  farm  four  miles  northwest  of  Effingham  on 
the  soutli  side  of  the  Parrallel  road.  He  at  first  bought  a  tract  of  eighty 
acres  and  erected  a  small  house  on  his  land,  erecting  otlier  buildings  as  he 
was  able.  Mr.  Valentine  has  prospered  in  the  years  following  his  first  pur- 
chase of  land  in  this  county,  and  he  and  his  son  now  own  a  total  of  200  acres 
of  well  improved  land.  He  resided  on  the  farm  until  January  of  1806.  then 
turned  over  the  farm  to  the  management  of  his  son,  and  came  to  Effingham. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  695 

For  ten  years  following'  he  traveled  as  salesman,  and  in  1905  engaged  in  the 
telc];hiinc  Im-iness  hy  the  jnirchase  of  the  cooperatix'e  compan\-  which 
formerly  owned  the  lines  he  is  now  operating. 

Mr.  "V^alentine  was  married  April  7,  1870,  to  Miss  Lena  Smith,  of  John- 
son county.  Kansas,  who  was  l)orn  in  1855.  The  children  born  to  this  union 
are:  Albert  G..  on  the  home  farm,  married  Alice  Frame,  and  is  the  father  of 
one  son  and  five  daughters;  Mrs.  Mattie  Stevenson,  of  near  Beloit,  Kan.;  Ed- 
ward died  at  the  age  of  twenty-two  _\-ears.  and  Robert  died  at  the  age  of 
thirteen  years. 

Mr.  Valentine  is  a  Republican  in  politics,  and  has  always  remained  loyal 
and  steadfast  to  the  party  of  Abraham  Lincoln.  He  has  served  as  city  coun- 
cilman and  mayor  of  Effingham.  He  is  an  Odd  Fellow,  and  a  member  of 
the  Grand  Army  Post.  No.  176,  Effingham. 


GUSTAVE  STUTZ. 


Gustave  Stutz.  fanner  and  stockman,  of  Atchison  county.  Kan.,  was 
born  April  20,  1867.  in  Lancaster  township,  this  county,  and  is  the  son 
of  Christian  and  Katherine  (Schweitzer)  Stutz.  Seven  children  were  born 
to  them,  as  follows:  Caroline  (Demel),  of  Central  City,  Neb.;  Katherine 
(Wilkins),  Atchison,  Kan.:  Frederick,  policeman,  Atchison,  Kan.:  Christo- 
pher \\\.  Center  township.  Atchison  county:  Gustave.  subject  of  this  sketch; 
John.  Center  township:  and  one  child  died  in  infancy.  The  father  of  Gustave 
Stutz  was  bom  March  25,  1825,  in  German}'.  He  left  there  in  1853,  and  set- 
tled in  Jackson  county,  Missouri,  and  in  1859  came  to  .\tchison  count}', 
where  he  bought  eighty  acres  of  land  in  Lancaster  towliship.  The  land  was 
timber  and  prairie  country,  and  he  employed  a  man  to  break  it  up  with 
oxen.  Mr.  Stutz  made  extensive  improvements  on  his  farm,  and  added  more 
land  from  time  to  time.  When  he  died.  December  28.  7  8q8.  he  owned  380 
acres  of  land.  The  mother  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  in  Ger- 
many, in  February,  1829.  She  died  in  Lancaster  township  in  December.  1888. 
She  is  buried  in  Maple  Grove  cemetery. 

Gustave  Stutz  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm  and  attended  the  ])ul)!ic 
schools  of  Lancaster.  Tn  1893  he  rented  a  farm  from  his  father  for  a  year, 
and  then  bought  160  acres  in  Center  township.  Five  years  later  he  sold  that 
and  bought  eighty  acres  near  the  Madison  school  house.     Having  made  a 


696  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

number  of  improvements,  he  sold  this  farm  and  bought  the  present  one  of 
160  acres.  When  he  took  this  land  there  were  only  a  few  ramshackle  build- 
ings on  it,  but  he  has  made  it  one  of  the  most  modern  farms  in  the  State. 
He  built  a  large  seven-room  house  at  a  cost  of  $4,500,  which  is  fitted  with  all 
modem  conveniences,  including  hot  and  cold  water,  electric  lights,  bath,  and 
a  basement  fitted  up  as  a  laundry.  The  house  is  lighted  by  electricitv,  which 
is  generated  from  a  private  plant  located  on  the  farm.  ^Ir.  Stutz  was  the 
first  to  install  one  in  Atchison  county.  In  191J  he  built  a  barn,  5.2X-I-6 
feet,  for  general  purposes.  'Sir.  Stutz  is  a  Ijreeder  of  Sliorthorn  cat- 
tle and  takes  great  pride  in  his  herd.  He  has  a  herd  of  thirty  fine  Shorthorn 
cattle,  including  four  pure  breds,  and  has  been  gradually  improving  his  herd 
for  the  purpose  of  embarking  in  the  business  of  breeding  Shorthorns  for  the 
trade.  He  is  a  stockholder  in  the  Independent  Harvester  Company,  of  Piano, 
111.  He  is  a  Democrat  in  politics,  and  was  for  a  time  road  supervisor  of  Lan- 
caster township. 

Mr.  Stutz  was  married  October  10,  1893,  to  Margaret  Waltz,  who  was 
born  April  30,  1875,  in  Shannon  township,  Atchison  county.  She  is  a  daugh- 
ter of  Charles  and  Margaret  (Diesback)  Walz,  both  natives  of  Germany. 
The  father  died  February  4,  1890.  at  the  age  of  sixty-two.  He  immigrated 
from  Germany  in  1847.  The  mother  is  living  in  Atchison  county.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Stutz  are  the  parents  of  three  children:  Albert,  born  June  2,  1895;  Ed- 
ward, born  January  3,  1898,  and  Pearl,  born  June  24,  1899,  all  living  at 
home.  Mr.  Stutz  attends  the  Presbyterian  church,  and  is  a  member  of  the 
Independent  Order  Odd  Fellows. 


THOMAS  O.  PLUMMER. 


There  is  some  distinction  in  being  a  pit^nee*-  in  the  State  of  Kansas,  and 
there  is  certainly  considerable  distinction  coming  to  the  man  who  can  justly 
lav  claim  to  licing  the  first  white  child  born  of  pioneer  ])arents  in  a  component 
part  of  a  great  county  like  Atchison.  Thomas  O.  Plummer,  p-osperous 
farmer  and  stockman  of  Grasshopper  township,  Atchison  county,  is  the  first 
white  child  born  within  the  borders  of  his  township,  and  has  lived  all  of  his 
fifty-nine  years  within  the  borders  of  the  township. 

T.  O.  Plummer  was  born  December  6,  1857.  a  son  of  Leven  Vincent  and 
Matilda  (Norman)  Plummer.  both  of  whom  were  born  in  Kentucky.  Leven 
\''incent  was  a  son  of  Lewis  Plunimir.  a  native  of  (iermanv.  who  immigrated 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  697 

to  America  when  quite  young  and  married  a  Miss  Vincent  in  Kentucky. 
She  (his  wife)  was  a  daughter  of  Enghsli  parents  and  was  a  large  woman. 
The  fact  that  her  descendants  are  all  men  of  large  physique  is  explanatory 
of  the  inheritance  of  strength  and  size  which  predominates  in  the  men  (if  the 
Plummer  family.  The  mother  of  Thomas  O.  was  a  daugliter  of  Lewis  Xor- 
man.  a  Kentucky  pioneer  and  expert  blacksmith,  who  was  of  French-English 
descent.  He  (Lewis)  was  a  maker  of  plows  and  farming  implements  which 
he  would  manufacture  in  his  shop,  load  on  a  river  boat  and  sell  in  the  towns 
and  villages  on  the  banks  of  the  Ohio  river.  On  one  of  his  trading  expedi- 
tions he  was  shot  by  the  crew  of  a  rival  trading  boat. 

Leven  Vincent  Plummer  was  the  father  of  eight  children,  as  follows : 
Mary  Elizabeth  Baker,  Oklrdioma ;  Dempsey  died  at  the  age  of  sixteen  years; 
Charles  died  in  1907;  Thomas  O.  and  Benjamin  F.,  (twins),  Arrington,  Kan. ; 
Leonidas,  Atchison ;  Commodore,  Oklahoma ;  Harriet  Ratley,  Cowley  county, 
Kansas ;  Lucullus,  on  old  home  place. 

In  the  year  1854  he  left  Kentucky  and  migrated  to  Platte  county,  Mis- 
souri, where  he  resided  until  1855  and  then  made  a  settlement  in  Grasshopjier 
township,  Atchison  county.  He  was  the  first  white  settler  on  Brush  creek  in 
the  Kickapoo  Indian  resen-ation  lands.  He  did  his  trading  at  old  Kennekuk. 
It  is  recalled  that  the  old  Monnon  trail  passed  by  his  home  and  Mr.  Plummer 
remembers  the  stor\-  of  a  large  party  of  Mormon  immigrants  being  stricken 
with  the  cholera  and  over  loo  of  them  died  as  a  result  of  the  terrible 
attack  of  the  dread  disease.  The  dead  bodies  of  the  victims  were  hurriedly 
buried  in  shallow  graves,  but,  unfortunately  were  rooted  up  by  hogs  owned 
by  the  Indians.  Inasmuch  as  the  white  settlers  \vere  afraid  to  bury  the  bodies 
again  the  hogs  were  permitted  to  eat  the  bodies.  Leven  Plummer  was  on 
extremely  good  terms  with  the  Indians  of  the  neighborhood  and  several  of 
them  worked  for  him  at  different  times.  When  the  Indians  disposed  of  tlicir 
land  holdings  to  the  Government  and  moved  to  a  new  reservation,  he  pur- 
chased of  them  lOD  of  their  "razorback"  hogs  and  io,coo  fen.cc  rails 
at  a  cost  of  ten  cents  a  hundred  rails.  He  hauled  the  rails  to  his  place  in  im- 
mense wagon  loads,  hauled  by  two  yoke  of  oxen  and  a  team  of  horses.  He 
became  fairly  well  to  do  and  was  a  large  feeder  of  live  stock,  frequently  feed- 
ing as  high  as  ico  head  of  cattle,  four-year-old  steers  and  400  head  of 
hogs.  He  died  in  1867,  at  the  age  of  forty-seven  years,  leaving  eight  chil- 
dren to  the  care  of  his  widow.  Leven  Plummer  was  noted  as  one  of  the 
strongest  men  of  his  day  and  was  a  man  of  large  stature  who  could  perform 
feats  of  strengtli  which  would  appall  the  average  man. 


698  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

Thomas  O.  Plummer  attended  tlie  district  school  of  his  neighlmr- 
hood  and  when  twenty-one  years  of  ag-e  began  for  himself.  His  first  ^m- 
])lovment  away  from  home  was  for  six  months  with  Martin  W.  Ham.  He 
then  worked  for  a  bachelor  neighbor  at  ten  dollars  per  month.  In  1879  he 
began  renting  land  on  his  own  account.  From  boyhood  he  has  always  had 
to  hustle  for  himself  and  has  made  good.  He  made  his  first  purchase  of  land 
in  1893  and  has  accumulated  a  total  of  241  acres  of  well  improved  farm  lands 
in  Grasshopper  township. 

In  1884  Air.  Plummer  was  united  in  marriage  with  Mary  Ratley,  and 
the  union  was  blessed  with  one  son,  James  Oliver  Plummer.  who  is  now  the 
efficient  superintendent  of  highways  in  the  township.  Mar}'  (Ratley)  Plum- 
mer was  the  daughter  of  John  and  Hannah  Ratley,  and  departed  this  life 
in  September  15,  1887.  In  September  of  1893.  ]\Ir.  Plummer  was  again 
married  to  Miss  Mary  E.  Clark,  who  has  l;orne  liim  ime  child.  Thomas  McKin- 
lev  Plummer,  who  as  a  youth  attended  the  agricultural  college  at  Manhat- 
tan, Kan.,  and  is  much  interested  in  scientific  farming.  Mrs.  Mary  (Clark) 
Plummer  died  March  13,  1908.  She  was  a  daughter  of  P.  J.  Clark,  a  very 
earlv  settler  of  Atchison  county,  and  formerly  a  member  of  the  Atchison  city 
police  force.  The  third  marriage  of  Tliomas  O.  Plummer  occurred  March  2, 
1909.  with  Mrs.  Bessie  May  De  Bord  (Floyd),  widow  of  James  Floyd,  a 
native  of  Kentucky,  and  to  this  union  have  been  born  two  children :  Theodore 
Ole,  and  Calvin  Vincent  Plummer.  By  her  first  marriage,  Mrs.  Plummer 
has  one  child.  Ruby  Jewell  Floyd,  born  September  30,  1905. 

Air.  I^lummer  is  one  of  Atchison  county's  best  known  and  successful 
self-made  men  and  everything  he  owns  lias  been  earned  by  hard  labor  and 
diligence,  combined  with  good  management.  Besides  his  farming  interests 
he  is  a  stockholder  in  the  Farmers  Grain  Elevator  and  the  Mutual  Telephone 
Company,  at  Muscotah.  He  is  a  Republican  in  politics,  and  is  a  member  of  the 
Mvstic  W'orkers  and  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America. 


HOWARD  E.  NORTH. 


Howard  E.  North,  farmer,  of  Lancaster  township,  Atchison  count}-,  was 
born  January  25,  1867.  in  W^alnut  township,  this  county,  and  is  a  son  of 
Edwin  T.  and  Elizalieth  (McCully)  Nortli,  natives  of  New  Jersey.  Of  the 
eight  children  born  to  them  si.x  are  living,  as  follows:  Walter  M.,  Atchison. 
Kan.:  Joseph  11..  of  Kansas  City.  Mo.;  Percy,  of  Ottawa,  Kan.;  Claude,  Lan- 


HISTORY  OK  ATCHISON  COUNTY  699 

caster.  Kan.,  and  Mrs.  Sadie  Dunkle.  of  Los  Angeles,  Cal..  besides  How- 
ard E.  North,  subject  of  this  sketch.  The  father  was  born  April  23,  1830, 
in  Burlington  county,  New  Jersey,  of  English  descent.  Leaving  there  about 
i<'^65,  he  came  west  and  settled  in  Atchison  county,  Kansas,  living  one  year 
in  Walnut  t(^wnship,  and  then  bought  a  farm  in  Lancaster  township.  He 
made  improvements,  and  later  sold  the  farm  to  his  son,  Howard  E.,  and 
retired  in  1896.  In  December,  1912,  he  died,  after  having  lived  a  long  and 
useful  life.  The  mother  was  born  in  New  Jersey,  as  was  her  husband,  and 
was  born  in  the  same  year,  1830,  of  Scotch  descent,  and  died  in  March,  T902. 

Howard  E.  North  was  reared  on  his  father's  fami,  and  attended  the 
pulilic  school  at  Lancaster,  and  also  the  Bell  district  school.  No.  59.  He  was 
bom  on  the  place  which  he  now  owns,  and  it  has  been  his  home  since  boy- 
hood. It  consists  of  180  acres,  and  is  exceptionally  well  improved.  Extra 
attention  has  been  given  to  stock  raising  facilities.  Mr.  North  takes  a  great 
deal  of  interest  in  fine  cattle,  hogs  and  horses,  and  has  some  excellent  Short- 
horns and  some  valuable  Poland  China  hogs.  Mr.  North  has  a  graded  stock 
of  horses,  some  of  which  are  the  best  in  this  part  of  the  country.  He  is  a 
stockholder  in  the  German-American  Bank  at  Atchison,  Kan.  Politically,  he 
is  a  Republican,  and  has  always  been  a  loyal  citizen,  taking  keen  interest  in 
tl-.e  welfare  of  his  community  and  his  county.  He  is  a  member  of  the  school 
board  of  Bell  district. 

In  1896  Mr.  North  was  married  to  Alice  Guyer,  who  was  born  October 
I,  1866,  in  Union  county,  Pennsylvania.  Mrs.  North  was  a  daughter  of 
Israel  and  Catharine  (Brown)  Guyer,  natives  of  Pennsylvania,  and  who  lived 
and  died  in  the  land  of  their  nativity.  Mrs.  Alice  North  came  to  Kansas  in 
August  of  1893.  and  joined  her  sister,  Mrs.  Annie  Gemlierling.  who  now 
resides  in  a  home  on  the  Parallel  road,  near  Lancaster,  Kan.  One  child,  Em- 
lin  E.,  has  been  bom  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  North.  Mr.  North  is  a  member  of  tlie 
Methodist  churcli.  and  of  the  Independent  (.)rder  of  Odd  Fellows,  and  Motleni 
Woodmen  of  America. 


NICHOLAS  BOOS. 


Nicholas  Boos,  proprietor  of  one  of  the  best  improved  farms  in  Shan- 
non township,  has  resided  on  the  land  which  be  now  owns  for  over  fifty 
years,  and  is  widely  known  as  a  progressive  fanner  who  has  applied  his 
accurate  knowledge  of  the  best  farming  methods  to  such  good  account  that 


700  .  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

he  is  now  the  owner  of  250  acres  of  good  land,  upon  whicli  he  erected  in  1912 
a  handsome  brick  residence,  modern  throughout,  at  a  cost  of  $4,500.  Mr. 
Boos  installed  his  own  light  and  water  plant,  and  in  the  rear  of  his  handsome 
home  he  has  built  a  large  and  commodious  bank  barn.  His  residence  faces 
the  main  highway  running  northward  from  Atchison,  and  presents  a  sub- 
stantial evidence  of  the  enterprise  of  its  owner. 

Mr.  Boos  was  born  November  1  i,  1862,  in  Germany,  a  son  of  Nicholas 
and  Catharine  Boos,  who  left  their  native  land  with  their  two  children  and 
came  to  Atchison  county,  Kansas,  in  Ji^il)'  of  1865.  After  one  month's  stay  in 
the  city  they  removed  to  a  point  in  Shannon  township,  about  three  miles  north 
of  Atcliison,  and  settled  ujion  eiglity  acres  of  land  which  the  elder  Boos  pur- 
chased. Nicholas  Boos  and  his  wife  reared  their  children  here,  and  lived  on 
the  farm  until  death  called  them  away.  Nicholas  Boos,  Sr.,  was  born  in  1833, 
and  died  in  October  of  1899.  Catharine,  his  wife,  was  born  in  1833,  and 
died  in  November  of  1898.  Their  two  children  are :  Nicholas,  with  whom  this 
narrative  is  directly  concerned,  and  Catharine,  now  known  as  Sister  Hilda 
of  the  Order  of  St.  Benedict's,  Mt.  St.  Scholastica  Academy,  Atchison. 

Upon  the  death  of  their  parents,  Nicholas  Boos  and  his  sister  inherited 
the  eig'hty  acre  farm  upon  which  they  had  been  reared.  Nicholas  Ixnight  his 
sister's  .share  of  the  estate,  and  by  dint  of  hard,  unremitting  labor,  and  the 
exercise  of  frugality  and  good  financial  judgment,  has  added  170  acres  to  tiie 
original  tract.  There  are  205  acres  in  the  home  farm  on  the  east  side  of  the 
highway  and  forty-five  acres  on  the  west  side,  some  distance  from  his  home. 

Mr.  Boos  was  married  May  i,  1889,  to  Mary  Wolters,  born  in  Atchison 
county,  and  daughter  of  Matthew  and  Catharine  Wolters,  both  of  whom  were 
natives  of  Germany,  Matthew  being  now  deceased  and  his  widow  residing  in 
Mr.  Boos'  home.  Ten  children  have  been  born  to  tiiis  estimable  couple, 
namely :  William,  aged  twenty-five  years ;  Alljert,  aged  twenty-three,  em- 
ployed by  Dolan  Mercantile  Company ;  Nicholas,  aged  seventeen  )ears ;  Ed- 
ward, twelve  years  of  age;  Harold,  aged  eiglit  years;  Hilda,  twenty-three 
years  of  age.  and  a  dressmaker;  Marie,  aged  twenty-one,  second  bookkeeper 
for  John  J.  Intfcn,  grocer;  Frances,  aged  eighteen,  bookkeeper  for  Byrnes' 
drug  store ;  Bertha,  aged  fourteen,  and  Rosa,  aged  ten  years ;  Williain.  an 
employe  of  the  Symns  firocer  Company,  married  Marie  McCiraff.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Boos  have  endeavored  to  give  all  of  their  children  good  school  and 
college  educations,  and  ha\-e  succeeded  in  rearing  a  fine  and  worthy  family, 
of  which  they  have  a  good  and  just  right  to  be  proud. 

Mr.  Boos  is  a  member  of  St.  Benedict's  Catholic  Church  and  is  a  liberal 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  7OI 

suppniiei"  of  Catliolic  institutions.  He  is  affiliated  witli  tlie  Modern  Wood- 
men lodge.  While  a  Democrat  in  politics,  he  endeavors  to  exercise  the  right 
of  suffrage  in  a  manner  befitting  his  own  ideas,  and  supports  such  candidates 
for  office  as  come  the  nearest  to  his  ideal  of  a  good  man  and  official  regard- 
less of  political  prostestations. 


JUNE  E.  MOORE. 

June  E.  Moore,  president  of  the  Symns  Grocer  Company,  of  Atchison. 
Kan.,  is  a  native  of  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  and  a  son  of  Thomas  H.  and  Lydia  Ann 
(Gordon)  Moore,  the  fonner  a  native  of  Virginia,  and  the  latter  of  New  Jer- 
sey. The  ]\Ioore  family  came  to  Kansas  in  1865,  and  the  father  engaged  in 
the  mercantile  business  at  Iowa  Point,  Doniphan  county.  He  was  engaged 
in  business  there  about  ten  years,  or  until  1876,  when  he  sold  his  Ijusiness  and 
removed  to  Kansas  City,  where  he  remained  until  his  death,  in  1889.  His 
wife  died  in  1886.  June  Moore,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  received  a  good 
common  school  education,  and  remained  at  home,  at  Iowa  Point,  until  1873. 
wlien  he  came  to  .Vtchison  and  accepted  a  position  as  bookkeeper  in  the  grocery 
house  of  A.  B.  Symns.  About  three  months  later  he  went  on  the  road  as  trav- 
eling salesman  for  Mr.  Symns.  and  was  the  first  man  to  represent  Mr.  Symns 
in  that  capacity.  y\fter  remaining  in  Mr.  Symns"  employ  for  about  three 
years,  he  went  to  Falls  City.  Xeb.,  and  engaged  in  the  mercantile  business  for 
himself,  and  conducted  a  business  there  for  seven  years.  He  tlien  returned 
to  Atchison,  and  in  1879  engaged  in  the  grocery  business  for  himself.  Mr. 
Moore  continued  in  the  grocery  bttsiness  in  Atchison  from  1879  to  1887,  when 
he  again  became  connected  with  the  Symns  Grocer  Company,  which  had  been 
re-organized  in  the  meantime.  Since  that  time  Mr.  Moore  has  been  con- 
nected with  the  Symns  Grocer  Company,  which  is  one  of  the  leading  institu- 
tions of  the  kind  in  the  State.  From  1889  until  1907  Mr.  Moore  had  charge 
of  their  Topeka  branch.  During  the  year  of  1907.  M.  S.  Peterson,  who  had 
been  the  buyer  of  the  company  for  a  number  of  years,  died,  and  Mr.  Moore 
was  obliged  to  return  to  Atchison  to  assume  the  responsibilities  in  connec- 
tion with  the  purchasing  department.  He  looked  after  the  ]nirchasing  de- 
partment of  the  company  for  one  year,  when  be  became  president  of  the  com- 
pany, and  has  since  capably  filled  that  responsible  position.  Mr.  Moore  is  a 
stocklujlder  in  the  company,  and  is  one  of  the  men  who  have  contributed  many 


702  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

of  the  best  days  of  their  h\e.s  to  t'.ie  upljuilcling  and  development  of  this  great 
commercial  institution,  of  which  the  people  of  Atchison  are  justly  proud. 

Mr.  Moore  was  united  in  marriage  July  27,  1871,  to  Miss  Rebecca  Arm- 
strong, a  native  of  North  Carolina.  Mrs.  Moore  was  a  daughter  of  Francis 
K.  .Armstrong,  of  \'irginia.  who  moved  to  North  Carolina,  ami  there  married 
Jerusha  Eliza  Belt,  and  returned  to  Virginia,  and  in  1859  migrated  to  Mis- 
souri, remaining  in  St.  Joseph  until  the  fall  of  i860,  and  then  settled  on  a 
farm  in  Doniphan  county,  Kansas,  where  he  died  in  November,  1861.  Mr. 
Moore  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  lodge,  and  one  of  the  substantial  business 
men  of  Atchison. 


W.   PERRY   HAM. 


The  pow:ers  of  leadership  are  inherent  in  some  individuals,  and  there 
are  in  every  community  such  men  who  seem  naturally  gifted  to  lead  their 
fellows  in  political  affairs.  In  reviewing  the  life  career  of  W.  Perry  Ham, 
the  official  head  of  the  Republican  party  in  Atchison  county,  the  fact  is 
brought  out  that  his  natural  gifts  have  tended  to  lead  him  to  activity  in 
political  affairs,  and  that  he  is  gifted  with  ability  of  a  high  order,  which 
is  uni\ersally  recognized  by  the  men  of  his  party  who  look  to  him  for  leader- 
ship. Mr.  Ham  is  a  thorough  American,  whose  ancestry  goes  back  to  the 
earliest  days  of  the  foundation  of  the  Republic. 

W.  Perr}^  Ham  was  born  October  11,  1861.  at  Flemingsburg,  Fleming 
county,  Kentucky,  a  son  of  James  P.  and  Eliza  (Jones)  Ham,  both  of  whom 
were  born  and  reared  in  Kentucky,  and  were  children  of  pioneer  parents. 
James  P.  was  the  son  of  William  and  Mary  E.  Ham,  and  the  great-grand- 
father of  W.  Perry  was  John  Ham,  better  known  as  "Jackie,"  a  native  of 
Greenbrier  county,  Virginia,  who  married  a  Miss  Woods,  and  migrated  to 
Kentucky  in  the  days  of  the  illustrious  Daniel  Boone,  the  famous  hunter. 
These  were  troulilous  times  in  Kentucky,  and  the  Indians  fiercely  disputed 
the  advent  of  the  white  settlers  into  their  favorite  hunting  grounds.  The 
motlier  and  two  sisters  of  "Jackie"  Ham  were  captured  by  the  Indians,  killed 
and  scalped,  and  their  liodics  burned  in  the  cabin  firejilace  In'  blood-tliirsty 
Indians.  The  Ham  family  is  of  Welsh  extraction.  James  P.  Ham,  although 
a  southerner  by  birth  and  breeding,  was  a  strong  Union  man,  who  was  op- 
posed to  the  institution  of  slavery.  While  still  residing  in  Kentucky,  in  the 
year  1865,  he  received  a  telegram  from  liis  lirnther,  Jo.seph,  calling  him  to 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  7O3 

Buchanan  county,  Missouri,  where  his  life  was  in  danger  from  Union  men. 
Joseph  kept  a  general  store  at  DeKalh,  and  was  forced  to  go  in  hiding  to 
preserve  his  life,  he  being  a  southern  sympathizer.  It  was  his  desire  that 
James  P.  come  to  Missouri  and  take  charge  of  his  store  until  times  were 
better,  and-  it  was  safe  for  him  to  ajipear.  James  made  all  haste  to  comply 
with  his  brother's  request,  and  \\-ith  his  wife  and  fafnily  made  a  hast_\^  trip 
to  Buchanan  county,  only  to  find  on  his  arrival  that  his  brother's  store  at 
DeKalh  had  been  burned  to  the  ground.  The  wife  of  James  P.  was  over- 
come by  the  excitement,  and  her  strength  overtaxed  by  the  trials  of  the  family, 
and  she  died  in  1865.  This  left  the  father  with  three  children  to  care  for, 
and  he  removed  to  Atchison  in  1866.  Here  he  engaged  in  market  gardening, 
and  took  more  or  less  interest  in  political  affairs  until  his  demise,  November 
2,  1894,  at  the  age  of  sixty-six  years,  in  Rural  township,  Jefferson  county, 
Kansas,  where  he  removed  a  few  years  after  coming  to  Atchison. 

W.  Perry  Ham  was  reared  in  Kansas,  and  attended  the  common  and 
high  schools  of  Atchison  county.  From  the  time  he  was  six  years  of  age  he 
found  it  necessary  to  shift  for  himself,  and  secured  his  education  mainly 
through  his  own  efforts.  He  did  chores  and  worked  for  farmers  in  return 
for  his  board  and  schooling,  and  generally  had  a  hard  time  of  it  trying  to 
make  his  own  way  in  the  world.  During  the  famous  "grasshopper"  years  the 
family  lived  in  Jefferson  county,  and  ])ri\ation  and  suffering  were  pre- 
dominant among  the  settlers.  Periy  was  sent  twice  each  week  a  distance  of 
seven  miles,  astride  his  pony,  to  the  nearest  relief  station  for  food  and  cloth- 
ing. His  first  position  was  in  the  old  Grant  bakery,  operated  by  Gerber  & 
Hagen,  and  he  was  employed  there  for  two  years.  He  afterwards  bought  the 
grocery  business  at  Tenth  and  Laramie  streets,  and  \\as  engaged  in  business 
for  another  period  of  years  until  he  bought  a  farm  near  Atchison  and  moved 
upon  it.  He  farmed  this  land  for  two  years,  and  in  1895  returned  to  Atchison, 
and  again  entered  the  grocery  business,  at  Ninth  and  Parallel  streets.  In  1898 
he  disposed  of  his  business  and  accepted  a  traveling  position  in  the  interest  of 
the  Select  Knights  of  the  Ancient  Order  of  United  W'^orkmen  as  State  man- 
ager and  organizer.  He  continued  in  this  position  until  1901,  and  then 
opened  a  feed  and  poultry  business,  in  which  undertaking  he  was  engaged 
until  1909,  when  he  sold  out.  He  served  as  chief  of  police  of  Atchison  dur- 
ing 1908  and  1909  under  Mayor  S.  S.  King,  and  has  been  a  member  of  the 
city  council  for  three  terms  during  his  residence  in  Atchison.  Since  1909 
Mr.  Ham  has  been  general  organizer  of  the  Fraternal  Aid  Union,  and  has 
made  a  great  success  of  his  work,  which  requires  that  he  oversee  the  work 


704  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

of  organizing  in  the  States  of  Kansas.  Oklahoma  and  Nebraska.  His  rep- 
utation as  an  organizer  in  the  interest  of  the  Fraternal  Aid  Union  is  unsur- 
passed, and  it  is  in  this  capacity  that  his  remarkable  gifts  have  received  full 
play. 

Mr.  Ham  was  married  in  1883  to  Rosa  Frommer,  who  has  borne  him 
children  as  follows :  Lloyd  Perry,  clerk  in  the  Atchison  postof  fice :  Mable 
Rose,  wife  of  Roy  Castle,  of  Falls  City,  Xeb. ;  James  Harwi  Ham,  of  Atch- 
ison ;  Walter,  of  Atchison :  Herbert,  a  jeweler,  of  Atchison ;  Myrtle,  at  home 
with  her  parents ;  and  Luther,  in  the  city  high  school.  The  mother  of  these 
cliildren  was  born  and  reared  in  Germany,  near  the  city  of  Stuttgart,  and  was 
a  daughter  of  John  Frnmmer.  who  was  a  stone-cutter  by  occupation.  Mrs. 
Ham  came  to  this  country  in  1879. 

Mr.  Ham  is  a  member  of  the  Odd  b'ellnws,  the  M.  B.  A.,  the  Knights 
and  Ladies  of  Security,  the  Mystic  Workers,  the  Central  Protective  Associa- 
tion, and  the  Fraternal  Aid  Union.  In  political  matters,  Mr.  Ham  has  been 
for  years  a  prominent  figure  in  Atchison  county  and  Kansas,  and  enjoys  a 
wide  and  favorable  acquaintance  among  the  political  leaders  of  the  Republican 
party  in  Kansas.  He  has  been  a  member  of  the  central  executive  committee 
of  his  party  for  several  years,  and  is  at  present  the  county  chairman  and  vir- 
tual leader  of  his  party  in  Atchison  county. 


FRANK  BEARD. 


Frank  Beard,  furniture  dealer,  of  Potter,  Kan.,  was  born  on  a  farm 
near  Abingdon.  Knox  county,  Illinois,  a  son  of  ^^'illiam  M.  and  Sarah  (  Haw- 
thorne) Beard,  the  former  a  native  of  Tennessee  and  the  latter  of  Maryland, 
both  of  Scotch  Presbyterian  ancestry.  William  M.,  the  father,  was  bom  in 
Wilson  county,  Tennessee,  on  a  farm  not  far  from  Nashville.  The  grand- 
father of  Frank  Beard  was  Rev.  John  Beard,  bom  of  Virginia  ])arents.  who 
were  among  the  earliest  settlers  of  Tennessee.  The  Beards  are  a  family  of 
pioneers,  the  pioneering  of  the  family  having  begim  over  100  years  ago  when 
the  parents  of  Rev.  John  Beard  crossed  the  mountains  and  made  a  settlement 
in  westem  Tennessee,  where  John  Beard  was  bom  December  25,  1800.  The 
home  of  the  family  was  not  far  from  the  birthplace  of  .\ndrew  Jackson,  with 
whom  John  was  personally  acquainted.  The  family  later  became  pioneers  in 
Illinois,  and  ever  moved  westward  until  they  came  to  Kansas,  and  were  among 
the  first  of  the  sturdv  characters  to  build  homes  in  the  new  State. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  705 

Rev.  John  Beard  was  a  minister  of  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian  denom- 
ination. He  left  Tennessee  in  1848  and  settled  in  Knox  county,  Illinois,  and 
in  1856  came  to  Kansas,  and  was  one  of  the  first  men  to  preach  the  Gospel 
in  Atchison  county.  He  was  an  ardent  Free  State  man  who  was  emphatically 
opposed  to  the  institution  of  slavery  and  fearlessly  attacked  the  pro-slavery 
party  and  its  principles  from  the  pulpit.  On  one  occasion  he  preached  a  ser- 
'  mon  in  Mt.  Pleasant  and  laid  a  huge  revolver  on  the  pulpit  beside  his  Bible 
with  the  remark,  "I  hope  there  will  be  peace  during  the  services,"  and  there 
was  peace.  This  action  was  in  keeping  with  the  fearless  character  of  the  man 
liiniself.  Rev.  John  Beard  died  at  the  age  of  sixty-six  years.  No  pictorial 
likeness  of  this  famous  pioneer  is  availalale  or  his  grandson,  Frank,  would  have 
it  inserted  in  tlie  history.  His  last  sermon  was  preached  at  Pleasant  Groxe 
church  in  South  .\tchison.  During-  his  career  he  ser\ed  the  Round  Prairie  and 
High  Prairie  churches  in  Leavenworth  county,  the  \\'olf  Creek  congregation  in 
Brown  county,  and  the  Pleasant  Grove  church  in  Atchison  county.  He  was 
traveling  at  all  times,  to  and  fro,  in  northeast  Kansas  while  engaged  in  the 
Lord's  work.  His  son,  William  M.,  left  Illinois  in  1862  and  settled  in  Brown 
county,  Kansas,  and  in  1865  came  to  Atchison  county.  Border  ruffians  at 
one  time  raided  the  home  of  William  Beard  in  Brown  county.  Mattie  Beard, 
a  three  months'  old  babe,  was  awakened  by  the  noise  made  by  the  raiders  and 
screamed  loudly.  One  of  the  ruffians  walked  to  the  cradle,  drew  his  revolver 
and  said:  "I'll  stop  her  noise."  The  mother  made  frantic  bv  this  threat  picked 
up  a  chair,  and  with  all  her  strength,  a,ugmented  by  lier  fright,  rushed  at  the 
raider  and  knocked  liim  down.  After  this  occurrence  the  Beards  left  Kansas 
and  returned  to  Illinois,  where  people  were  more  of  one  mind  on  the  subject 
of  slavery  and  life  was  much  safer.  They  remained  in  Illinois  until  the  clf)se 
of  the  war  and  then  came  again  to  Atchison  county,  settling  on  a  farm  in 
Walnut  township.  This  farm  has  been  owned  bv  the  Beard  familv  for  fiftv 
years  and  is  now  in  possession  of  John  Beard,  a  son  of  William.  Rev.  Tolm 
Beard  died  in  Atchison  county  in  August,  1866.  William  M.  died  in  igo;, 
and  his  faithful  wife  followed  him  to  the  great  beyond  two  years  later,  in 
1907.  The  father  of  Sarah  Hawthorne  Beard  was  also  a  pioneer  settler  of 
Knox  county,  Illinois,  and  planted  the  first  apple  orchard  in  that  section  of 
the  State,  and  was  the  first  and  only  apple  exhibitor  at  the  first  county  fair 
ever  held  in  Knox  county,  Illinois. 

Frank  Beard  was  a  1)oy  of  seven  when  In's  parents  removed  to  Atcliison 
county  and  was  reared  on  the  fann  in  \\'alnut  township,  receiving  his  scliool- 
ing  in  district  No.  60.     He  followed  farming  until  1909,  when  he  came  to 

45 


7o6  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

Potter  and  engaged  in  the  general  merchandise  business  in  partnership  with 
Mr.  Hodges.  This  partnership  continued  until  191 1,  when  he  sold  out  his  in- 
terest in  the  general  store,  and  in  July  of  that  year  purchased  the  furniture 
and  undertaking  business  which  he  is  now  conducting  successfully. 

Mr.  Beard  was  married  in  1898  to  Miss  Bee  Henson,  a  daughter  of  A. 
T.  and  Amanda  (Cox)  Henson,  the  former  a  native  of  Kentucky  and  the 
latter  having  been  born  in  Missouri.  The  Hensons  migrated  to  Kansas  in 
1854  before  the  organization  of  the  State  and  settled  in  Jefferson  county. 
They  were  Free  State  advocates  and  took  part  in  the  struggle  which  made 
Kansas  a  Free  State.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Beard  have  one  child,  Leona  Beard, 
born  in  1903. 

The  Democratic  party  has  always  claimed  the  allegiance  of  Mr.  Beard 
in  National  affairs,  but  he  is  inclined  to  independence  of  voting  in  local, 
county  and  State  affairs.  He  is  a  member  of  Kickapoo  Lodge,  No.  4,  Ancient 
Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America,  the  Modern 
Brotherhood,  and  the  Knights  and  Ladies  of  Security.  Mr.  Beard  is  one  of 
Potter's  best  and  well  respected  citizens,  a  successful  and  prosperous  business 
man  who  is  ever  willing  to  put  his  shoulder  to  the  wheel  to  advance  the  inter- 
ests of  his  home  communitv. 


THOMAS  HIGHFILL. 


The  late  Thomas  Highfill,  of  Easton  township,  Leavenworth  county, 
Kansas,  was  born  April  9,  1844.  on  a  farm  near  the  city  of  Madison,  in 
Foutheastem  Indiana.  He  was  a  son  of  William  Highfill,  who  was  bom  in 
South  Carolina  of  German  parent>.  and  was  there  reared  to  young  manhood, 
went  to  Kentucky  from  South  Carolina,  and  there  met  and  married  Elizabeth 
Bonnell,  born  in  Kentucky  of  German  ancestry.  Shortly  after  their  marriage 
William  Highfill  and  his  wife  crossed  the  Ohio  river  and  settled  near  Madison 
on  the  Flat  Rock  river.  He  had  charge  of  the  toll-gate  entrance  of  the  bridge 
crossing  the  Flat  Rock  at  that  time.  When  Thomas  was  four  years  of  age, 
or  in  1849,  tlic  father  and  his  family  loaded  their  movable  effects  on  wagons 
and  started  across  the  plains,  en  route  to  California,  consuming  six  months 
on  the  long  trip,  their  wagons  being  hauled  by  slow-moving  oxen.  The  family 
remained  in  California  for  four  years,  and  William  spent  the  time  profitably 
in  placer  mining  for  the  yellow  metal,  after  which  they  returned  to  the  middle 
West,  this  time  making  the  return  trip  with  horses  instead  of  oxen.     They 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  •  707 

settled  in  Platte  county,  Missouri,  and  resided  there  until  1862,  when  William 
Highfill  made  a  final  settlement  in  Mt.  Pleasant  township,  Atchison  county. 
He  died  the  same  year  in  Atchison  county.  George  Highfill,  son  of  Thomas, 
is  now  the  owner  of  the  original  home  place  of  the  Highfill  family  in  Atchi- 
son county. 

Thomas  Highfill  was  eighteen  years  of  age  when  his  father  came  to 
Atchison  county.  He  assisted  in  the  operation  of  the  home  farm  until  his  mar- 
riage. Xo\ember  24,  1864,  to  Elvira  Porter,  who  was  born  in  Cascv  county, 
Kentucky,  February  7,  1847,  ^  daughter  of  George  and  Sarah  Ann  (Foster) 
Porter,  both  of  whom  were  born  in  Kentucky,  and  resided  in  their  native 
State  until  November,  1850,  when  they  removed  to  Buchanan  count}-,  Mis- 
souri, and  there  farmed  for  two  years  on  the  McDonald  farm,  near  Wallace. 
The  Porters  came  to  Atchison  county,  Kansas,  among  the  earliest  of  the 
])ioneers  in  the  spring  of  1855  a:i(l  settled  on  a  tract  i:)f  land  just  one-jialf 
mile  west  of  the  present  town  of  Potter.  George  Porter  filed  on  160  acres 
of  land  in  the  fall  of  1854  which  has  never  changed  ownership  but  once  and 
has  never  been  out  of  the  family,  being  now  owned  by  George  Highfill,  the 
eldest  grandson  of  George  Porter.  The  elder  Porter,  although  born  and  bred 
in  a  slave  State,  abhorred  the  institution  of  slavery,  despite  the  fact  that  his 
father,  Isaac  Porter,  was  a  slave  owner.  He  saw  the  evils  of  slavery  when  a 
youth  and  determined  never  to  support  it,  because  it  was  utterly  wrong.  He 
came  to  Kansas  imbued  with  the  determination  to  do  his  part  in  making 
tlie  State  free.  He  suffered  considerably  from  the  forays  of  the  liordcr  ruf- 
fians and  his  homestead  on  the  banks  of  the  Big  Stranger  was  raided  fre- 
quently by  the  pro-slavery  element.  At  one  time  Mr.  Porter  had  a  fine  saddle 
horse  stolen  from  him  by  border  ruffians.  As  soon  as  he  learned  of  the  theft 
he  set  out  after  the  thieves  armed  onlv  with  a  bowie  knife  stuck  in  his  boot 
top.  He  followed  them  to  Atchison  and  lay  hid  in  a  clump  of  jimson  weeds, 
near  tine  camp  of  the  ruffians  on  the  spot  where  the  Santa  Fe  railroad  yards 
are  now  located.  The  marauders  were  drinking  and  carousing  in  seeming 
safety  and  had  no  idea  that  they  would  be  followed.  As  a  consequence  of  their 
neglect  in  not  placing  a  sentrv  Mr.  Porter  was  enabled  to  secure  his  horse  and 
return  home  in  safety  at  4  o'clock  in  the  morning.  At  the  outbreak  of  the 
Civil  war  Mr.  Porter  enlisted  in  the  Thirteenth  Kansas  regiment  and  served 
throughout  the  war.  While  absent  in  defense  of  the  Union  his  wife  and  five 
children  were  left  to  shift  for  themselves  as  best  they  could.  George  Por- 
ter was  a  stanch  Republican  in  his  political  affiliations  and  was  a  member  of 
the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic.  He  died  February  19,  1887.  at  the  age  of 
sixtv-five  vears.  having  been  horn  Tanuarv  21,  1822.     Plis  wife,  Sarah  .\nn. 


JoS  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

died  June  23.  1897.  They  were  the  parents  of  eight  cliildren.  of  whom  Mr?. 
Thomas  Highfill  was  the  eldest.  Mrs.  Highfill  was  ten  years  old  when  the 
Porter  family  located  in  Kansas,  and  during  tlie  days  of  the  Civil  war,  when 
the  breadwinner  of  the  family  was  absent  fighting  for  the  Union,  this  brave 
woman  ploughed  with  an  ox  team  and  did  the  hardest  kind  of  farm  labor. 

To  Thomas  Highfill  and  wife  were  born  the  following  children :  George, 
born  September  8,  1865,  and  is  the  owner  of  the  farm  preempted  by  his  grand- 
fatlier  Porter;  John,  born  December  12,  1866;  Sarah  Elizabeth,  wife  of  P.  H. 
Fleer,  of  Potter,  Kan.,  was  torn  June  2t,.  1868,  and  died  May  11.  1909: 
Thomas  J.,  born  April  8,  1870,  residing  in  Potter;  Mrs.  Rose,  wife  of  Clar- 
ence Binkley.  of  Atchison,  born  December  23,  1878 ;  Abigail,  wife  of  Ashton 
Hundley,  of  Atchison  county,  born  October  19,  1879;  ]\Iartina,  wife  of  Louis 
Linville,  of  Spring  Lake,  Texas,  born  November  14,  1880;  and  Benjamin  F., 
born  June  10,  1884.  The  mother  of  these  children  resides  on  the  Highfill 
place,  west  of  Potter.  Her  son,  George,  is  a  prosperous  farmer  and  good 
business  man,  who  is  connected  with  the  Farmers  State  Bank  of  Potter. 

Thomas  Highfill  departed  this  life  March  7.  1899.  He  was  a  well  re- 
spected and  industrious  citizen  who  did  well  his  part  in  th.e  development  of 
.'Xtchison  countv. 


JOHN  H.  BEAN. 

John  H.  Bean,  having  been  a  resident  of  Atchison  county  for  n  period 
of  nearly  sixty  years,  is  naturally  considered  as  one  of  the  pioneers  of  the 
county.  He  has  lived  in  the  county  since  the  year  1857.  when  his  fatlier. 
Michael  Bean,  filed  on  a  Government  homestead  in  Mt.  Pleasant  township, 
seven  miles  southwest  of  Atchison.  John  was  liorn  im  a  farm  in  Illinois 
Octoljer  22,  1850.  His  parents  were  Michael,  l)orn  in  Wincliester,  Ky..  and 
son  of  William  Bean,  a  native  of  Virginia,  and  Rebecca  Xorthcutt.  wife  of 
Michael,  who  was  born  and  reared  near  Winchester,  111.  Michael  Bean  came 
to  Atchison  February  5,  1853,  filed  on  a  claim,  as  stated  above,  and  developed 
it  into  a  splendid  farm.  On  account  of  border  troubles  he  returned  to  Inde- 
pendence, Mo.,  and  remained  for  four  years,  and  then  returned  to  his  claim. 
Michael  died  December  9,  1893.  when  a  little  over  sixty-five  years  of  age. 
He  was  a  soldier  in  tlie  Union  army,  having  enlisted  in  Company  F  (^f  the 
Thirteenth  Kansas  regiment  in  1862  and  served  until  the  close  of  the  war.  He 
was  mustered  out  at  Ft.  Leavenwortli,  after  taking  an  active  part  in  mili 
tarv  operations  in  southeast  Missouri,  Ft,  Smith  and  Little  I\i)ck.  Ark.     To 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  7O9 

Michael  and  Keliecca  Bean  were  Ijorn  seven  children,  namely:  Jnhn  11.:  Mrs. 
Mary  Barber,  deceased:  William,  in  Cdlnrado;  Paul,  deceased:  Airs.  Minnie 
Ledger,  of  Kansas  City:  Mrs.  Ida  Mayfield,  living  on  the  old  homestead  in 
Mt.  Pleasant  township;  Aivin,  farmer,  living  in  Shannon  town.ship;  Barbara 
died  in  infancy:  Mrs.  P>arl)ara  Melen  Hayes,  of  Lincoln,  Xeb.  The  mmher 
of  these  children  died  in  1903.  at  the  age  of  seventy-five  years. 

When  John  H.  Bean  was  twenty-three  years  of  age  he  left  hdnie  and 
went  to  Colorado,  where  he  spent  the  intervening  years  until  1893  in  the  gold 
and  silver  mines  of  the  State  with  intermittent  fortunes  attending  his  efforts. 
After  two  vears'  residence  in  St.  Joseph,  Mo.,  he  spent  four  years  engaged 
in  lumbering  in  the  woods  of  northern  Michigan.  He  then  returned  to  Atch- 
ison, and  after  two  years  on  the  .\tchison  police  force,  and  for  four  years, 
from  1909  to  1913,  inclusive,  he  was  cell-keeper  in  the  State  reformatory  at 
Hutchinson,  Kan.  He  returned  to  Atchison  and  was  attached  to  the  Atchison 
police  department  as  one  of  its  most  efficient  and  faithful  members  until 
October  i,  1915.  when  he  became  gate-tender  for  the  Atchi.son  Bridge  Com- 
pany. He  has  been  twice  married,  his  first  wife  being  Florence  Bridges, 
who  bore  him  one  child,  Mrs.  Armina  Bolen,  of  Leon,  Kan.  His  second 
wife  was  Ella  ^Mitchell,  who  died  in  Michigan  in  1898. 

Mr.  Bean  has  always  been  a  Republican  in  politics,  but  has  ne\er  been  a 
candidate  for  any  political  office.  In  this  respect  he  follows  in  the  fijotsteps 
of  his  father,  Michael,  who  was  an  active  politician  in  his  day.  although  he 
never  sought  official  preferment.  Michael  Bean  was  considered  as  one  of  the 
really  influential  men  of  .\tchison  county  in  pohtical  affairs  and  was  a  great 
and  stanch  friend  of  Senator  J;)hn  J.  Ingalls.  besides  having  a  wide  and 
favorable  acquaintance  with  the  people  of  the  county.  He  counted  among  his 
friends  manv  of  the  famous  men  of  Atchison  and  the  State.  Vov  thirteen 
years  he  "was  in  charge  of  the  county  poor  farm,  and  during  that  time  he 
made  a  record  since  unsurpassed  for  management  of  the  farm.  Michael  was 
a  large  man,  ])hvsically,  of  the  true  pioneer  type — one  of  those  outsjiokcn. 
honest  fellows,  who  said  outright  what  he  thought,  and  was  a  friend  to  ;dl 
who  knew  him  and  trusted  him.  It  is  said  that  no  needy  settler  went  to 
Michael  Bean  for  assistance  when  in  dire  need  and  came  away  empty-handed. 
If  a  settler  needed  money  to  buy  a  cow  or  horse,  it  was  forthcoming  without 
the  usual  sccurit\-  or  note  which  accompanies  latter-da)-  transactions  nf  this 
character.  Liberal  in  his  views,  he  was  liberal  with  his  means  and  was  always 
read)-  and  willing  to  hc'l])  an  ac(|uaintance. 


■lO  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 


ANDREW  SPEER. 


Andrew  Speer,  county  commissioner  for  the  second  district  of  Atchison 
county,  Kansas,  was  born  in  this  county,  February  20.  1863.  He  was  a  son 
of  Joseph  and  Mary  (Fountain)  Speer,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Law- 
rence county,  Indiana.  In  1859  Joseph  and  liis  wife  left  the  old  home  in  In- 
diana, en  route  to  Kansas,  and  stopped  during  tiie  winter  in  Iowa,  where  the 
oldest  child  of  the  family  was  born.  Joseph  came  on  to  Kansas,  leaving  his 
wife  in  Iowa  among  friends,  and  preempted  a  quarter  section  of  land  in  Grass- 
hopper township,  three  miles  northeast  of  Muscotah,  now  owned  by  William 
Speer.  In  the  spring  of  i860,  the  year  of  the  great  drought,  tlie  father  of  the 
family  returned  to  Iowa  and  brought  his  wife  and  son,  William,  to  the  new 
home  which  he  had  prepared  for  them  on  the  Kansas  plains.  While  the 
drought  of  their  first  year  in  Kansas  worked  considerable  hardship  upon  the 
settlers,  Joseph  was  better  prepared  to  withstand  this  hardship,  because  of 
the  fact  that  he  liad  brought  considerable  means  with  him,  wliich  enabled 
him  to  successfully  weather  the  crop  failure  of  that  year.  Joseph  Speer  was  a 
man  of  more  than  ordinary  education  and  had  been  a  school  teacher  in  Indiana 
in  his  younger  days.  All  of  his  life,  he  was  a  student  and  was  a  fine  mathe- 
matician. While  teaching  in  Indiana  he  had  read  law  to  some  extent,  and  be- 
came a  justice  of  the  peace  in  Grasshopper  township,  a  position  which  he  held 
for  many  years.  He  also  served  several  years  as  township  trustee.  Nine 
cliildrcn  were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Joseph  Speer,  of  whom  Andrew  is  the 
third  in  order  of  birth.  (See  biography  of  D.  Anna  Speer,  county  superin- 
tendent of  schools,  for  further  details  regarding  the  Speer  family.) 

Andrew  Speer,  with  whom  this  review  is  directly  concerned,  was  educated 
in  the  district  school  of  his  neighborhood,  and  brought  up  on  his  father's 
farm.  His  marriage  occurred  after  a  trip  to  the  western  part  of  Kansas  in 
1888,  and  he  then  rented  a  farm.  He  has.  continually  been  engaged  in  farm- 
ing and  is  now  cultivating  the  Moore  farm  of  320  acres  in  Grasshopper  town- 
ship. When  the  Cherokee  strip  was  thrown  open  to  settlement  in  the  Indian 
Territory  by  the  Government  in  1892  Mr.  Speer,  with  eleven  other  Kansans 
from  his  neighborhood,  made  the  run  for  homesteads  on  the  opening  day. 
Six  tliousand  or  more  men  were  lined  up  ready  for  the  great  race  and  all 
ruslied  forward  when  the  cannon  boomed  for  the  start.  Andrew  drove  a 
wagon  and  was  unfortunate  in  staking  out  his  claim  wliich  proved  to  be  a 
quarter  section  of  school  land.  Each  of  the  other  eleven  men  who  accompan- 
ied him  secured  a  good  claim. 

Mr.  Speer  was  married  May  i,  1889,  to  Miss  Alida  Gilliland,  who  has 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  /II 

borne  him  five  children,  namely :  Myrtle,  wife  of  Fixd  Draper,  a  farmer  of 
Atchison  county;  Albert,  at  home;  Joseph,  a  teacher  at  Prospect  Hill,  Atchi- 
son county,  and  the  first  school  teacher  ever  graduated  from  the  ]\Iuscotah 
schools  and  directly  became  a  teacher;  Stephen,  a  pupil  of  the  eighth  grade  of 
the  Muscotah  schools,  and  Nicholas,  deceased.  Tlie  mother  of  these  children 
was  born  in  Illinois,  October  22,  1863,  a  daughter  of  Josiah  and  Delitha 
(Maxwell)  Gilliland,  who  died  when  she  was  but  a  child  four  years  of  age. 
She  then  went  to  the  home  of  an  aunt,  Mrs.  Kline,  living  in  Jackson  county, 
Kansas,  who  reared  her  to  young  womanhood.  Josiah  Gilliland  lives  in 
Nebraska,  aged  eighty-three  years.  He  was  a  veteran  of  the  Civil  war  from 
Illinois,  and  served  in  the  Union  army,  and  moved  to  Missouri  directly  after 
the  war  ended. 

The  Democratic  party  has  always  had  the  unswerving  allegiance  and 
support  of  Mr.  Speer,  and  he  stands  high  in  the  councils  of  his  party  in  Atchi- 
son countv.  He  was  first  elected  to  the  office  of  township  trustee  and  served 
for  four  years.  Two  years  after  his  term  of  office  as  trustee  expired  he  was 
elected  to  the  office  of  county  commissioner  of  the  second  district.  Mr.  Speer 
has  perfoiTued  the  duties  of  his  official  position  with  great  credit  to  himself 
and  for  the  benefit  of  his  constituents.  He  is  an  honest  and  capable  county 
official  who  has  the  best  interests  of  the  entire  county  at  heart.  He  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Masonic  lodge  of  Muscotah,  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America, 
and  the  Central  Protective  Association.  Mrs.  Speer  is  a  member  of  the 
Methodist  church,  the  Eastern  Star  lodge,  the  Royal  Neighbors  and  the  Mys- 
tic Workers. 


SAMUEL  EDWARD  FIECHTER. 

Samuel  Edward  Fiechtcr,  now  living  retired  on  his  beautiful  suburban 
place  near  Atchison,  which  is  located  on  the  west  side  of  Forest  Park,  is  a 
native  of  Missouri.  He  was  born  in  Andrew  county  August  25,  1856,  and 
is  a  son  of  John  George  and  Anna  (Bright)  Fiechter.  The  father  was  born 
in  Baden,  Germany,  January  27,  18 15,  and  died  in  Brown  county.  Kansas, 
December  20.  1893.  .\nna  Bright,  his  wife,  was  born  in  Berne,  Switzerland, 
October  26,  1822,  and  died  in  Brown  county,  Kansas,  .\ugust  8,  1900. 
George  Fiechter  immigrated  to  America  with  his  parents  about  1835.  They 
located  in  Missouri,  and  George  engaged  in  farming  in  .Andrew  county,  that 
State.  In  i860  he  traded  his  Missouri  farm  for  a  farm  in  lirown  c<iunty. 
Kansas,  where  he  was  successfully  engaged  in  farming  until  he  retired.     He 


712  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

accumulated  considerable  property,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death  owned  some- 
thing over  400  acres.  To  John  George  and  Anna  (Bright)  Fiechter  were 
born  the  following  children :  John  resides  in  Brown  county ;  Fred,  deceased ; 
Louise,  deceased ;  George,  deceased ;  Susan  married  S.  E.  Rush,  and  resides 
in  South  Dakota ;  Samuel  E.,  the  subject  of  this  sketch ;  Jacob,  deceased :  Tina 
married  Oscar  Dean,  and  resides  in  Chase  county,  Kansas. 

Samuel  Edward  Fiechter  was  reared  on  the  farm,  and  received  a  good 
common  school  education.  At  the  age  of  twenty-one  he  engaged  in  farming 
for  himself,  and  later  rented  his  father's  farm,  and  cared  for  his  parents  dur- 
ing their  li\es.  He  followed  farming  in  Brown  county  until  1902,  when  he 
removed  to  Atchison,  and  after  residing  in  the  city  for  eight  months  pur- 
chased his  present  place.  His  farm  is  one  of  the  best  improved  places  in 
Brown  county,  consisting  of  360  acres  of  land,  under  a  high  state  of 
cultivation. 

Mr.  Fiechter  was  married  Xovember  20,  1884,  to  Miss  Sarah  Parker. 
She  was  born  in  Andrew  county,  Missouri,  July  17,  1863,  and  is  a  daughter 
of  William  and  Rachel  (Esslinger)  Parker,  the  former  a  native  of  Indiana, 
bom  Alarch  12,  1835,  and  the  latter  was  bom  in  Andrew  county,  Missouri. 
September  20,  1842.  William  Parker  came  to  Missouri  with  his  parents, 
Daniel  and  Sarah  (Davis)  Parker,  when  he  was  a  cliild.  Tlie  parents  were 
natives  of  Kentucky,  and  after  coming  to  Missouri,  spent  the  remainder  of 
their  lives  in  tliat  State,  Mrs.  Fiechter  was  the  oldest  of  a  family  of  six  chil- 
dren :  the  others  in  order  of  birth  are  as  follows :  Frank  resides  in  Colorado 
Springs,  Colo,;  Jennie  resides  with  her  parents;  Daniel.  Boise.  Idaho;  Mrs. 
]\Iae  Zimmerman.  Boise.  Idaho;  and  Stella  Allen  died  September  16.  191 5,  at 
Cosljy,  ^lo.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs,  Fiechter  has  been  born  one  child,  Edna,  who 
•married  Ray  McGaughey,  and  resides  on  a  farm  in  Brown  count}-.  Mr. 
Fiechter  is  a  member  of  the  ^lodern  W^oodmen  of  America,  and  is  a  Repub- 
lican.    The  familv  are  members  of  the  Lutheran  church. 


MRS,  JEXXIECIRTWILL. 


Mrs.  Jennie  Cirtwill,  of  Lancaster,  Kan,,  is  tiie  widow  of  Richard  X. 
Cirtwill,  one  of  the  well  known  and  sul)stantial  farmers  of  Atchison  county, 
who  was  among  the  early  settlers  of  tliis  county.  Richard  X.  Cirtwill  was 
born  in  Jefferson  county,  Xew  York,  September  20,  1828.  He  was  reared 
to  young  manhood  in  Xew  York,  and  at  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  war  offered 
his  services  in  defense  of  the  L'nion.     Mr.  Cirtwill  enlisted  Augu.st  24.  1864, 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  "l  ^ 

in  Cnmpanv  I,  One  Ilumlrcd  and  Eighty-sixth  regiment  of  Xcw  ^'o^k  infan- 
try, and  served  until  his  hnnorable  discharge,  Jnne  2,  1865.  He  was  color 
bearer  of  his  reg"iment,  and  fought  at  the  battle  of  Petersburg-  and  at  the  siege 
and  capture  of  Richmond.  Mr.  Cirtwill  carried  the  regimental  colors  at 
Petersburg  and  during  tin's  fierce  engagement  his  clothing  and  flag  were  rid- 
dled with  bullets,  and  he  received  a  slight  wound  in  his  side.  His  son.  Al- 
bert D.,  was  also  a  member  of  the  same  company  and  regiment,  as  his  father 
and  was  wounded  at  the  battle  of  Petersburg.  ^Ir.  Cirtwill  was  first  mar- 
ried in  New  York  State  to  Susan  Burns,  who  departed  this  life  in  1885. 

Mr.  Cirtwill  came  to  Kansas  in  1871  and  developed  a  fine  farm  and  be- 
came well-to-do. 

In  January,  1889,  Mr.  Cirtwill  married  Mrs.  Jennie  (McClain)  Cam- 
eron, whose  first  husband  was  James  Cameron,  a  native  of  Carrickfergus,  Ire- 
land, born  in  1848.  When  a  young  man,  James  Cameron  became  a  sailor, 
and  was  first  mate  on  a  vessel  sailing  the  Atlantic  ocean.  At  the  outbreak 
of  the  Civil  war,  Mr.  Cameron  enlisted  in  the  Union  army  at  i Bangor,  Me., 
and  served  until  the  close  of  the  war.  In  1869  he  came  to  Muscotah,  Kan., 
and  worked  as  a  contractor  and  brick  mason.  Six  children  were  born  of 
this  marriage :  Frank,  deceased ;  William,  a  traveling  salesman,  Kansas  City, 
Mo.;  John  R..  a  rail\\a\-  operator,  of  Mountain  Home.  Idaho;  Rose  died 
in  infancy:  Frank  J.,  a  railroad  conductor,  St.  Joseph,  Mo.,  and  Walter  11.,  a 
travehng  .salesman,  Kansas  City,  Mo.  The  father  of  these  cliildren  died 
in  1903. 

Mrs.  Jennie  Cirtwell  was  born  at  the  Bank  Cottages,  Scotland,  May  r. 
1849,  a  daughter  of  William  and  Rosanna  (  Saul)  McClain,  who  emigratefl 
from  their  native  heath  in  1855,  and  first  .settled  in  Illinois,  where  the  father 
became  a  contractor  and  builder  in  the  employ  of  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad 
Company.  He,  too,  became  a  soldier,  thus  making  a  remarkable  coincident, 
wherein  Mrs.  Cirtwill  was  the  daughter  of  a  soldier,  and  both  of  her  former 
husbands  were  Union  veterans.  Mr.  McClain  served  with  bravery  in  an 
Illinois  regiment  of  volunteers.  In  1870  he  came  to  Atchison  county  and 
enga,ged  in  the  lumber  and  Ijuilding  business  at  Muscotah,  Kan.  He  became 
the  owner  of  several  farms  and  was  well-to-do  at  the  time  of  his  death.  Feb- 
ruray  13,  1907.  The  mother  of  Mrs.  Cirtwill  died  in  1915.  at  the  ripe  old 
age  of  ninel\-three  years.  Both  parents  are  buried  at  Lancaster.  Kan.  .\ 
bright  spot  in  the  memories  of  Mrs.  Cirtwill  is  the  fact  that  she  was  ])erniilted 
to  care  for  her  aged  ])arents  in  their  declining  years  and  made  a  lK)me  and  fur- 
nished everv  comfort  for  them. 


714  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

When  residing  in  IMuscotah,  Mrs.  Cirtwill.  nee  Cameron,  was  left  almost 
destitute  with  the  care  of  her  five  children  on  her  hands.  She  was  forced 
to  do  the  hardest  kind  of  work  to  keep  them  in  comfort  and  send  them  to 
school.  She  worked  as  a  tailor  and  seamstress  in  order  to  do  this,  and  long 
and  exacting  hours  of  toil  were  necessary  to  hold  the  little  family  together, 
but  later,  better  days  came  and  she  has  had  tlie  extreme  satisfaction  of  seeing 
her  children,  for  whom  slie  made  sacrifices  in  those  earlier  days,  become  sub- 
stantial and  well-to-do  citizens  of  their  respective  localities. 

A  brother  of  Mrs.  Cirtwill,  John  McClain,  was  killed  by  a  horse  when 
four  years  of  age.  William,  the  only  brother  reared  to  manhood,  was  a 
banker  at  Huron,  Kan.,  but  sold  his  interests  there  and  removed  to  Peni, 
Kan.,  where  he  started  a  bank  of  his  own.  Three  years  later  he  went  to 
Coffeyville,  Kan.,  and  lived  there  for  a  short  time.  Ver}'  early  he  began  to 
see  the  future  value  of  oil  lands  in  Oklahoma,  and  invested  heavily  in  Okla- 
homa land  which  proved  to  be  a  very  profitable  investment.  Besides  being 
a  capitalist  and  builder  he  was  a  speaker  and  public  man,  well  known  in  Atchi- 
son county  and  Kansas.  He  died  in  Coffeyville,  Kan.,  January  5,  191 1,  at 
the  age  of  fifty  years.     He  left  a  widow  and  one  daugliter. 

The  mother  of  Mrs.  Cirtwill,  who  was  Mrs.  Rosanna  (Saul)  McClain, 
was  a  skilled  seamstress,  and  had  the  honor  of  attending  the  coronation  cere- 
monies of  Queen  Victoria  in  England.  Her  father  was  Thomas  Saul,  a  poet 
of  unusual  ability,  endowed  with  a  wonderful  memory  and  an  ability  to  quote 
poetry  and  the  classics  which  his  daughter  inherited  to  a  great  extent. 
Through  her  great-grandmotlier,  Rosanna  Saul  McClain  was  of  royal  lineage, 
having  been  born  in  a  royal  golden  bed  of  honor,  only  vouchsafed  to  those  of 
kingly  lineage.  This  great-grandmotlier  became  very  wealthv  and  left  a 
large  estate  to  her  two  daughters.  Rosanna  and  her  sister  were  highly  skilled 
in  tailoring  and  needle  work  and  embroidery,  and  were  highly  rewarded  by 
Queen  Victoria  for  making  and  emlimidering  a  Ijeautiful  dress  for  the  queen 
to  wear  on  state  occasions. 

Mrs.  Cirtwill  is  the  owner  of  considerable  property  in  Atchison  county, 
including  260  acres  of  fine  land,  a  store  building  and  a  home  in  Lancaster, 
Kan.  She  has  two  grandchildren :  Cecil  Mae,  and  Jeanette  Rose  Cameron, 
children  of  Frank  J.  Cameron.  Resides  her  Atchison  county  property  this 
well-to-do  Atchison  county  woman  has  several  vacant  lots  and  residence 
properties  in  St.  Joseph.  J\Io.,  and  is  considered  to  be  an  able  business  woman. 
She  is  a  member  of  the  Rcbekah  lodge,  of  Lancaster,  and  is  a  prominent  mem- 
ber of  the  Alethodist  Episcopal  cliurch.     I'or  many  years  she  has  tauglit  a 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  yi-. 

Sunday  school  class,  of  which  she  is  very  fond.  Mrs.  Cirtwill  usually  spends 
the  summer  seasons  in  traveling-  and  during  the  summer  and  fall  of  1915,  she 
spent  several  weeks  in  the  West,  principally  in  Denver  and  vicinity. 


ASA  BARNES. 


The  name  of  Barnes  figures  prominently  in  the  early  history  of  Kansas 
and  Atchison  county,  and  the  history  of  the  family  in  Kansas  dates  from  the 
spring  of  1S58  when  Capt.  Asa  Barnes  came  from  the  ancestral  home  of  the 
Barnes  family  in  New  Jersey,  and  settled  in  Mt.  Pleasant  township,  Atchison 
county,  and  immediately  identified  himself  with  the  Free  State  party. 

Asa  Barnes,  the  present  representative  of  the  family  living  on  the  old 
Barnes  homestead  in  Mt.  Pleasant  township,  five  miles  northwest  of  Potter, 
w-as  born  in  January,  1854,  in  New  Brunswick,  N.  J.,  a  son  of  Asa  and  Harriet 
(Cook)  Barnes,  the  former  a  native  of  Connecticut  and  the  latter  of  New  Jer- 
sey of  English  descent.  Asa  Barnes,  the  father  of  the  subject,  was  born 
in  182 1,  and  became  a  papermaker  in  New  Brunswick,  where  several  of  his 
children  were  born.  In  1858  he  disposed  of  his  belongings  and  property  in 
New  Jersey  and  migrated  to  Kansas,  settling  in  Mt.  Pleasant  township,  Atchi- 
son county.  His  wife  and  children  followed  him  in  April,  1859.  When  he 
first  came  to  Kansas  he  was  a  Democrat  in  politics,  but  changed  his  political 
belief  soon  afterward  and  espoused  the  cause  of  the  Free  State  party.  He 
took  a  prominent  and  active  part  in  political  affairs  and  became  well  known 
throughout  the  State  as  an  able  and  influential  champion  of  freedom.  On 
two  different  occasions  he  was  elected  to  represent  Atchison  county  in  the 
State  legislature  and  served  the  people  with  distinction  and  ability.  When 
the  Civil  war  broke  out  between  the  States  he  organized  Conijiany  .\  of  the 
Twelfth  Kansas  cavalry  and  served  as  captain  of  the  company;  he  also  helped 
to  organize  a  company  for  the  Thirteenth  Kansas  infantry.  He  was  further 
distinguished  by  his  war  service  in  a  manner  which  reflected  credit  upon  him- 
self and  his  home  county.  Captain  Barnes  died  January  12,  1889.  Asa 
Barnes  was  the  father  of  ten  sons  and  one  daughter,  as  follows :  R.  A.,  de- 
ceased;  M.  N.,  deceased;  Enoch,  deceased;  Asa,  Jr.,  Fillmore  died  in  New 
Jersey;  Frank,  living  in  California;  Laura  (Willis),  Coming,  Kan.;  Louis, 
living  at  Binger,  Okla. ;  Harry,  Bisbee,  Ariz. ;  Orrin,  of  Nevada '  Reuben  C, 
deceased.  The  mother  of  these  children  died  February  12,  1909,  at  the  age 
of  eighty-two  years. 


7l6  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

Asa  Barnes,  tlie  younger,  was  one  of  three  sons  of  Capt.  Asa  Barnes,  and 
grew  to  manhood  on  his  father's  farm  in  Atchison  county.  He  remained  at 
home  and  assisted  his  father  in  the  management  of  the  home  farm  until  he  at- 
tained his  majority.  After  his  marriage  in  1874  he  rented  land  on  his  own 
account  for  six  years  and  then  bought  the  home  farm  of  207  acres  from  his 
father  and  the  heirs,  part  of  wliich  is  now  owned  by  his  sons.  He  !ias  fol- 
lowed a  plan  of  general  farming  and  has  prospered  to  a  considerable  extent. 
Mr.  Barnes  was  married  Xovember  5.  1874,  to  Miss  Kate  Thompson,  of  Atch- 
ison county.  This  marriage  has  been  blessed  with  five  children,  as  follows : 
Fannie,  deceased;  Herbert,  at  home  with  his  parents;  Bertha,  wife  of  A.  J. 
Pease,  of  Atchison;  Leola,  wife  of  A.  J.  Saggs,  of  Falls  City,  Nebraska; 
Ernest  L.,  at  home;  Dora,  wife  of  Ed  Lee,  of  Atchison  county;  Cora,  de- 
ceased. The  mother  of  these  children  was  born  October  2,  1854,  and  is  a 
daughter  of  Hon.  George  W.  Thompson,  now  living  in  Atchison,  and  who  is 
probably  the  oldest  living  pioneer  settler  of  Atchison  county,  and  concerning 
whose  career  an  extended  review  is  given  in  this  volume. 

In  political  affairs  ^Ir.  Barnes,  while  favoring  the  Progressive  party 
principles,  is  inclined  to  be  independent  in  his  voting.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Christian  church,  and  is  well  and  favorably  known  throughout  this  section 
of  Atchison  county,  being  rated  as  a  substantial  well-to-do  farmer,  who  is 
deserving  of  considerable  credit  for  what  he  has  accomplished. 


CHARLES  ARTHUR  CHANDLER. 

Charles  Arthur  Chandler  is  one  of  the  self-made  men  of  Atchison.  Sonie 
men  are  successful  because  of  a  fortunate  chain  of  circumstances  attending 
their  efforts  which  we  commonly  refer  to  as  "good  luck";  others  by  dint  of 
steady  employment,  saving  their  surplus  funds  and  investing-  them  wisely,  are 
enabled  to  secure  the  necessary  wherewithal  to  embark  in  l)usiness  and  attain 
a  substantial  modicum  of  wealth.  It  is  to  the  latter  class  that  Mr.  Chandler 
properly  belongs.  \\'hile  good  fortune  has  generally  attended  his  industry 
and  plans,  his  success  is  due  to  the  husbanding  of  his  resources,  and  planning 
alicad  with  the  cooperation  of  a  faithful  wife,  so  that  he  could  eventually  be 
his  o\\m  employer  and  engage  in  mercantile  pursuits  for  himself.  Since  Jan- 
uary I,  1910,  he  has  been  engaged  in  the  lumlicr  l)usincss  in  connection  with 
the  Shulz-Fisk  Lumber  Company,  one  of  the  oldest  concerns  in  the  city.     Four 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  717 

men  are  employed  to  take  care  of  the  extensive  Imsiness  which  comes  to  the 
yards.  Lumber,  hme,  cement,  plaster  and  building  material  of  all  kinds  are 
sold  in  large  quantities.  The  e.xtensive  yards,  100x250  feet,  are  rated  as 
among  the  best  equipped  and  most  modern  in  northeastern  Kansas,  and  the 
management  is  constantly  imi)r(>\-ing  the  appearance  and  facilities  of  the 
buildings. 

Mr.  Chandler  was  burn  November  22.  i860,  in  Fond  du  Lac,  Wis.,  a  son 
of  Charles  and  Maria  ( Moore)  Chandler,  natives  of  Munson,  Mass.,  and 
Montreal,  Canada,  respectively.  The  Chandler  family  is  a  very  old  one  in 
America,  and  an  extensive  genealogy  of  the  family  has  been  compiled.  \\'il- 
liam  Chandler,  progenitor  of  the  family  in  this  country,  emigrated  from  the 
ancestral  home  in  England  to  Roxbury,  Mass.,  in  1637,  dying  there  November 
26,  1641.  He  had  a  son  named  John,  born  1635,  who  married  Elizabeth 
Douglas,  of  Roxbury,  Mass.  Succeeding  generations  are  as  follows,  in  a 
direct  line  to  C.  A.  Chandler:  Captain  Joseph  Chandler,  born  June  4,  1683, 
wife,  Susannah  Perrin,  of  Ro.xbury,  Mass. ;  David  Chandler,  born  May  28, 
1712,  wife,  Alary  Allen,  of  Pomfret,  Conn.;  Elijah  Chandler,  born  May  3, 
1737,  wife,  Sarah  Frizzel,  of  Woodstock,  Conn.;  Charles  Chandler,  born  June 
23,  1779,  wife,  Margaret  Edgerton.'of  Monson,  Mass.;  Charles  Chandler, 
boni  February  21.  1822,  wife,  Maria  Moore  Shepard ;  C.  A.  Chandler,  born 
November  22.  i860,  wife,  Effie  Rook,  of  Atchison,  Kan.  Elijah  Chandler 
was  a  soldier  in  the  French  and  Indian  war.  Charles  Chandler,  father  of 
the  subject  of  this  review,  was  a  "Forty-Niner,"  who  made  the  long  trip  to 
California  across  the  plains  in  1S49.  He  mined  gold  in  the  placer  fields  of 
the  Golden  State  for  some  time,  and  then  returned  to  the  East,  via  the 
Nicaraugua  route,'  settling  down  in  Fond  du  Lac,  \\'is.,  where  he  engaged  in 
the  grain  business  with  fair  success.  He  died  at  his  home  in  Fond  du  Lac 
in  1896,  at  the  age  of  seventy-five  years.  He  was  the  father  of  three  chil- 
dren :  Mrs.  Charles  E.  Rogers,  Fond  du  Lac ;  Fred  Shepard,  also  of  Fond  du 
Lac,  and  Charles  A.,  with  whom  this  review  is  directly  concerned.  The 
mother  of  these  children,  Maria  Moore  Shepard,  was  born  in  1826,  and  is 
a  direct  descendant  of  Governor  William  Bradford,  of  Massachusetts.  The 
genealogical  tree  in  a  direct  line  from  the  colonial  governor  is  as  follows : 
Gmv.  William  liradford;  his  son,  Maj.  William  Bradford;  Alice  Bradford 
married  Alaj.  James  I-itch,  1649-1727;  Daniel  Fitch,  1693-1752,  wife.  .\nna 
Cook:  William  l'"itch,  1720 — ■.  wife,  Mary  Paine;  Abigail  Fitch,  1745-1785, 
married  Joseph  Moore,  1 745-1823;  Anna  Moore,  1770-1854,  married  Timo- 
thy Shepard,  1764-1817;  Maria  Moore  Shepard,  1826,  etc. 


7l8  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

C.  A.  Chandler  was  educated  in  the  pubhc  schools  of  his  native  city  and 
fitted  himself  for  the  profession  of  civil  engineer  by  a  considerable  amount  of 
home  study  and  practical  experience.  After  getting  launched  in  his  chosen 
profession,  he  entered  the  employ  of  the  Missouri  Pacific  railroad  and  re- 
mained in  the  employ  of  this  railroad  for  a  period  of  twenty-five  years.  He 
first  came  to  Atchison  in  May,- 1885,  and  has  since  been  a  resident  here. 

Mr.  Chandler  is  the  owner  of  the  Graham  farm  of  310  acres  near  Cum- 
mings,  Atchison  county,  Kansas.  Every  dollar's  worth  of  property  which  he 
owns  has  been  accumulated  by  his  own  endeavors;  not  one  dollar  was  ever 
received  iiy  him  through  inheritance  or  gift,  and  he  and  his  wife  have  the  great 
satisfaction  of  knowing  that  what  they  have  and  own  is  theirs  by  right  of 
industry  and  thrift.  Mr.  Chandler  is  a  Republican,  a  member  of  the  Episco- 
pal church,  and  is  fraternally  associated  with  the  Masonic  order,  a  member  of 
Active  Lodge,  No.  158,  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  and  the  Ancient 
Order  of  United  Workmen.  He  was  married  February  4,  1891,  to  Effie 
Rook,  of  Atchison.  To  this  union  have  been  born :  Horace  ¥.,.  born  Septem- 
ber 19,  1896,  a  graduate  of  the  Atchison  High  School,  class  of  1913.  and  now 
a  sophomore  in  Kansas  University,  Lawrence:  Esther,  born  March  5,  189S, 
senior  student  in  the  Atchison  High  School,  class  of  1916.  The  mother  of 
these  children  is  a  daughter  of  Judge  Florace  M.  Jackson,  a  biography  of 
whom  is  publislied  in  tliis  volume. 


GRACE  CROSBY  POWER. 


The  city  of  .\tchison  is  fortunate  in  lia\ing  as  the  jiresent  super- 
intendent of  the  city  hospital  a  lady  of  talent  and  ability,  which,  com- 
bined with  great  personal  charm,  constitute  a  splendid  equiiiment 
for  the  important  position  which  Miss  Power  holds.  She  is  eminently  quali- 
fied by  training  and  executive  capacity  to  perform  the  exacting  duties  re- 
quired of  a  hospital  superintendent,  and  she  is  fast  becoming  deservedly  pop- 
ular among  the  people  of  Atchison,  who  support  this  justly  famous  instiluiion. 

Grace  Crosby  Power  is  a  native  of  Indiana,  born  October  23,  1880.  in  the 
town  of  Milroy,  Rush  county,  and  is  a  daughter  of  William  Strange  and 
Mary  E.  (Crosby)  Power.  Her  father  was  also  a  native  of  Rush  county. 
Indiana,  born  in  1837,  a  son  of  an  Indiana  pioneer  family.  His  parents  were 
John  .A.  and  Mary  A.  (Smisor)  Power,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Ger- 
many and  Scotland,  respectively.  They  immigrated  to  America  from  Germany 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  ^icj 

ill  an  early  day,  and  cleared  a  farm  from  tlie  dense  wilderness  of  Rush  county 
by  dint  of  hard  labor  and  the  exercise  of  fortitude.    This  German-American 
:ouple  had  the  satisfaction  of  gaining  a  substantial  competence  from  the  soil 
ind  of  bequeathing  a  good  family  of  sons  and  daughters  to  their  adopted 
(and.     William  Power  was  one  of  the  first  fine  live  stock  breeders  of  Rush 
;ounty,  and  his  farm  became  famous  for  the  Hambletonian  horses  which  it 
produced.     He  died  in   1906  in  his  home  town,  ]\lilroy.     His  wife,  Mar}-, 
was  bom  in  Milroy,  Ind.,  in  1837,  a  daughter  of  Michael  and  Lucinda  Crosby, 
natives  of  Ireland,  and  also  early  settlers  of  Rush  county,   Indiana.     The 
Powers  were  all  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  and  have  been 
prominent  in  the  affairs  of  Rush  county  for  many  years.     William  Power 
was  one  of  the  well-to-do  men  of  the  county.     To  yir.  and  Mrs.   William 
Power  were  born  four  children :  Cora  Estelle,  wife  of  Prof.  E.  F.  Engel,  of 
Lawrence,  Kan. ;   Kathrine,  wife  of  Rev.  W.   F.   Smith,  of  the  Methodist 
church,  at  Huntington,  Ind. ;  Frank  A.,  Wichita,   Kan.,  a  director  of  the 
Power-Myers  music  house;  Miss  Grace  Crosby  Power,  with  whom  this  re- 
view is  directly  concerned. 

Miss  Power  received  her  elementary  education  in  the  public  schools  of 
Milroy,  Ind.,  and  afterwards  entered  DePauw  University,  at  Greencastle, 
Ind.,  where  she  pursued  a  music  course  for  two  years.  She  then  came  to 
Kansas  and  studied  in  the  liberal  arts  dejjartment  of  Kansas  University,  at 
Lawrence.  While  her  original  intention  had  been  to  perfect  herself  in  art 
and  music,  she  became  imbued  with  the  idea  of  becoming  a  nurse,  feeling 
that  a  wider  field  was  offered  in  the  art  of  caring  for  tlie  sick,  and  that  she 
could  be  of  greater  service  to  humanity.  Accordingly,  Miss  Power  entered 
the  University  Medical  Hospital  of  Kansas  City,  Mo.,  in  1905,  and  began 
the  studies  which  were  to  prepare  her  for  her  life  work  as  a  hospital  nurse. 
She  applied  herself  diligently  to  her  medical  studies  and  was  graduated  from 
the  Kansas  City  institution  in  1908.  She  was  then  offered  the  position  of 
superintendent  of  the  Galesburg,  111.,  hospital,  and  accepted,  remaining  there 
until  191 1.  She  was  not  yet  satisfied  with  her  professional  preparation,  and 
resigning  her  position,  she  spent  one  year  in  Europe,  traveling  and  studying 
the  methods  in  vogue  in  the  hospitals  of  the  old  world.  Returning  to  Kansas 
City  in  191 2,  she  was  employed  by  Drs.  Jabez  and  Jackson,  of  that  city,  in  a 
professional  capacity,  until  she  was  called  to  her  present  post,  September  29, 
191 5.  Since  taking  charge  of  the  Atchison  City  Hospital,  she  has  given 
every  evidence  of  being  eminently  fitted  for  the  duties  of  her  position  and 
calling.  Miss  Power"  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  and 
is  affiliated  with  the  A.  X.  V.  sorority,  of  DePauw  University. 


■J20  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

WILLIAM  H.  THOMPSON. 

The  lale  William  H.  Thompson,  of  Mt.  Pleasant  township,  Atchison 
county,  was  born  on  a  Kentucky  farm,  near  the  city  of  Louisville,  in  1838. 
His  parents  were  Benjamin  and  Nancy  (Baxter)  Thompson,  and  both  were 
born  and  reared  in  Kentucky,  their  old  home  ])cing-  located  on  a  small  stream 
called  Dry  Beauty.  Nancy  Baxter  Thompson  was  the  belle  of  the  neighbor- 
hood and  was  a  famous  beauty  in  her  day.  In  1848  the  Thompsons  migrated 
from  Kentucky  to  Platte  county,  Missouri,  where  they  resided  until  the  spring 
of  i860,  and  tlien  came  to  Atchison  count}'  and  purchased  the  farm  where 
William  H.  lived  until  his  death,  in  1884.  Benjamin,  the  father,  was  born 
in  Kentucky  in  1799,  and  died  on  his  Kansas  farm  in  1861,  just  after  locat- 
ing in  this  county.  He  was  a  man  of  fair  education,  who  was  self-taught.  Pie 
taught  school  in  his  native  State,  and  his  father  was  a  famous  hunter  in  the 
earlv  days  of  Kentucky  history.  He  disappeared  while  absent  from  home  on 
a  hunting  expedition,  and  it  is  supposed  that  he  was  killed  or  captured  by 
Indians,  leaving  a  wife  and  three  children.  Times  were  hard  and  educational 
advantages  were  either  very  poor  or  absent  altogether.  Benjamin  educated 
himself  by  night  study  and  home  reading,  and  became  well  versed  in  books 
and  knowledge. 

William  H.  Thompson  was  ten  years  of  age  when  tiie  family  removed 
to  Missouri,  and  he  was  reared  to  young  manhood  on  the  pioneer  farm  in 
Platte  county.  After  his  marriage  in  1862,  he  and  his  wife  lived  with  his 
widowed  mother  after  the  death  of  Iiis  father,  October  26,  1861.  He  came 
into  possession  of  the  home  place  and  cultivated  the  land  until  his  demise  in 
1884.  He  was  married  July  6,  1862,  to  Matilda  Thompson,  and  eight  chil- 
dien  were  l)orn  to  this  marriage:  Annie,  wife  of  Frank  Williamson,  of  Cali- 
fornia; Ada,  wife  of  Henry  Knobloch,  of  Atchison  county;  Robert  Lee,  at 
home  with  iiis  mother:  William  H.,  a  mining  expert,  in  Colorado;  Gertrude, 
wife  of  Ed.  Myer,  of  Atchison:  Sirena  Ella,  deceased  wife  of  Patrick  Burns; 
Benjamin  Isaac,  at  home;  Gladis,  deceased  wife  of  Eugene  Thornburg.  The 
mother  of  these  children  was  born  in  1842  in  Buchanan  county,  Missouri,  a 
daughter  of  Isaac  Tiiompson,  born  in  New  York  State,  on  a  farm  near  New 
York  City,  in  1804.  The  grandfather  and  a  great-uncle  of  Isaac  came  to 
America  from  England  some  time  before  the  American  revolution,  and  be- 
came separated  and  never  saw  each  other  again.  They  were  of  Scotch  origin. 
The  paternal  grandmother  of  Mrs.  Thompson  was  a  Miss  Fi.ske  of  the  New 
York  family  of  Fiskes.  Isaac  Thomp.son  married  Elizabeth  Fiscus  in  In- 
diana.    In  the  _\ear  1808,  the  ])areiUs  of  Isaac  Thompson  removed  from  New 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  yz  1 

York  to  Ohio  and  twelve  years  later  migrated  westward  to  Shelby  county, 
Indiana,  where  the  parents  died.  After  his  marriage  Isaac  migrated  to 
Buchanan  county,  Missouri,  in  about  1839,  and  developed  a  fine  farm  in  that 
county.  In  about  1847  he  sold  his  farm  in  Missouri  and  set  out  on  the  long 
overland  journey  to  Oregon.  A  large  party  were  en  route  to  this  new  country 
and  the  outfit  comprised  twenty-one  wagons  and  teams.  An  incident  of  this 
journey  is  here  wortli  recording.  W^hile  the  emigrants  were  encamped  for  the 
night  at  a  point  hundreds  of  miles  from  any  human  habitation,  an  Indian  came 
to  the  camp  and  informed  them  that  a  band  of  hostile  red  men  intended  to 
attack  them  and  destroy  the  outfit.  A  band  of  emigrant  Mormons  drove 
up  and  joined  them  and  they  at  once  formed  a  corral  with  their  wagons  and 
prepared  to  defend  themselves  against  the  threatened  attack,  but  the  attack 
did  not  take  place  because  of  the  preparations  made.  The  Thompson  family 
remained  in  Oregon  for  five  years.  Isaac  went  to  California  in  1848  and 
engaged  in  gold  mining.  Mr.  Thompson  was  fortunate  in  his  pros- 
pecting and  accumulated  a  small  fortune.  During  tlie  winter  of  '49 
he  was  shipwrecked  while  making  a  voyage  from  California  to  his 
Oregon  home,  the  vessel  being  driven  far  and  out  of  its  course  by  terrific 
storms  and  he  was  forced  to  spend  the  winter  on  the  Sandwich  Islands.  Af- 
ter arriving  home  safel}-,  he  again  went  to  California  and  continued  his  gold 
mining.  In  185 1  the  family  returned  to  the  Middle  West.  They  boarded 
a  ship  at  Portland,  Ore.,  journeyed  to  San  Francisco,  where  they  took  a  ship 
for  New  Orleans.  On  the  way  down  the  coast  tlie  party  was  landed  on  the 
west  coast  of  the  Isthmus  of  Panama  and  the  emigrants  were  packed  across 
the  Isthmus  to  the  east  side,  where  they  boarded  a  vessel  whicli  carried  them 
to  New  York  City,  arriving  there  on  Christmas  day  of  1851.  Prom  New 
York  they  went  to  Philadelphia  where  Mr.  Thompson  had  his  gold  minted 
at  the  Government  mint.  From  Philadelphia  they  traveled  to  Pittsburgh,  and 
here  tlie  ciiildren  all  contracted  measles  and  two  of  them  died.  From 
Pittsburgh  they  went  down  the  Ohio  river  by  steamer  and  up  the  Mississippi 
to  St.  Louis  where  they  boarded  a  Missouri  river  steamer  which  took  tlicm 
to  Camden,  Mo.  Here  the  wife  and  mother  died.  At  Camden  Mr.  Thoni])- 
son  purchased  oxen  and  wagons  and  took  the  family  to  Buchanan  count}-. 
Missouri,  arriving  there  in  the  summer  of  1852.  They  lived  in  Missouri 
until  1856  and  then  made  a  permanent  settlement  in  Kansas  preempting  land 
and  locating  on  Walnut  creek  in  Mt.  Pleasant  town.ship,  about  four  miles 
southwest  of  the  city  of  Atchison,  which  is  now  the  Herzog  farm,  .\fter  eiglit 
vears'  residence  here  they  again  moved,  this  time  to  Illinois,  where  tliey  livet' 
46 


-22  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY 

tor  three  years  and  came  again  to  Kansas,  this  time  setthng  in  Xcmaha 
county.  Isaac  died  in  Nemaha  county  in  1871.  His  was  certainly  a  rich  and' 
varied  experience  and  his  hfe  was  filled  with  adventure  and  continual  changes. 
Mrs.  Matilda  Thompson,  widow  of  William  H..  although  having  attained 
the  age  of  three  score  and  thirteen  years,  is  active,  spry  and  in  full  possession 
of  her  mental  faculties.  She  is  a  wonderful  woman  for  her  age  and  is  fond 
of  relating  reminiscences  of  the  old  days  when  the  family  crossed  the  plains 
and  traveled  lialf  way  around  the  world  in  quest  of  riches  and  adventure. 


JOHN  HENRY  NASS. 


\\'hen  the  soul  of  the  late  John  Henry  Nass  departed  from  its  earthly 
habitation  to  go  to  his  Maker,  the  city  of  Atchison  lost  one  of  its  excellent 
citizens  and  merchants  who  had  lived  all  of  his  life  in  the  city  of  his  birtli. 
The  late  J.  H.  Nass  was  born  in  Atchison,  February  15,  1865,  a  son  of  Jacob 
and  Johanna  Nass,  both  of  whom  were  born  and  reared  in  Germany  and 
emigrated  from  the  Fatherland  in  1856,  to  America.  They  first  settled  at 
Weston,  Mo.,  but  a  short  time  later  came  to  Atchison,  Kan.,  where  Jacob  Nass 
became  the  first  brick  manufacturer  of  the  city.  He  erected  the  first  brick 
plant  and  made  brick  for  many  of  the  large  brick  buildings  still  standing  in 
the  city.  Jacob  Nass  continued  actively  in  the  brick  business  until  1875,  when 
he  retired  and  the  business  was  carried  on  by  his  four  sons.  During  the  course 
of  his  business  career  he  established  the  hardware  store  which  was  later  owned 
b}-  his  son.  the  suliject  of  this  review.  He  left  at  his  demise,  in  1899,  a  consid- 
erable estate  consisting  of  tlie  brick  plant,  a  hardware  store,  and  real  estate. 
Jacob  and  Johanna  Nass  were  the  parents  of  six  children,  namely:  Werner, 
J.  H..  Theodore.  Herman,  all  living  in  Atchison;  Gertrude,  and  Mary  Nass, 
who  is  caring  for  her  aged  mother. 

J.  H..  or  Henrj'  Nass,  as  he  was  lictter  known  by  Iiis  friends  and  asso- 
ciates, was  reared  in  Atchison  and  attended  the  parochial  schools  and  St. 
Benedict's  College.  At  the  age  of  sixteen  years  he  entered  his  fathers  hard- 
ware store,  and  took  complete  charge  of  the  business  when  he  attained  the 
age  of  eighteen  years.  In  1886,  with  a  partner  named  Frank  Hess,  of  ^^'es- 
ton,  Mo.,  he  purchased  the  hardware  store  of  his  father.  Six  years  later  he 
bought  out  his  partner  and  became  the  sole  owner  of  the  store,  which  he  con- 
ducted until  his  demise,  in  1903.     He  was  married  September  27,  1893,  to 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 


723 


Bertha  Fleming,  who  bore  him  chil(h-en  as  follows :  Charles,  born  September 
16.  i8(j5.  educated  in  St.  Benedict's  College,  and  is  now  in  the  employ  of  the 
Dolan  Mercantile  Company  of  Atchison;  Raymond,  born  July  31,  1898,  a 
graduate  of  St.  Benedict's  College,  and  is  now  with  the  Harvvi  Hardware 
Company  of  Atchison  ;  Rose,  born  October  31,  1899,  at  home  with  her  mother; 
r^Iargarette.  l;orn  June  2,  1901,  student  in  St.  Louis  parociiial  school;  Wil- 
liam, born  November  19,  1902,  a  student  in  a  St.  Louis  school;  Henry  John, 
born  December  7,  1903,  and  died  at  the  age  of  eighteen  months.  Mrs.  Nass 
is  justly  proud  of  her  children  and  has  endeavored  to  rear  them  so  that  they 
will  lead  upright  lives  and  be  a  credit  to  her  and  the  public.  The  Nass  home 
is  located  near  St.  Benedict's  Cdllege,  and  it  is  a  happy  one  at  all  times.  \\'hen 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Nass  were  married  in  1893  their  honeymoon  trip  included  the 
\Vorld's  Fair  at  Chicago.  She  was  born  in  Holland,  a  daughter  of  Lambert 
and  Rosa  (Johnson)  Fleming,  both  of  whom  were  born  and  reared  in  Holland 
and  married  there,  after  which  they  immigrated  to  America  witli  their  family 
and  settled  in  Atcliison  where  Lambert  made  wooden  shoes  for  a  lime  and 
later  moved  to  a  farm  where  he  died  June  15,  1880.  Mrs.  Fleming  died 
in  1903. 

J.  H.  Nass  was  moderately  successful  in  his  business  pursuits,  and  left 
his  family  comfortably  provided  for.  Lie  was  a  Democrat  but  did  not  take 
a  ver}-  active  interest  in  political  matters.  He  was  a  member  of  St.  Benedict's 
Catholic  Church.  Llis  life  was  a  good  and  useful  one  and  his  main  interest 
was  in  tlie  well  l^eing  of  his  family,  of  whom  he  was  very  thoughtful  and 
treated  kindly  and  just)}'. 


FRANK  M.  WOODFORD. 


Frank  M.  Woodford,  the  well  known  cashier  of  the  Atchison  Savings 
Bank,  was  born  at  Niles,  ]\Iich.,  November  29,  1874.  He  is  a  son  of  James 
H.  and  Emma  (Bickell)  \\^oodford,  both  natives  of  Niles,  Mich.,  the  former 
born  in  185 1  and  the  latter  in  1855.  James  H.  Woodford  is  a  son  of  Benja- 
min Woodford,  who  was  a  native  of  New  York,  and  an  early  settler  in  Mich- 
igan. His  wife,  Emma  Bickell,  is  a  daughter  of  Thomas  J.  Bickell,  a  Vir- 
ginian. James  H.  Woodford  came  to  Kansas  with  his  family  in  1887.  and 
located  in  Atchison,  and  was  an  emploxee  of  the  Missouri  Pacific  Railroad 
Company  for  a  number  of  years,  and  later  purchased  a  farm  in  Atchison 
countv,  where  he  now  resides.     Frank  M.  Woodford  is  the  onlv  son  born  to 


724  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

James  H.  and  Emma  (Bickell)  Woodford.  He  attended  the  public  schools 
and  graduated  from  the  Atchison  High  School  in  the  class  of  1894.  In  1896 
he  entered  the  tmploy  of  the  Exchange  National  Bank  of  Atchison,  and 
worked  in  the  collection  department  of  that  institution  for  two  and  one-half 
years.  He  then  entered  the  employ  of  the  Missouri  Pacific  Railroad  Company 
as  yard  clerk  rind  later  served  in  tlie  capacity  of  inspector  and  bookkeeper 
August  I,  1900,  he  became  bookkeeper  of  the  Atchison  Savings  Bank,  and  in 
1910  succeeded  to  the  cashiership  of  that  bank,  and  has  capably  filled  that 
position  to  the  present  time.  Mr.  Woodford  possesses  the  safe  and  conserva- 
tive judgment  of  the  successful  bank  cashier  and  is  recognized  for  his  effi- 
ciency in  that  important  branch  of  the  commercial  world.  Mr.  Woodford 
was  united  in  marriage  December  21,  1898,  with  ]\liss  I\Iabel  Santchfield,  of 
Macon,  Mo.,  and  two  children  liave  been  born  to  tliis  union :  Millard,  aged 
eleven,  and  Maurice,  aged  eight.  Mr.  Woodford  is  a  Royal  Arch  Mason,  a 
member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  Fraternal  Order  of  Eagles.  Knights  of 
tlie  Maccaliees,  Modern  ^\'oodmen  of  America,  and  Knights  and  Ladies  of  Se- 
curity.    He  is  a  Democrat  and  a  member  of  tlie  Baptist  cliurch. 


HOLMES  DYSINGER,  D.  D. 

Holmes  Dy singer,  D.  D.,  dean  of  the  Western  Theoolgical  Seminary  of 
Atchison,  Kan.,  was  born  March  26,  .1853,  in  the  town  of  Mifflin,  Juniata 
county,  Pennsylvania,  and  is  a  son  of  Joseph  and  Mary  Amelia  (Patterson) 
Dysinger,  both  natives  of  Pennsylvania.  '  The  genealogical  record  of  the 
Dvsinger  family  traces  its  beginning  in  America  to  the  seventeenth  century, 
the  ancestry  on  the  paternal  side  being  South  German  and  on  the  maternal 
side,  of  English  origin.  The  members  of  the  family  for  succeeding  genera- 
tions were  farmers  and  carpenters,  Joseph  Dysinger  being  a  carpenter  and 
contracting  builder  in  his  younger  days,  and  later  became  a  farmer.  He  died 
on  his  farm  in  Pennsylvania,  near  his  birthplace.  There  were  six  sons  and  a 
daughter  in  the  family  which  Joseph  Dysinger  reared,  as  follows:  Holmes, 
with  whom  this  review  is  directly  concerned;  George  Washington  Dysinger, 
a  practicing  dentist  at  Minneapolis,  Minn. ;  Rev.  William  Stewart  Dysinger, 
a  minister  of  the  Lutheran  church  in  Los  Angeles,  Gal. ;  Prof.  James  H.  Dys- 
inger, a  teacher  at  Los  Angeles,  Gal.,  and  a  daughter  died  at  the  age  of  six 
months. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  725 

Holmes  Dysinger  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm  and  received  his  ele- 
mentary education  in  the  district  school  of  his  neighborhood.  The  initial  part 
of  his  higher  education  was  obtained  in  the  Airyview  Academy  at  Port  Ro3-al, 
Penn.  The  means  at  the  disposal  of  the  Dysinger  family  did  not  permit  of 
Holmes  continuing  his  studies  unterrupted,  and  lie  found  it  necessary  to  make 
his  own  way  through  the  higher  realms  of  learning.  Consequently,  in  order 
to  make  his  way  through  college  and  the  university,  he  began  teaching  at  the 
early  age  of  seventeen  years,  and  has  taught  continuously  since  that  time,  with 
the  exception  of  tiiree  years  in  college  and  a  few  years  in  a  pastorate.  In  1878 
he  received  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts  from  Pennsylvania  College  at 
Gettysburg,  Pa.,  and  taught  in  the  academic  department  of  that  college  for 
a  period  of  four  years,  while  studying  theology  in  the  seminary  at  that 
place.  His  next  position  was  as  professor  of  Latin  and  Greek  in  the  Nortli 
Carolina  College,  Mt.  Pleasant,  N.  C,  from  1882  to  1S83.  From  1883  to 
1888,  inclusive,  he  was  professor  of  Latin  and  Greek  at  Newberry  Colleg"e,  in 
South  Carolina,  and  from  1888  to  1895  he  filled  the  position  of  president  of 
Carthage  College,  Carthage,  111.  From  1895  to  1900  he  filled  the  pastorate 
of  the  Lutheran  church  at  Polo,  111. ;  he  was  pastor  of  the  First  Lutheran 
Ciiurch  of  Kansas  City,  Mo.,  from  1900  to  1902,  and  had  charge  of  the  Luth- 
eran church  at  Vandergrift,  Pa.,  from  1902  to  1905.  He  became  dean  of 
tlie  Western  Theological  Seminary  at  Atchison,  Kan.,  in  November  of  1905. 
He  received  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity  from  Wittenberg  College,  at 
Springfield,  Ohio,  in  1889. 

Dr.  Dysinger  was  united  in  marriage  with  Ada  Frances  Ray.  of  Blairs- 
ville.  Pa.,  September  22,  1886,  and  to  this  union  have  been  born  five  chil- 
dren :  Mary  Ray  Dysinger,  librarian  of  Midland  College,  Atchison ;  Cornelia, 
Helen  Frances  and  Dorothy  Homes,  at  home  with  their  parents,  and  Mrs.  Dr. 
C.  F.  Malmberg,  of  Greenville,  Pa. 


CHARLES  LANGE. 


Charles  Lange,  farmer.  Center  township,  Atchison  county,  was  born  in 
Germany,  January  11,  1865.  He  is  a  son  of  Karl  and  Marie  (Poos)  Lange, 
who  were  the  parents  of  three  children,  as  follows:  Charles,  subject  of  this 
sketch;  Mrs.  Mary  Rathcrt,  Center  township,  Atchison  county,  and  Minnie, 
married  C.  Kloepper,  living  in  Jefferson  county.  Karl  Lange,  the  father, 
was  born  March  13,  1838,  in  Germany,  and  left  his  native  land  in  the  fall  of 


726  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

1874,  coming  to  Atchison  county,  where  he  rented  for  a  short  time.  Fie  tlien 
bought  the  place  where  his  son  now  hves,  which  contained  140  acres.  The 
place  was  fenced  with  rails  and  a  log  cabin  had  been  built,  and  the  bam  was  of 
straw.  Taking  this  primitive  farni  n  1874,  Mr.  Lange  began  impro\ing 
it,  and  in  1883  he  built  a  fine  six-room  house  and  made  a  number  of  other 
improvements.  In  1902  he  retired  and  moved  to  Nortonville,  Kan.,  where 
he- died  in  1910.  The  mother  of  Charles  Lange  was  born  in  Germany,  July 
31,  1841.     She  is  now  living  in  Nortonville,  Kan. 

Charles  Lange  attended  school  in  Germany  four  years  and  also  went  to 
the  district  school  in  Center  township,  Atchison  county.  He  has  always  lived 
on  his  present  farm,  and  looked  after  his  father's  affairs  until  the  latters 
deatli.  He  now  owns  the  old  home  place,  which  includes  ^/^  acres,  sixty  acres 
of  which  is  in  corn.  He  is  a  thorough  farmer  and  keeps  high  grade  stock.  In 
1 901  \lr.  Lange  was  married  to  Martha  Straub,  who  was  born  January  17, 
1881,  in  Baden,  Germany.  At  the  age  of  five  years  she  left  Germany  with 
her  parents,  Joseph  and  Salme  ( Hilderbrandt)  Strauli,  who  came  to  America. 
In  1904  they  settled  in  Mt.  Pleasant  township,  Atchison  county,  where  the 
father  followed  farming.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lange  have  six  children,  all  of  whom 
are  living  at  home.  They  are :  Erna,  Charles,  Jr,,  Henry.  Emma,  Julius, 
and  Ella,     Mr.  Lange  is  a  Republican,  and  attends  the  Lutheran  church. 


CHARLES  L.  ALKIRE. 


Charles  L.  Alkire,  proprietor  and  manager  of  tlie  Troy  laundry  of  Atchi- 
son, was  born  December  i,  1876,  in  Saline  county,  Missouri,  a  son  of  George 
A.  and  Ellen  H.  (Dickson)  Alkire,  who  were  the  parents  of  two  children,  as 
follows :  George  D.,  a  farmer  of  Bronaugh,  Mo.,  and  Charles  L.  George  A. 
Alkire  was  born  August  28,  1846,  in  Illinois,  and  was  a  son  of  George  Alkire, 
who  had  the  distinction  of  founding  the  Texas  town  which  bears  his  name. 
In  early  life  he  was  a  merchant,  and  came  to  Missouri  when  a  young  man,  and 
established  a  general  merchandise  store  in  Saline  county.  Later  he  engaged 
in  banking  and  was  cashier  of  the  bank  at  Blackburn,  Mo.  For  six  years  he 
served  as  county  collector  of  Vernon  county,  Missouri.  He  is  now  living  a 
retired  life  in  Dallas,  Tex.  His  father,  George  Alkire,  was  an  extensive  fruit 
grower,  after  whom  the  town  of  Alkire,  Texas,  was  named  and  who  died 
there.     Ellen  H.   (Dickson)   Alkire,  mother  of  Charles  L.,  was  bom  on  a 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUXTY  727 

farm  near  Booneville,  Tipton  county,  Missouri,  September  3,  1839.  and  is 
living  in  the  famil)'  home  at  Dallas,  Texas. 

Charles  L.  Alkire  received  his  education  in  the  schools  of  his  native 
county,  and  attended  the  State  school  at  Nevada,  Mo.,  graduating  from  busi- 
ness college  in  Nevada.  He  served  as  deputy  collector  in  Vernon  county 
under  his  father,  and  then  went  to  Norman,  Okla.,  where  he  embarked  in 
the  newspaper  business,  running  the  Troy  laundiy  in  connection  with  his 
publishing  duties,  from  1899  to  1902.  He  then  disposed  of  his  holdings  in 
Norman  and  located  in  Kansas  City,  Mo.,  where  he  had  charge  of  the  shoe 
department  in  G.  B.  Peck's  drygoods  store,  until  his  removal  to  Atchison,  Kan. 
He  was  first  employed  in  the  freight  department  of  the  Chicago,  Burlington 
&  Ouincy  railroad,  and  was  then  engaged  in  the  inspection  bureau  of  the 
Western  Weighing  Association  of  Railroads.  He  served  as  traveling  sales- 
man for  the  A.  J.  Harwi  Hardware  Company  until  he  purchased  the  Troy 
laundry,  in  Octo1>er  of  1915.  He  was  a  successful  traveling  salesman,  and 
is  making  a  marked  success  in  his  latest  business  venture. 

Mr.  Alkire  was  married  in  1899  to  Elizabeth  H.  Clapham,  and  to  this 
union  one  child,  Elizabeth,  has  been  born.  Mrs.  Alkire  was  born  March  12, 
1878,  in  Fremont,  Xeb.,  and  is  a  daughter  of  Edward  and  Anna  (Bradley) 
Clapham,  natives  of  England,  who  came  to  Iowa  from  their  native  land  with 
their  parents  when  both  were  infants.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Clapham  have  been 
dead  for  a  number  of  years.  Mrs.  Alkire  was  educated  in  the  University  of 
Oklahoma  and  graduated  from  that  institution.  Mr.  Alkire  is  an  independ- 
ent voter  and  is  not  allied  with  any  particular  political  party,  being  self- 
reliant  in  such  matters  as  he  has  always  been  in  his  business  affairs.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  Baptist  church  and  his  wife  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
church. 


W.  D.  CHALFANT. 


A\'.  D.  Chalfant,  a  prominent  farmer  of  Shannon  township,  .\tchison 
countv,  is  a  native  of  Pennsylvania.  He  was  born  at  Browns\ille,  I-"ayette 
county,  August  2,  1862,  a  son  of  Benjamin  M.  and  Mar\-  Amanda  (Lynn) 
Chafant,  both  natives  of  Pennsyvania,  the  former  bom  in  1838.  and  the 
latter  in  1836.  The  Chalfant  family  is  of  English  origin,  and  was  founded 
in  America  prior  to  the  Revolutionary  war.  Benjamin  M.  Chalfant  was  a 
son  of  James  Chalfant,  of  Fayette  county,  Pennsylvania.  Benjamin  M.  owned 
the  old  Chalfant  homestead  in  Fayette  county,  Pennsylvania,  and  in   1882  he 


728  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

sold  his  Pennsylvania  property  and  came  to  Kansas,  locating  in  Shannon 
township,  Atchison  county,  where  he  purchased  320  acres  of  land,  and  was 
successfully  engaged  in  farming  until  his  death,  which  occurred  June  3.  1914. 
He  was  accidentally  killed  at  the  railroad  crossing  at  Fourth  street,  Atchison, 
wliile  walking  across  the  track.  Tn  an  effort  to  avoid  an  approaching  car,  he 
did  not  notice  an  approaching  Missouri  Pacific  train,  which  struck  him.  His 
wife  died  January  18,  1905.  They  were  the  parents  of  the  following  chil- 
dren :  James  M.  resides  in  Graham  county.  Kansas ;  Elsworth  died  in  in- 
fancy;  William  D.,  the  subject  of  this  sketch;  Mary  B.  Bean  lives  in  Kinginan 
count)%  Kansas :  Henry  died  at  the  age  of  ten,  Alice  died  at  tlie  age  of 
ten,  and  Elvira  P.  resides  in  Atchison. 

William  D.  Chalfant  was  twenty  years  of  age  when  he  came  to  Atchison 
county,  and  has  resided  in  this  county  since  1882,  with  the  exception  of  two 
years,  one  of  which  he  spent  in  California  and  the  other  in  Nemaha  county, 
Kansas.  He  bought  the  home  place  in  19 14,  shortly  after  liis  father's  death. 
He  was  united  in  marriage  in  1891  to  Miss  Mary  Mann,  a  native  of  Monroe 
county,  \\'est  ^^irginia,  and  a  daughter  of  Austin  and  Susan  Mann.  The 
father  is  deceased,  and  the  mother  resides  in  Arkansas.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Chalfant  have  been  bom  eight  children,  as  follows :  Bonnie  Miller  resides  in 
West  Virginia,  and  lias  two  children,  Raymond  and  George:  Benjamin  M. 
resides  at  home ;  Delilah,  Jenette,  Helen,  Henry,  Marie,  and  Mildred.  Jenette 
and  Henr}-  died  in  infancy.  Mr.  Chalfant  is  a  Republican,  and  his  fratemal 
affiliations  are  with  the  Fraternal  Order  of  Eagles  and  the  Central  Protective 
Association. 


JACOB  BUTTROX. 


He  of  whom  this  review  is  written  is  one  of  the  enterprising  and  success- 
ful farmers  of  Lancaster  township,  Atchison  county,  and  is  a  son  of  Henry 
Buttron,  a  pioneer  settler  of  the  county,  and  who  at  the  time  of  his  death  was 
one  of  the  wealthiest  and  best  known  citizens  of  Lancaster  township.  A  biog- 
raphy of  Henr}-  Buttron  appears  in  this  history. 

Jacob  Buttron  was  liorn  in  Lancaster  township,  April  16,  1872,  and  has 
always  lived  in  the  vicinity  of  his  early  home.  He  was  reared  on  his  father's 
farm  and  attended  llie  school  in  the  Bell  district.  No.  59.  He  re- 
mained on  the  farm  and  gave  his  best  endeavors  to  assisting  his  father  in 
building  up  the  family  estate  until  1904.  at  which  time  he  started  out  for  him- 
self on  a  rented  farm.     He  first  rented   160  acres  of  land  ivom  his  father. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  729 

Later  lie  bouglit  an  equal  amount  of  the  north  quarter  of  the  Cloyes  farm. 
He  has  through  his  father,  at  the  present  time,  one  of  tlie  best  improved  and 
productive  farms  of  Lancaster  township  and  is  on  the  high  road  to  prosperity. 
Mr.  Buttron  has  his  farm  stocked  with  only  the  best  grades  of  live  stock  and 
has  made  an  excellent  record  as  a  stockman. 

He  was  married  December  14.,  1904,  to  Miss  Emma  Flattre,  and  four 
children  have  blessed  this  union,  namely :  Bertha,  Emma,  Alice  and  John. 
Mrs.  Buttron  is  a  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Emma  (Manson)  Flattre.  Mr. 
Buttron  is  a  Republican  in  politics,  but  has  never  sought  prilitical  preferment 
of  any  kind,  and  contents  himself  in  doing  his  duty  at  the  polls  at  election 
time.  While  he  professes  no  religious  creed,  he  is  a  church  goer  and  is  con- 
sidered to  be  an  upright  and  exemplary  citizen  who  has  many  friends  in  his 
neighborhood,  who  esteem  him  highly  for  his  industrious  liabits  and  honest 
demeanor. 


GEORGE  SCHRADER. 


George  Schrader,  farmer  and  stockman,  of  Center  township,  Atchison 
county,  was  born  in  Lancaster  township,  January  25,  186S,  and  is  a  son  of 
Nicholas  and  Kathrine  Schrader.  He  was  one  of  si:^  children.  The  parents 
w^re  born  in  German}',  but  each  came  to  America  when  young.  They  were 
married  in  the  United  States  about  1856,  and  came  directly  to  Kansas,  set- 
tling in  Lancaster  township,  Atchison  count}-.  Later  they  removed  to  Mount 
Pleasant  township,  and  followed  fanning  until  the  father  retired.  The  mother 
died  in  1907,  aged  seventy-three  years,  and  the  father  lived  with  his  children 
until  his  death,  in  1914,  at  the  age  of  eighty-six.  George  Schrader  grew  to 
manhood  on  the  home  farm  in  Atchison  county,  and  at  the  age  of  nineteen  be- 
gan to  work  as  a  farm  hand.  A  year  later  he  went  to  California  and  worked 
on  a  ranch.  In  1890  he  returned  to  Atchison  county  and  rented  his  father's 
farni  for  a  year,  when  he  bought  180  acres,  located  on  the  Topeka  State 
road,  two  and  one-half  miles  north,  and  one-half  mile  west  of  Cummings, 
Kan.  The  farm  had  only  scanty  improvements,  with  a  house  in  bad  condi- 
tion and  a  small  barn.  He  built  a  good  two-story,  modern,  nine-room  house, 
which  is  situated  in  one  of  the  finest  building  places  in  the  count}-,  com- 
manding an  excellent  view.  He  then  erected  a  large  barn,  36x50 
feet,  with  a  cement  basement.  It  is  well  equipped  and  built  especiall}-  for  a 
stock  barn.     Mr.  Schrader  takes  great  pride  in  his  stock,  which  includes  fine 


730  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

Hampshire  hogs,  Percheron  and  Coach  horses.     His  farm  consists  of  200 
acres,  forty  acres  of  which  is  timber  land. 

When  a  young  man  M:*.  Sclirader  operated  a  threshing  outfit,  and  con- 
tinued in  that  business  for  many  years  as  a  sideline.  He  is  also  a  carpenter, 
and  built  most  of  the  buildings  on  his  farm.  In  1894  he  married  Carrie  Kuhn, 
who  was  born  in  Atchison  county  in  1874.  She  is  a  daughter  of  Fred  and 
Anna  (Gniner)  Kuhn.  The  father  was  a  native  of  Germany,  and  the  mother 
of  Illinois.  Both  parents  are  living.  Mr.  and  ]\Irs.  Schrader  have  three 
children :  Herbert,  Lester,  and  Ida,  all  living  at  home.  ]\Ir.  Schrader  is  a 
Republican,  and  is  treasurer  of  Center  township.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
German  Evangelical  church.  He  is  a  stockholder  in  the  Cummiiigs  State 
Bank.  ]\Ir.  Schrader. is  a  citizen  active  in  the  interest  of  his  community,  and 
takes  pride  in  his  farm  and  in  his  community,  and  is  always  in  favor  of  any 
movement  wliich  will  be  for  the  good  of  the  community. 


WILLIAM  T.  HUTSON. 


^^'illianl  T.  Hutson.  an  Atchison  business  man,  who  has  extensive  in- 
dustrial and  commercial-  interests,  and  is  a  large  land  owner,  is  a  nati\e  of 
Missouri.  He  was  born  in  Platte  county  August  i,  1874,  and  is  a  son  of  E.  P. 
and  Johanna  (Kelley)  Hutson,  the  former  a  native  of  Clay  county,  Missouri, 
and  the  latter  of  Dublin.  Ireland.  E.  P.  Hutson,  the  father,  had  a  very 
successful 'career,  and  at  the  time  of  liis  death,  which  occurred  in  Platte 
county.  Missouri,  in  1892,  he  ownied  over  2,000  acres  of  \aluabie  land.  He 
and  his  brother,  Isaac,  went  to  California  in  1850,  shortlj-  after  the  discovery 
of  gold.  They  were  interested  in  the  live  stock  business  on  the  coast  at  that 
early  day.  buying  cattle  and  driving  them  to  the  mining  camps,  where  they 
found  a  ready  market  at  \ery  good  prices.  Tliey  were  engaged  in  this  busi- 
ness for  twelve  or  thirteen  years,  and  were  very  successful  in  a  financial  way. 
Isaac's  health  failed  while  on  the  coast,  and  he  returned  to  his  Platte  county 
home,  where  he  died  in  1864.  After  returning  to  Missouri,  E.  P.  Hutson 
followed  farming,  and  looked  after  his  extensive  interests  until  about  the  time 
of  his  death. 

William  T.  Hutson,  whose  name  introduces  this  sketch,  is  one  of  a 
family  of  six  children,  as  follows:  William  T.,  the  subject  of  this  sketch; 
G.    E.,    farmer,    Platte  county,    Mis.souri ;    Capitola    married    W.    P.    Page, 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  73  r 

Platte  county,  Missouri ;  Pluma  married  Dr.  Kirkfast,  Austin.  Neb. ; 
Goldie  married  Barney  Nolan,  Sioux  City.  Iowa,  and  Galena  married 
Edward  Back,  Atchison,  Kan.  William  T.  Hutson  was  reared  on  the  home 
farm  in  Platte  county,  Missouri,  and  received  his  education  in  the  public 
schools,  and  has  made  farming  the  chief  occupation  of  his  life.  He  and  his 
brother,  G.  E..  now  own  and  operate  i,ooo  acres  of  land  in  Platte  county, 
Missouri,  where  they  are  extensive  growers  of  wheat  and  other  grains.  They 
are  also  extensive  hog  raisers  and  are  among  the  most  extensive  farmers  of 
Platte  county. 

Mr.  Hutson  came  to  Atchison  in  December,  1909,  and  since  that  time 
has  been  closely  identified  with  industrial  Atchison.  He  is  president  of  the 
Atchison  Paving  Brick  Company,  and  is  a  director  in  the  First  National  Bank 
of  Atchison.  He  was  united  in  marriage  in  June,  1909,  to  Miss  Esther  Jack- 
son, of  Bigelow,  Mo.  She  is  a  daughter  of  Richard  and  Varney  Jackson, 
members  of  old  and  highly  respected  Platte  county  families.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Hutson  have  one  child,  Virginia  Lee,  bom  June  23,  1912.  Mr.  Hutson  is  a 
Democrat. 


JOHN  BEYER. 


John  Beyer,  banker  and  stock  buyer  of  Arrington,  Atchison  county, 
Kansas,  was  born  in  Kapioma  township,  on  October  9.  1871.  His  parents, 
Asa  and  Susan  Beyer,  were  both  natives  of  Penns}-lvania,  the  father  having 
been  born  there  in  1835.  They  came  to  Kansas  in  1868,  and  settled  in  Ka- 
pioma township,  Atchison  county,  where  the  father  died  in  1898,  and  the 
mother  is  still  living.  John  Beyer  is  one  of  eleven  children,  as  follows :  Mrs. 
Mary  Lewton,  Benton  township;  Samuel,  Kapioma  township;  Mrs.  Christen 
High,  Texas;  David,  farmer,  Kapioma  township;  Jane,  living  on  the  home 
place ;  Clarissa,  deceased ;  Martha  Schiffbauer,  Sumner  county,  Kansas ;  John, 
the  subject  of  this  sketch;  Albert,  Caldwell.  Kansas,  and  Luctria  Dodson, 
Kapioma  township. 

John  Beyer  attended  the  Cole  Creek  district  school  and  at  the  age  of 
twenty-one  started  out  in  life  for  himself.  He  bought  an  eighty-acre  farm 
from  his  father,  and  worked  this  place  five  jears  and  made  a  success  of  it. 
In  1900  he  moved  to  Arrington,  Kapioma  township,  and  engaged  in  the 
livery  business.  He  ran  this  until  the  following  year  when  he  sold  out  and 
bought  the  elevator  on  the  Union  Pacific  railroad  at  Arrington.     He  bought 


732  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

and  sold  grain  for  six  years,  but  owned  the  elevator  until  1912.  The  year 
previous  he  began  to  deal  in  live  stock  and  has  continued  in  that  business 
since.  In  1904  the  need  of  a  bank  was  felt,  and  John  Beyer,  together  with 
other  leading  citizens  of  Arrington,  organized  the  present  bank.  For  the 
past  eight  years  he  has  been  assistant  cashier  of  the  institution.  Mr.  Beyer 
owns  farm  land  in  Kapioma  township. 

In  1897  ^r-  Beyer  married  Maud  A.  Coots,  who  was  born  in  Holt  county, 
Missouri,  January  13,  1875.  She  is  a  daughter  of  Presley  W.  and  Sarah 
(Campbell)  Coots,  both  Missourians,  wliose  parents  were  from  Kentucky. 
The  father  is  now  living  in  Muscotah,  Kan.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Beyer  have  one 
child,  Flossie  A.,  who  is  living  at  home.  Mr.  Beyer  is  a  Republican  and  a 
member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows. 


JOSEPH  H.   WATOWA. 


Joseph  H.  Watowa,  a  prosperous  Atchison  county  farmer,  is  a  native  of 
Missouri.  He  was  born  in  Buchanan  county,  January  24,  1864,  and  is  a  son 
of  Joseph  and  Catharine  (Fischer)  Watowa,  both  natives  of  Austria.  They 
were  married  in  their  native  land,  and  immigrated  to  America  in  1855,  first 
settling  in  Wisconsin.  Later,  they  located  in  Buchanan  county,  Missouri,  and 
in  1879  came  to  Kansas,  locating  in  Shannon  towship,  Atchison  county,  on 
the  place  where  Joseph  H.,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  now  resides.  They 
were  the  parents  of  six  children,  as  follows :  Frank  resides  in  Atchison 
county;  Mary,  deceased;  Henry  resides  in  Atchison  county;  Amelia;  Joseph 
H.,  the  subject  of  this  sketch ;  and  Paulina. 

Joseph  H.  Watowa  is  one  of  the  successful  farmers  of  Atchison  county, 
and  has  one  of  the  fine  farms  of  that  section  in  the  State,  consisting  of  160 
acres  of  well  improved  land  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation.  His  land  is 
located  in  an  ideal  j;pot,  and  a  fine  tract  of  timber  is  located  on  the  place. 
He  is  an  e.xtensive  alfalfa  grower  and  an  all  around  practical  modern  farmer. 

Mr.  Watowa  was  married  in  1892  to  Miss  Thresa,  daughter  of  Joseph 
and  Johanna  Zeit,  natives  of  Austria  and  early  settlers  in  Atchison  county, 
where  they  still  reside.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Watowa  have  been  born  the  follow- 
ing cln'ldren :  Mary,  age  nineteen ;  Johanna,  age  eighteen ;  Elizabeth,  age 
seventeen ;  Helena,  age  sixteen ;  Joseph,  age  thirteen ;  Bertha,  age  twelve,  and 
Catherine,  age  four.     Mr.  Watowa  has  lived  on  his  present  place  for  thirty- 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  733 

six  years,  and,  although  still  a  young  man,  he  counts  himself  among  the  old 
landmarks  of  Atchison  county.  He  is  a  Democrat,  and  has  always  supported 
the  policies  and  principles  of  that  party.  He  has  taken  a  commendable  part 
in  local  politics,  and  has  served  as  town  clerk  for  six  years.  He  and  his  family 
are  members  of  the  St.  Benedict  Catholic  Church  at  Atchison. 


NATHAN  T.  VEATCH. 


Nathan  T.  Veatcli,  superintendent  of  the  Atchison  city  schools,  is  a 
native  of  Illinois.  He  was  born  near  Astoria,  Fulton  county,  and  reared  on 
a  farm.  After  receiving  a  common  school  education,  he  began  his  career  as 
a  teacher  in  the  district  schools  of  Schuyler  county,  Illinois.  Later  lie 
attended  the  State  Normal  school  of  Illinois,  and  was  graduated  from  that 
institution  with  the  class  of  1881.  He  was  principal  of  the  graded  school  at 
Butler,  111.,  for  two  years,  and  later  was  principal  of  an  eighth  grade  ward 
school  in  Little  Rock,  Ark.,  for  four  years.  He  served  as  superintendent  and 
principal  of  the  Rushville  city  schools  at  Rushville,  111.,  for  fourteen  years, 
and  in  1901  was  elected  superintendent  of  the  Atchison  city  schools,  and  has 
held  that  position  to  the  present  time. 

Mr.  Veatch  was  married  in  1883  to  Miss  Lizzie  Montgomery,  of  Rush- 
ville, 111.  She  was  a  successful  teacher  prior  to  her  marriage.  To  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Veatch  have  been  born  two  children,  as  follows:  Nathan  T.,  Jr.,  born 
at  Rushville,  111.,  and  is  now  a  civil  engineer,  and  a  member  of  the  firm  of 
Black  &  X'eatch,  consulting  engineers,  Kansas  City,  Mo.,  and  Francis  M., 
bom  at  Rushville,  111.,  a  sam'tary  engineer,  in  the  employ  of  Kansas 
LTniversity. 


JAMES  L.  ARMSTRONG. 


James  L.  Armstrong,  farmer  and  breeder  of  jirize  winning  Percheron 
horses,  was  born  in  Winnebago  county,  Illinois,  July  11,  1867.  He  comes 
of  sturdy  Irish  stock,  his  parents  having  been  born  on  the  Emerad  Isle.  The 
father,  James  Armstrong,  was  born  October  22,  1836,  in  County  Sligo,  Ire- 
land. He  was  a  farmer  there,  and  at  the  age  of  twenty-four  sailed  for  Amer- 
ica and  found  his  first  job  in  Philadelphia.  In  a  short  time  he  came  west  and 
followed  fanning  in  Illinois.     Several  years  later,  in   1867,  to  be  exact,  he 


734  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

came  to  Atchison  county,  Kansas,  and  bought  eighty  acres  of  land  near  Huron, 
Kan.,  in  Lancaster  township.  He  farmed  this  place  until  his  death  in  1886. 
In  addition  to  his  farming  he  was  an  extensive  breeder  and  feeder  of  cattle. 
His  wife  was  also  born  in  Ireland,  the  date  of  her  birth  being  December  25, 
1830.  Slie  died  in  1902.  They  were  married  in  Ireland  and  three  children 
were  born  to  them  there.  After  coming  to  America  five  other  children  were 
born.     Both  parents  were  members  of  the  Methodist  church. 

James  L.,  Jr.,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  grew  up  in  Lancaster  township, 
and  attended  school  in  district  Xo.  44.  He  remained  at  home  with  liis  par- 
ents until  they  died.  He  then  bought  320  acres  in  Kapioma  township  and 
built  an  unusually  fine  residence  at  a  cost  of  about  $4,000.  The  interior  is 
finished  in  white  oak,  and  a  cement  basement  underlies  the  house,  and  all 
modern  conveniences  have  been  installed,  including  hot  and  colt  running  water. 
He  keeps  all  of  his  buildings  painted  and  in  repair  so  that  everything  around 
the  place  presents  a  fresh  and  orderly  appearance.  Horses  are  Mr.  Arm- 
strong's hobby,  and  several  times  he  has  won  prizes  at  the  Effingham  fair 
with  his  Percherons,  and  now  has  four  thoroughl^red  Percherons,  registered. 
He  is  a  shareholder  in  the  Muscotah  elevator.  He  is  unmarried  and  has  a 
man  and  his  wife,  who  care  for  the  household.  Mr.  Armstrong  is  a  member 
of  the  Christian  church  and  has  affiliated  himself  with  the  Republican  party. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Percheron  Society  of  America.  He  has  received  as 
high  as  $600  for  Percheron  horses  bred  on  his  place. 


JOHN  FERRIS. 


A  man's  usefulness  in  his  community  need  not  necessarih-  be  confined  to 
working  entirely  for  his  own  individual  aggrandizement,  and  there  are  fre- 
quently found  conspicuous  examples  of  good  citizenship  who  are  broad- 
minded  and  entei-prising  enough  to  extend  their  activities  outward,  so  as  to 
embrace  the  well-being  of  their  fellowmcn.  John  Ferris,  banker  and  prosper- 
ous farmer,  of  Center  township,  Atchison  county,  is  a  shining  example  of 
broad  and  upright  citizenship,  with  whom  family,  church  and  social  ties  have 
been  preeminent  during  his  long  residence  in  the  county.  Successful  as  a 
farmer  and  stockman,  his  ambitions  have  led  him  into  banking  pursuits  with 
consideral)le  success  to  his  credit.  His  deeply  religious  nature  liaving  en- 
dowed him  with  a  love  for  church  work,  many  fruitful  years  of  his  life  have 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 


/OO 


been  devoted  to  Sunday  school  and  church  work,  which  have  won  him  high 
esteem  and  infinite  respect  among  the  people  of  his  neighborhood.  - 

The  twenty-eight  years  of  Mr.  Ferris"  residence  in  Center  township  have 
been  productive  of  much  material  good  on  his  part,  and  he  is  rated  as  one 
of  the  really  successful  men  of  the  county.  This  period  marks  his  rise  from 
comparative  poverty  to  a  position  of  affluence  and  prestige,  attained  by  few 
citizens.  Mr.  Ferris  saw  opportunity  and  embraced  it,  and  has  made  good  in 
more  ways  than  one. 

John  Ferris  is  a  man  whose  pluck  and  industry  have  brought  him  out  of  a 
long  struggle  with  high  honors.  Starting  out  in  life  as  a  poor  boy,  he  worked 
long  and  hard,  until  now  he  lives  in"  comfort  and  security.  Mr.  Ferris  was 
born  at  Sharonville,  Ohio,  November  25,  i860,  and  is  a  son  of  Peter  and  Het- 
tie  (Phares)  Ferris,  who  were  the  parents  of  seven  children,  as  follows:  John, 
the  subject  of  this  sketch;  Joseph,  Winchester,  Kan.;  Alice,  wife  of  W.  T. 
Birt,  Topeka,  Kan. ;  Louvinca,  wife  of  F.  L.  Stephens,  Topeka,  Kan. ;  Thomas, 
Mt.  Pleasant  township,  Atchison  county ;  Peter,  farmer,  on  old  Eastman  place. 
Center  township,  Atchison  county,  and  Mrs.  Delia  Coppinger,  deceased.  The 
father  was  born  August  8,  18,39,  i''^  Sharonville,  Hamilton  county,  Ohio.  He 
was  a  son  of  John  and  Rebecca  (Myers)  Ferris,  natives  of  Pennsylvania, 
who  came  to  Ohio  as  early  settlers,  in  1804.  The  father  of  John  F^ris,  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch,  was  reared  on  the  farm  in  Ohio.  He  came  to  Kansas  in 
1878,  and  settled  in  Osborne  county.  Two  years  later,  after  being  starved  out 
by  the  ravages  of  the  grasshoppers  and  the  hot  winds,  which  burned  up  his 
crops,  he  went  to  Rawlins  county,  Kansas,  where  he  preempted  640  acres  of 
land.  He  did  not  live  there,  but  came  to  Nortonville,  Kan.,  and  began  work 
as  a  laborer  and  farmer. 

In  1887  he  came  to  Center  township,  where  he  rented  for  five  years.  He 
then  rented  640  acres  south  of  Nortonville.  In  1892  he  and  his  son,  John,  the 
subject  of  this  sketch,  bought  160  acres  in  Jefferson  county.  Then,  for  a 
number  of  years,  they  bought  and  sold  farms  in  Atchison  and  Jefferson  coun- 
ties, until  1903,  when  they  bought  the  farm  of  215  acres,  which  John  and 
his  father  are  working.  This  land  is  located  in  Center  township  and  includes 
the  northwest  quarter  of  section  ,3  and  the  southwest  quarter  of  section  34, 
and  includes  ten  acres  of  natural  timber.  He  has  thirty  acres  of  alfalfa  and 
fifty  acres  in  corn  each  year.  Mr.  Ferris  also  devotes  considerable  attention 
to  his  stock.  He  keeps  only  graded  animals  on  his  farm,  and  makes  a  specialty 
of  feeding  hogs  and  cattle  for  the  market.  He  started  out  with  little  capital, 
and  had  to  begin  as  a  laborer  at  dav  wages,  but  he  saved  his  earnings  and 


736  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

invested  tliem  wisely,  and,  now,  besides  being  a  substantial  farmer,  he  is  a 
shareholder  and  president  of  the  State  Bank  of  Cummings.  Mr.  Ferris  is  un- 
married. His  mother  was  born  in  Little  Rock,  Ark.,  in  1840.  She  is  a 
daughter  of  Joseph  and  ]\Iatilda  (Todd)  Phares.  The  father  came  from  New 
Jersey,  and  the  mother  from  Tennessee.  In  politics,  Mr.  Ferris  has  identi- 
fied himself  with  the  Republican  party.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Pardee  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Church  and  takes  an  active  part  in  its  organization.  He  is 
a  steward,  and  for  many  years  has  been  superintendent  of  the  Sunday  school. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  and  of  the  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Odd  Fellow:  lodges  of  Cummings.  Air.  Ferris  is  a  con- 
spicuous example  of  the  self-made  man.  His  career  proves  the  possibilities 
of  a  man,  who,  though  handicapped  liy  lack  of  capital,  is  willing  to 'work  con- 
sistently and  save  judiciously. 


MARCUS  J.  LAIRD. 


The  history  of  the  Laird  family  in  Kansas  begins  three  score  years  ago, 
in  the  old  days  when  the  first  sturdy  pioneers  were  coming  from  the  older 
states  to  find  new  homes  in  the  unpeopled  waste  of  Kansas,  and  to  break 
the  way  for  others  who  have  since  followed  in  increasing  numbers.  It  is  a 
long  reach  which  witnesses  the  transformation  of  a  wilderness  of  prairie  and 
woods  to  a  beautiful,  productive  landscape  of  peace  and  plenty,  but  Marcus 
J.  Laird  and  his  wife  have  been  fortunate  in  growing  to  maturity  with  Atch- 
ison county.  Few  families  in  this  county  can  claim  an  older  lineage  than  the 
Lairds  or  Cummings  families,  and  no  family  is  more  respected  than  that  of 
Marcus  J.  Laird.  His  father,  J.  B.  Laird,  was  one  of  the  earliest  pioneers  of 
Atchison  county,  and  on  the  other  hand  the  father  of  Mrs.  Laird  was  another 
pioneer,  W'illiam  Cummings,  who  founded  the  town  of  Cummings,  thus 
leaving  a  monument  which  will  perpetuate  his  name  for  all  time  to  come. 
Through  the  medium  of  these  historical  annals  of  .Atchison  county  these 
pioneers  will  be  dulv  honored  and  this  volume  is  dedicated  to  their  ever- 
lasting memory  in  order  that  the  story  of  Atchison  county  might  be  trans- 
mitted truthfully  and  accurately  to  posterity. 

Marcus  J.  Laird  has  been  successively,  farmer,  merchant  and  postmaster, 
and  is  proud  of  the  fact  that  lie  is  a  native  l)orn  citizen  of  Kansas,  and  a  son  of 
one  of  the  earliest  pioneers  of  the  State.     Like  a  good  many  men  who  have 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  737 

been  reared  lo  farm  life,  after  a  successful  career  as  merchant  and  public 
official,  he  has  returned  to  the  fami  where  living  is  sure  and  certain  and  a 
competence  is  the  inevitable  reward  of  years  of  labor. 

Marcus  J.  Laird  was  born  August  26,  i860,  in  Center  township,  Atch- 
ison county,  and  is  a  son  of  James  B.  and  Marinda  (Martin)  Laird,  who  were 
the  parents  of  fourteen  children  as  follows :  Mary  died  in  infancy ;  Thomas 
died  in  infancy;  James  W..  Jackson  county,  Kansas;  Marcus,  the  subject  of 
this  sketch;  Abraham,  Jefferson  county,  Kansas;  Mrs.  Emma  Leland,  Atch- 
ison. Kan. ;  John,  deceased;  Ulysses,  deceased;  Rose,  wife  of  C.  Barnes.  Chase 
county.  Kansas ;  Robert,  Jackson  county,  Kansas ;  Paul,  a  teacher.  Durant. 
Okla. ;  Mrs.  Amanda  Hanson.  Nortonville,  Kan. ;  Mrs.  Mabel  McDonald. 
Muscotah,  Kan.,  and  Frank.  Seattle,  ^^'ash.  James  B.  Laird,  the  father,  was 
born  in  Zanesville,  Ohio,  June  13.  1834.  and  was  a  son  of  Thomas  and  Elton 
(Saffle)  Laird,  both  natives  of  Pennsylvania.  The  Lairds  are  of  Scotch 
descent.  James  was  brought  up  on  his  father's  farm,  and  when  he  was  thir- 
teen years  of  age  his  parents  removed  to  Livingston,  Mo.,  where  he  grew  to 
manhood.  He  then  went  to  Buchanan  county.  Missouri,  where  he  was  mar- 
ried to  Marinda  Martin,  the  wedding  taking  place  at  DeKalb.  Mo.,  in  1854. 
Marinda  (Martia)  Laird  was  born  August  i,  1836,  in  Morgan  county,  Indi- 
ana. She  is  a  daughter  of  Hanson  and  Mary  (Holman)  Martin.  Her  father 
was  a  farmer  in  Kentucky  before  coming  to  Atchison  county.  Kansas,  in  1856, 
where  he  died  in  1878.  and  the  UKJllier  died  in  1840.  at  the  age  of  thirty  years. 

James  B.  Laird  and  his  bride  came  to  Kansas  in  the  fall  of  1854  and  set- 
tled in  Mt,  Pleasant  township.  Atchison  county,  where  they  homesteaded  t6o 
acres  of  prairie  and  timber  land.  They  drove  from  Missouri  in  a  covered 
wagon  pulled  by  oxen.  Atchison.  Kan.,  had  but  one  house  at  that  time;  it 
had  been  moved  there  from  Missouri.  James  Laird  built  a  sawmill  on  his 
farm  the  first  year  he  was  there  and  sawed  i.ooo  feet  of  lumber,  but  a  flood 
swept  it  all  down  into  Crooked  creek.  They  built  a  log  cabin  on  the  place, 
and  the  first  child.  Mary,  was  born  there.  The  fact  that  Mt.  Pleasant,  which 
was  only  three  miles  away,  provided  a  nearljy  m.arket,  helped  the  Lairds  out 
considerably.  They  farmed  the  homestead  until  i860,  when  tliev  snld  it  for 
$900  and  moved  farther  west  and  bought  276  acres  in  Center  township.  This 
propertv  became  the  old  home  ])lace  and  the  La'rds  owned  it  for  manv  x-ears. 

James  B.  Laird  moved  to  Cummings  and  conducted  a  general  merchandise 
store  for  a  few  \-ears  precediu'^'  his  de''t!i.  in  1892.  The  widow  returned 
to  the  farm  with  the  children,  where  she  Iirought  them  up  and  educated  them. 
Tn  1000  she  left  the  home  place  nnrl  lin^;  sin<-c  lived  with  her  children,  and  at 

47 


/^8  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

present  she  lives  with  Marcus,  the  subject  of  this  sketch.  Marcus  J-  Laird 
grew  up  on  the  home  place  and  attended  school  in  district  No.  36,  Center 
township,  and  at  the  age  of  sixteen  he  left  home  and  worked  as  a  farm  hand 
for  al)out  a.  year,  and  later  rented  land  from  his  father.  In  1883.  at  the  age 
of  twenty,  he  bought  sixty  acres  in  Center  township  and  farmed  it  a-  year 
when  he  traded  it  for  a  stock  of  merchandise  at  Cummings  and  was  in  partner- 
ship with  Nelson  Cox  there  for  five  years.  Selling  his  interest  in  the  business 
he  rented  land  and  fanned  for  a  while.  In  1892  he  bought  the  place  wiiich  he 
now  owns  and  has  increased  the  original  eighty  acres  to  104.  He  has  always 
kept  good  stock  on  his  place  and  takes  pride  in  keeping  his  animals  up  to 
standard.  In  1884  Mr.  Laird  married  Britamore  Cummings,  who  was  born 
August  20,  1866,  in  Center  township,  Atchison  county.  She  is  a  daughter  of 
William  and  Sarah  (Quiet)  Cummings.  Her  father  was  a  founder  of  Cum- 
mings, Kan.,  and  was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania.  He  came  to  Kansas  in  1855 
and  engaged  in  farming.  He  died  July  27,  1900,  at  the  age  of  eighty-six. 
The  mother,  Sarah,  was  born  in  Illinois  and  is  now  living  in  Kansas  City, 
Kan.  Five  children  were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Laird,  as  follows:  James  W., 
Kansas  City,  Mo. :  Meda  B.,  wife  of  L.  Reynolds,  Center  townsliip,  Atchison 
county.  Kansas ;  Anna  McKanna,  living  at  home  Edith  Hammer,  Effingham, 
Kan. ;  Blanche,  a  teacher,  living  at  home.  Mr.  Laird  is  a  Republican.  He 
was  postma.ster  of  Cummings  for  thirteen  years.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Baptist  church  and  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and  Ancient 
Order  of  United  Workmen. 


ALLEN  T.  BILDERBACK. 


Tlie  history  of  the  Eilderliack  and  Johnson  families  in  Kansas  goes  back 
to  the  old  freighting  and  pioneer  days  when  the  hardships  of  the  first  setters 
were  many  and  conveniences  were  few.  The  father  of  Allen  T.  Bilderback, 
whose  name  heads  this  review,  was  one  of  the  early  stage  coach  drivers  whose 
route  took  him  on  many  journeys  from  Kansas  to  Denver,  and  otlicr  Colorado 
points,  .\aron  Bilderback  drove  a  stage  coach  from  Atchison  to  Denver  and 
Central  City,  Colo.,  beginning  in  1864,  for  several  years,  until  he  finally  set- 
tled on  a  farm  in  Center  township,  Atchison  county.  Jesse  R.  Johnson,  grand- 
father of  Mrs.  Bilderback.  had  the  honor  of  assisting  in  establishing  the  first 
Methodist  church  in  Kansas,  and  Methodism  is  said  to  have  had  its  origin 
in  the  State  from  a  Sunday  school  which  was  started  in  his  home  at  Oak 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 


739 


Mills,  nearly  sixty  years  ago.     From  this  small  beginning  a  great  religious 
denomination  had  its  inception  in  the  newi  State  of  Kansas. 

Allen  T.  Bilderback,  with  whom  this  review  is  directly  concerned,  is  a 
native  born  Kansan,  a  man  of  good  education,  who  has  been  useful  as  an  edu- 
cator and  farmer  during  his  residence  in  his  native  county.  He  was  born  in 
Center  township  July  21,  1878,  and  is  a  son  of  Aaron  and  Sarah  (Jonesi 
Bilderback,  who  were  the  parents  of  two  children ;  Allen,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  and  Leslie,  who  lives  in  Atchison.  The  father  was  born  in  Indiana 
September  17,  1843.  When  a  young  man  he  came  to  Kansas  in  1855,  and 
freighted  across  the  plains  to  Denver.  The  trail  extended  from  Atchison  to 
Denver,  and  Aaron  Bilderback  drove  a  stage  coach  and  a  prairie  schooner.  He 
later  bought  forty  acres  of  land  just  south  of  Cummings,  Atchison  county, 
where  he  remained  a  few  years.  In  August,  188 1,  he  bought  the  farm 
which  his  son  now  owns.  He  improved  it  and  lived  there  until  his  death, 
January  4,  1890.  Allen  Bilderback's  mother  was  born  in  Mt.  Pleasant  town- 
ship, Atchison  county,  in  1855.  She  was  a  daughter  of  Vincent  Jones,  an 
early  settler  in  Kansas.  She  died  in  1885,  at  the  age  of  thirtv  years.  Both 
parents  died  when  Allen  was  very  young,  and  he  was  brought  up  by  his  uncle, 
Gabriel  T.  Bilderback.  He  attended  school  in  District  No.  36,  Center  town- 
ship, and  later  attended  the  Atchison  county  high  school  at  Effingham.  .\t 
the  age  of  twenty-one  he  began  teaching  m  District  No.  19.  Mt.  Pleasant 
township.  In  1902  he  went  to  Granada,  Colo.,  where  he  started  a  liverv  busi- 
ness. Three  years  later  he  returned  to  Atchison  county  and  taught  school 
again.  After  a  term  of  teaching,  he  took  charge  of  the  old  home  place  and 
engaged  in  farming.     He  now  owns  149  acres  and  has  graded  stock. 

On  ]\Iarch  28,  1906.  Mr.  Bilderback  married  Edith  E.  Jones.  wlH)  was 
born  November  15,  1884,  near  Mayetta,  Jackson  county,  Kansas.  She  also 
was  a  teacher  before  her  marriage,  having  taught  for  a  numlier  of  years 
in  Jackson  county,  Kansas.  She  is  a  daughter  of  Samuel  R.  and  Sarah  J. 
(Johnson)  Jones.  The  father  was  born  in  Miami  county,  Ohio,  and  came 
to  Atchison  county  in  1856,  settling  near  Oak  Mills.  For  a  lime  he  farmed 
there,  at  first  using  oxen,  and  lived  in  a  log  cabin.  A  number  of  years  later 
he  moved  to  Jackson  county,  Kansas,  where  he  died  January  23,  1916.  His 
wife  was  born  in  Virginia,  a  daughter  of  Jesse  and  Nancy  (Davis)  Johnson, 
Her  father  was  born  in  New  York  April  it,  1819,  and  came  to  Kansas  in 
1854,  settling  near  Oak  Mills,  and  helped  organize  the  first  Methodist  church 
in  Kansas.  For  some  time  a  Bible  class  met  at  his  house,  and  when  it  grew 
to  a  membership  of  forty,  a  Methodist  church  was  organized  bv  Rev.  Bowen. 
That  was  the  origin  of  Methodism  in  Kansas.    Jesse  Johnson  died  in  1904. 


740  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

and  his  wife  died  in  '1907,  at  the  age  of  eighty-three.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bilder- 
back  have  three  children,  all  living  at  home,  as  follows:  Allen,  jr.,  Ijorn 
March  18,  1907:  Sarah  Naomi,  torn  July  27,  1909,  and  Lucile  Elizabeth, 
born  June  8,  1913.  Mr.  Bilderback  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  church,  and 
now  holds  the  office  of  trustee.  He  belongs  to  the  Modem  Woodmen  of 
America,  and  is  president  of  the  farmers'  institute  at  Cummmgs. 


WILLIAM  M.  NITZ. 


America  is  proud  of  her  citizens  of  German  birth,  and  glories  in  their 
accomplishments,  their  successes,  and  affluence,  wherever  they  are  located. 
It  is  an  undisputable  fact  that  the  farmers  of  German  birth  or  ancestry  in 
Kansas  today  are  rated  as  among  the  most  prosperous  of  this  great  common- 
wealth. Atchison  county  has  its  quota  of  successful  German  agriculturists, 
and  William  M.  Nitz.  of  Center  townshi]),  is  one  who  is  deserving  of  special 
mention.  It  is  a  noteworthy  rise  from  a  ]3oor  German  immigrant  boy  to  be- 
come one  of  the  large  landed  proprietors  of  the  county,  Init  Mr.  Nitz  has 
accomplished  all  this.  His  400  acres  or  more  of  land  in  Center  township 
were  all  obtained  by  hard  labor,  economy,  intelligence  and  good  financial 
judgment.  The  rearing  of  his  large  family  of  nine  children,  and  their  gift  to 
the  county  and  counlrj'  as  sturdy  and  upright  citizens,  is  alone  a  matter  for 
praiseworthy  mention. 

Williain  M.  Nitz  was  born  in  Germany,  March  26,  1864,  and  is  a  son 
of  Ludwig  and  Johanna  Louisa  (Linstad)  Nitz,  who  were  the  parents  of 
eleven  children,  eight  of  whom  are  living.  The  father  was  born  in  Germany, 
in  August,  1836,  and  left  bis  native  land  in  1883  with  his  wife  and  one  child, 
coming  to  America.  He  came  west  and  worked  a  year  as  a  laborer,  and  then 
bought  eighty  acres  of  land  in  Doniphan  county,  Kansas,  where  he  farmed 
until  191 1.  He  then  removed  to  Kansas  City,  Mo.,  where  he  and  his  wife 
now  live.  His  wife,  the  mother  of  William  Nitz,  was  also  born  in  Germany, 
in  1845.  William  N.  Nitz  immigrated  to  America  when  he  was  fifteen  years 
of  age.  He  worked  in  Pennsylvania  as  a  farm  hand  for  a  year,  then  he  came 
to  Doniphan  county,  Kansas,  where  he  also  worked  as  a  farm  hand.  He  then 
rented  land  in  Lancaster  township,  .Atchison  county,  for  two  years,  when  he 
returned  to  Doniphan  county,  where  he  bought  eighty  acres  of  land.  In 
1902  he  sold  out  and  bought  307  acres  in  Center  township.     This  farm  was 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  74I 

poorly  improved,  the  house  and  l^arn  being  old  and  dilapidated.  Mr. 
Nitz  proceeded  to  rebuild  and  imjirove  the  buildings.  He  is  now  located  in 
section  ii,  and  owns  427  acres  of  land.  He  is  a  fancier  of  good  mules  and 
keeps  graded  stock  on  his  farm.  Mr.  Nitz,  together  with  several  other  farm- 
ers in  his  neighborhood,  hold  stuck  in  a  thresher  outfit  which  they  operate 
jointly. 

In  1890  Mr.  Xitz  married  Miss  Lena  Lawson,  a  native  of  Kansas,  born 
February  27,  1873.  I\Ir.  and  Mrs.  Nitz  are  the  parents  of  eleven  children : 
George,  born  January  12,  1893.  famier.  Center  township;  Charles,  born  No- 
vember II,  1891,  on  his  father's  farm  of  120  acres;  Otto,  born  August  28, 
1894,  living  at  home;  Johanna  and  Nava,  deceased;  Edward,  liorn  June  26, 
1898,  living  at  home;  Oscar,  born  January  28,  1903:  Irvin,  born  October  22, 
1906,  and  Ida,  born  March  5.  1913,  living  at  home,  and  two  children  died  in 
infancy.  Mr.  Nitz  is  an  inde])en(Ient  in  politics  and  he  and  his  wife  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Lutheran  church,  as  are  Charles  and  George.  Though  Mr.  Nitz 
could  not  read  or  write  the  English  language  very  well  when  a  voung  man, 
he  has  always  been  a  student  of  new  conditions,  and  was  cjuick  to  learn  the 
customs  and  language  of  his  adopted  country  and  has  proved  himself  to  be  a 
useful  member  of  his  community.  Of  late  years  he  has  become  very  pro- 
ficient in  reading  English  and  keeps  abreast  of  the  times  by  reading  the  daily 
newspapers. 


HENRY  GLATTFELDER. 


Henry  Glattfelder,  farmer.  Center  township,  Atchison  CDunt}-,  Kansas, 
was  born  in  the  township  where  he  now  lives,  September  16,  1871,  and  is  a 
son  of  Henry  and  Margaret  (Kuntz)  Glattfelder.  They  were  the  parents  of 
seven  children:  Elizabeth  married  J.  Meyers,  died  in  Atchison,  Kan.;  Maggie 
married  widower  of  her  deceased  sister,  and  he  is  a  baker  and  merchant,  Atchi- 
son ;  .\nna,  wife  of  J.  Kuhii.  Atcliison,  Kan.;  Fannie  married  11.  11.  Severs, 
Manning,  Iowa ;  Mary  married  M.  L.  Dilgert,  Atchison ;  Bertha  married  W. 
A.  Dilgert,  Mt.  Pleasant  township,  and  Henry,  the  subject  of  this  sketch. 
The  father  was  bom  in  Switzerland,  January.  1827.  He  came  to  America  and 
settled  in  Atchison  county,  on  a  rented  farm  in  Mt.  Pleasant  township.  He 
worked  this  from  1863  until  his  death  in  1871.  The  mothei  was  also  born 
in  Switzerland,  December  18,  1832,  and  died  in  Atchison,  Kan.,  in  1904. 

Henry  Glattfelder,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  attended  the  district  schools 


742  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

of  Center  township,  and  grew  up  on  his  mother's  farm  and  began  farming 
for  himself  when  he  was  twenty-two  years  old.  He  bought  125  acres  of  land 
in  Center  township,  and  now  owns  130  acres.  He  has  made  many  improve- 
ments on  his  place  since  taking  possession  of  it,  and  keeps  graded  stock.  In 
1894,  the  year  in  which  he  started  out  for  himself,  he  was  united  in  marriage 
with  Miss  Anna  Cline,  a  daughter  of  Peter  J.  and  Bersheba  Cline.  Mrs. 
Glattf elder  was  born  March  21,  1877,  in  Mt.  Pleasant  township,  Atchison 
county,  Kansas.  Her  father  was  a  native  of  Iowa,  and  her  mother  of  Mis- 
souri. To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Glattfelder  have  been  born  six  children :  Leona, 
Ellsworth,  Harold,  Kennith,  Lucile,  all  living  at  home.  One  child,  Henry, 
is  deceased.  Mr.  Glattfelder  is  an  independent  voter.  He  attends  church 
but  does  not  profess  any  creed.  He  is  a  practical  farmer  and  is  a  liberal  giver 
to  all  movements  for  the  benefit  of  tlie  community.  Never  has  Mr.  Glatt- 
felder allowed  his  selfish  interests  to  stand  in  the  way  of  the  community's  prog- 
ress and  he  has  proven  himself  a  patriotic  citizen  of  the  commonwealth. 


THOMAS  W.  TUCKER. 


Thomas  W.  Tucker,  live  stock  dealer,  Effingham,  Kan.,  is  a  native  of 
Atchison  county,  and  has  lived  all  of  his  life  in  Benton  township.  He  was 
born  on  a  farm  three  and  one-half  miles  northeast  of  Effingham,  November 
27,  1872.  His  parents  were  J.  Martin  and  Polly  (Cummings)  Tucker,  both 
of  whom  were  born  in  Crawford  county,  Indiana.  J.  M.  Tucker  was  the  son 
of  Sloan  Tucker,  also  a  native  of  Indiana,  who  emigrated  to  Kansas  in  i860. 
When  he  attained  young  manhood  the  father  of  Thomas  W.  rented  land  for  a 
few  years  in  Doniphan  county,  and  then  bought  a  farm  in  Atchison  county. 
He  prospered  and  became  the  owner  of  two  farms  in  Benton  townsliip,  aggre- 
gating 280  acres.  When  old  age  came  he  and  Mrs.  Tucker  retired  to  a  lionie 
in  Effingham,  where  they  spent  the  remainder  of  their  days  in  peace  and  com- 
fort. J.  M.  Tucker  was  born  in  1831  and  died  in  1896,  and  his  wife  was  born 
in  1838  and  died  in  October,  1910.  Mr.  Tucker  served  in  the  Kansas  State 
militia  during  the  Civil  war.  The  following  children  survive  J.  Martin  and 
Polly  Tucker:  John  R.,  a  farmer  living  west  of  Effingham;  Mrs.  C.  C.  Ander- 
son, of  Atchison,  Kan. ;  Thomas  W. ;  Albert,  a  resident  of  Atchison. 

Thomas  W.  Tucker  attended  the  Majile  (irove  school  wlien  a  I)oy  and 
lived  on  the  home  farm,  assisting  in  its  operation,  until  he  attained  the  age  of 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  743 

twenty-two  years.  In  1894  he  engaged  in  the  Hvery  Ijusiness  in  Effingham 
and  continued  operating  the  same  until  1898,  when  he  sold  out  and  sjient 
one  year  cultivating  the  home  farm.  After  his  marriage  in  1898,  he  removed 
to  the  Noffsinger  farm,  east  of  Effingham,  and  managed  it  for  six  years,  re- 
turning to  Effingham  in  1905.  While  on  the  farm  he  became  interested  in 
the  buying  and  selling  of  live  stock,  and  since  taking  up  a  permanent  residence 
in  Effingham,  he  has  devoted  his  entire  time  and  attention  to  this  business 
with  signal  success.  His  live  stock  dealings  embrace  the  purchase  and  ship- 
ment of  over  seventy-five  carloads  of  stock  yearly,  which  is  no  inconsiderable 
item  and  involves  transactions  requiring  capital  of  several  thousands  of  dol- 
lars. He  is  also  interested  in  real  estate  and  farm  lands  and  has  made  several 
profitable  deals  in  this  line.  Mr.  Tucker  owns  one  of  the  best  residences  in 
Effingiiam  and  is  the  owner  of  some  town  lots. 

He  was  married  in  1898  to  Miss  Maude  Noffsinger,  who  was  born  and 
reared  on  a  farm,  four  miles  southeast  of  Effingham,  a  daug"hter  of  Peter 
and  Margaret  Noffsinger,  residing  on  their  home  place,  east  of  Effingham. 
Both  Peter  and  Margaret  Noffsinger  are  deceased,  Mrs.  Noffsinger  dying 
in  September,  191 5.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  T.  W.  Tucker  are  the  parents  of  two  chil- 
dren: Ramona,  aged  fifteen  years,  and  Maurice,  aged  eleven. 

Mr.  Tucker  is  a  Republican  in  politics  and  is  prominent  in  the  affairs  of 
his  party,  at  present  being  the  central  committeeman  of  the  Effingham  pre- 
cinct, being  a  part  of  the  county  organization.  He  and  his  family  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Christian,  cliurch.  He  is  fraternally  affiliated  with  tlie  Ancient 
Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks,  the 
Modern  Woodmen,  and  the  Knights  and  Ladies  of  Securitv. 


J.  F.  FLYNN. 


J.  F.  Flynn,  farmer,  resides  on  the  old  Flynn  homestead  in  Mt.  Pleasant 
township,  Atchison  county,  of  which  he  is  the  owner  and  upon  which  his 
father  settled  in  March,  1835.  Mr.  Flynn  was  born  on  this  farm,  October  8. 
1855,  and  has  lived  all  of  his  sixty  years  of  life  on  the  place.  During  this  lime 
he  has  simply  grown  up  with  Atchison  county,  and  his  earliest  recollections 
were  of  tlie  \ast  stretches  of  prairie  in  .Vtchison  county,  which  were  awaiting 
the  homesteaders  and  settlers  who  have  since  transformed  the  unpeopled  wil- 
derness into  a  land  of  homes  and  plenty.    His  fatlier  was  Jeremiah  FIvnn,  who 


744  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

was  bom  in  County  Cork,  Ireland,  and  left  his  native  land  wlicn  a  young  man 
and  immigrated  to  America,  locating  after  a  time  in  Kentucky,  where  he  met 
Julia  Sullivan,  who  was  born  in  his  own  native  county  in  Ireland.  The  ac- 
quaintance ripened  into  love  and  culminated  in  their  marriage  at  Frankfort, 
Ky.,  September  24,  1854.  In  March.  1855.  they  came  to  Kansas  and  set- 
tled on  a  tract  of  part  prairie  and  part  timber  in  Mt.  Pleasant  township  where 
both  lived  and  died. 

J.  F.  Flynn  was  the  first  born  of  ten  cliildren  of  Jeremiah  and  Julia 
Fh-nn.  He  received  a  common  school  education,  supplemented  with  a  course 
in  bookkeeping  at  St.  Patrick's  common  school,  district  Xo.  14.  after  which 
he  settled  down  to  farming  the  home  place,  coming  into  possession  of  the 
homestead  by  inheritance  and  purchase  after  his  father's  demise.  For  sev- 
eral years  he  was  a  successful  fruit  grower,  but  of  late  has  devoted  all  of 
his  time  and  activities  to  general  farming. 

Mr.  Flynn  was  married  March  31,  1880.  to  Mary  Desmond,  of  Missouri, 
and  to  this  union  have  been  born  five  children :  Kathrine,  wife  of  John  Beg- 
ley,  of  Kansas  City,  Kan. ;  John  E.,  at  home,  assisting  his  father  in  the  farm 
work;  Joseph  J.,  in  Kansas  City.  Mo.:  Julia  and  Mary,  at  home  with  their 
parents. 

Mr.  Flynn  is  a  Democrat  in  national  politics,  but  is  inclined  to  be  an  in- 
dependent voter  who  votes  for  the  best  man  who  seems-  qualified  for  the 
office  regardless  of  his  political  affiliations.  He  and  all  of  his  family  are 
members  of  the  Catholic  church,  which  was  the  faith  of. his  parents. 


ERNEST  C.  HAZEL. 


Industry  and  effort  are  generally  rewarded.  The  successful  man  is  us- 
ually found  filling  the  nitch  for  which  he  was  designed.  It  affords  some  satis- 
faction to  chronicle  the  facts  in  the  life  of  a  self-made  man  wlio  has  won  an 
enviable  place  in  the  commercial  and  manufacturing  life  in  his  home  city. 
Ernest  C.  Hazel,  vice-president  and  general  manager  of  the  Lockwood-Hazel 
Printing  and  Stationery  Company,  of  Atchison,  has  achieved  his  position  by 
industrious  application  of  talents  wliich  have  enabled  him  to  rise  above  the 
mediocre  and  general  station  of  the  average  man.  Consideralile  credit  is  due 
him  for  having  been  a  potent  factor  in  building  up  the  extensive  business 
w  hich  his  firm  .enjoys. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  745 

The  Lockwood-Hazel  Printing-  and  Statiunery  Cr)m|)an\-  was  estalilished 
in  1912.  It  originated  as  the  Trade  Printing  Company  in  1903.  Tliis  was 
a  small  concern  but  grew  constantly  until  the  business  reached  its  iiresenl  pro- 
portions. The  business  is  housed  in  the  handsome  new  Masonic  Temple  on 
Fifth  and  Kansas  avenues,  and  occupies  the  first  floor  and  jjasement  of  the 
building.  The  arrangements  and  equipment  are  the  most  modern  which  can 
be  obtained  and  are  especially  adapted  for  a  high  grade  quality  of  i)rinting 
which  this  firm  turns  out.  The  greatest  progress  of  the  firm  has  been  made 
since  its  organization  as  the  Lockwood-Hazel  Co..  in  IQ12.  The  firm  is 
composed  of  C.  A.  Lockwood,  president  and  treasurer,  and  E.  C.  Hazel,  sec- 
retary and  general  manager.  The  firm  manufactures  blank  books  and  does 
general  printing  of  the  highest  grade.  The  line  of  printing  includes  county 
and  bank  supplies,  loose  leaf  systems,  and  embossed  stationery.  They  supply 
leading  banks  with  their  outfits  and  deal  extensively  in  wood  and  steel  office 
furniture  and  equipments,  and  also  vault  accessories.  C.  A.  Rowe  is  manager 
of  the  sales  department  which  employs  three  traveling  salesmen  and  the  finn 
conducts  a  large  mail  order  business  in  eight  states.  So  excellent  is  the 
product  turned  out  and  so  fair  is  the  treatment  accorded  a  patron  that  a  first 
order  supplied  by  this  enterprising  establishment  leads  to  constant  repetitions 
from  the  purchaser  when  in  need  of  supplies  of  the  character  furnished. 

Ernest  C.  Hazel  was  born  March  30,  1875  in  Newman,  111.  His  parents 
were  Thomas  and  Lydia  (Kinney)  Hazel,  natives  of  Virginia  and  Ohio, 
respectively.  Thomas  Hazel  was  born  in  Page  county,  Virginia,  a  son  of 
Richard  and  Elizabeth  Hazel.  He  was  a  veteran  of  the  I'nion  arnu',  and 
served  his  country  faithfully  during  the  Civil  war  in  Company  E,  of  the 
Twelfth  regiment,  Illinois  infantry.  He  served  for  two  years  under  General 
Grant  and  was  under  General  Sherman's  command  for  two  years  and  six 
months.  His  first  engagements  were  at  Ft.  Elenry  and  i'"t.  Donelson.  lie 
fought  in  the  battles  of  the  Wilderness,  Lookout  Mountain.  Mission  Ridge, 
Siege  of  \'icksburg.  and  was  with  Sherman  on  his  victorious  march  from  At- 
lanta to  the  sea.  He  enli.sted  at  Springfield,  111.,  at  the  first  call  for  volun- 
teers and  served  until  the  end  of  the  war.  To  the  end  of  his  days  he  was  a 
member  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic.  A  brother,  John,  also  fought  in 
the  Union  army  and  like  many  other  southern  families  it  w-as  a  house  dixicled 
against  itself  and  iJiree  Ijrothers.  Richard,  llenjamin  and  W'llHam.  fought 
on  the  side  of  the  confederacy.  Lydia  Hazel  was  l;orn  in  Muskingum  count\. 
Ohio,  and  w^as  the  daughter  of  Thomas  C.  and  Levina  Kinnev. 

In  1876  the  family  emigrated  from  New-man,  III,  and  settled  on  a  farm 
near  Pawnee  Rock,  Kan.,  which  the  father  had  lioniesteaded.     .\fter  s])eiid- 


746  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

ing  some  years  in  developing  the  farm  Thomas  Hazel  removed  to  Missouri, 
from  where  he  came  to  Atchison  in  the  year  1888.  Here  he  lived  a  retired 
life,  dying  November  19,  1904,  at  the  age  of  sixty-seven  years.  Mrs.  Lydia 
Hazel  resides  with  her  daughter  in  Leavenworth,  Kan.  The  Hazels  are 
descendants  from  a  fine  old  Virginian  family  and  their  ancestry  traces  back 
to  the  colonial  days. 

To  Lydia  and  Thomas  Hazel  were  born  six  children,  as  follows :  Mrs. 
Elnora  Allen,  of  Atchison ;  Mrs.  Ida  Stucker,  of  Leavenworth ;  Marion  Hazel, 
of  Leavenworth ;  Ernest  C.  Hazel,  of  Atchison.     Two  children  died  in  infancy. 

Ernest  C.  Hazel  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Atchison  and 
learned  the  trade  of  bookbinding  with  Mr.  Caldwell,  beginning  at  the  age  of 
fourteen  years.  After  serv'ing  an  apprenticeship  of  three  years,  he  was  em- 
ployed by  the  Haskell  Show  Printing  Company.  This  concern  was  succeeded 
by  the  Home  Printing  Company,  and  he  was  employed  by  them  until  1901. 
For  a  period  of  two  years  he  was  a  traveling  salesman  for  the  \\'estern  Paper 
Company.  In  1903  he  entered  the  employ  of  the  Trade  Printing  Company, 
which  was  succeeded  by  the  present  firm  in  1912.  He  purchased  an  interest 
in  the  firm  in  190S 

The  married  life  of  JNIr.  Hazel  has  been  a  happy  one,  and  has  been  in 
keeping  with  his  success  in  the  business  world.  He  was  married  March  30, 
1897,  to  !Mary  Elizabeth  Semple,  of  Atchison,  a  daugliter  of  Andrew  and  Jen- 
nie Semple.  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Glasgow,  Scotland.  Andrew 
Semple  was  one  of  the  pioneer  contractors  of  Atchison.  His  last  contract  was 
the  Atchison  county  court  house.  Mr.  Semple  is  deceased  and  his  widow  still 
resides  in  Atchison. 

To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ernest  Hazel  have  been  born  five  children,  namely : 
Ernest  C,  Jr.,  seventeen  years  of  age,  and  a  student  of  Midland  College:  Rob- 
ert R.,  fourteen  years  of  age,  and  also  a  student  at  Midland  College;  Con- 
stance Marie,  who  died  in  infancy;  Kenneth  C-,  nine  years  of  age,  a  pupil  in 
the  public  schools,  and  Neola  Christine,  aged  five  years. 

Mr.  Hazel  finds  time  in  the  midst  of  his  busy  life  to  give  considerable  at- 
tention to  civil  and  social  affairs  and  is  an  active  member  of  the  Christian 
church  of  Atchison,  in  which  thriving  religious  institution  he  and  his  wife 
are  warmly  appreciated  for  their  good  qualities.  He  is  a  Rei)ul)lican  in  pnli- 
tics,  and  is  fraternally  affiliated  with  the  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons, 
the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen,  and  the  Fraternal  Aid  Union,  and 
also  the  United  Commercial  Travelers.  Pronounced  ability,  combined  with 
an  engaging  personality,  have  won  him  this  high  place  in  his  liome  city. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  747 

ALEXANDER  H.  CALVERT. 

Alexander  H.  Calvert,  lumber  and  grain  dealer,  Muscotah,  Kan.,  was 
born  on  his  father's  farm  in  Platte  county,  Missouri.  He  is  a  son  of 
Warren  Calvert,  a  native  of  Kentucky,  whose  ancestors  were  among  the  ear- 
liest settlers  in  America.  It  is  a  matter  of  tradition  that  lie  was  a  descendant 
of  the  original  Lord  Baltimore,  or  Cecil  Calvert,  who  founded  the  .State  of 
Maryland,  in  the  seventeenth  century.  The  father  of  Warren  Calvert  was 
a  pioneer  settler  in  Kentucky  and  was  the  owner  of  a  large  plantation.  War- 
ren Calvert  was  born  in  1815  and  died  in  1875.  With  his  wife,  Lucy  Calvert, 
he  migrated  from  Kentucky,  accompanied  by  his  retinue  of  slaves,  to  form 
a  part  of  the  Kentucky  colony  which  settled  Platte  county,  Missouri,  in  1835. 
He  was  one  of  the  original  settlers  in  Platte  county,  and  operated  a  large 
tract  of  land.  He  and  his  wife,  Lucy,  reared  a  family  of  nine  children, 
namely:  Presley  Hawkins,  a  retired  farmer  of  Muscotah;  James  Harvey,  de- 
ceased banker  of  Muscotah,  who  was  a  soldier  in  the  Confederate  army :  Mrs. 
Anne  May  Buford,  deceased ;  John  Hawkins,  who  died  on  his  farm  near  Ar- 
rington  in  1910;  Ambrose  Owens,  living  in  California,  near  Los  Angeles; 
Mrs.  Ella  (Burt)  Jackson,  died  in  1903. 

A.  H.  Calvert  came  to  Kansas  in  the  spring  of  1878  and  settled  on  a 
farm  south  of  Muscotah  in  Atchison  county.  Three  brothers  came  at  this 
time,  Presley  H.,  James  H.  and  himself.  For  a  number  of  years  Mr.  Calvert 
rented  land  in  Kapioma  township  and  then  purchased  the  farm  of  220  acres, 
which  he  owns.  He  rented  land  for  over  fifteen  years  and  then  began  to 
buy  land.  His  first  farm  of  135  acres  was  purchased  in  1903,  and  he  has 
continued  to  invest  heavily  in  farm  lands  in  the  vicinity  of  Muscotah  until 
he  is  now  tlie  owner  of  700  acres,  besides  a  small  tract  in  Leavenworth 
county,  Kansas. 

Mr.  Calvert  resided  on  his  farm  until  1897  and  then  removed  to  Musco- 
tah where  he  engaged  in  the  lumber  business  under  the  firm  name  of  Calvert 
&  Sharp.  This  partnership  continued  until  1902  when  he  purchased  his 
partner's  interest  in  the  business,  which  he  has  since  operated.  In  November 
of  1905  he  formed  a  partnership  with  M.  E.  Bevin,  of  Muscotah,  and  they 
purchased  the  grain  elevator  and  engaged  in  the  buying  and  shipping  of 
grain.  This  firm  also  does  an  extensive  live  stock  business,  buying  and  ship- 
ping several  carloads  of  live  stock  during  each  year.  In  addition  to  his  exten- 
sive business  affairs,  Mr.  Calvert  is  a  stockholder  in  the  Muscotah  State 
Bank. 


748  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

His  first  marriage  was  with  Miss  Nora  Rice  in  1881.  Two  children 
(twins)  were  born  of  this  union,  namely:  Ella,  wife  of  Will  Warren,  of  Mus- 
cotah,  who  served  for  seventeen  years  as  assistant  cashier  of  the  Muscotah 
State  Bank;  Alma,  a  highly  educated  lady  who  studied  in  the  Camden  Point 
Young  Ladies'  Seminary,  the  Emporia  Nonnal  College,  and  received  her 
degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts  from  Washburn  College,  at  Topeka,  now  a 
teacher  of  mathematics  in  the  Atchison  city  high  school.  The  mother  of 
these  children  was  a  daughter  of  D.  Rice,  a  native  of  Illinois,  and  a  pioneer 
settler  of  Atchison  county.  She  died  in  1883,  at  the  age  of  twenty-six  years. 
In  1889  Mr.  Calvert  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Hattie  Burt,  of  Platte 
county,  Missouri,  a  daughter  of  John  Burt,  who  came  from  Indiana  to  Platte 
county.  Three  children  have  been  born  to  this  marriage :  George,  conduct- 
ing a  garage  at  Effingham,  Kan :  Marguerite,  aged  twenty-one  years,  a 
teacher,  at  present  studying  in  Washburn  College;  Charles  Cecil,  aged  fif- 
teen years,  a  student  in  the  Atchison  County  High  School. 

Mr.  Calvert  is  an  old-line  Democrat  and  takes  considerable  interest  in 
local  and  county  political  matters.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Modern  Woodmen 
and  the  Knights  and  Ladies  of  Security.  A  man  of  good  education  and  at- 
tainments, he  has  succeeded  in  making  his  own  way  in  the  world  and  has  risen 
from  comparative  poverty  to  become  one  of  the  substantial  and  best  known 
citizens  of  the  countv. 


JOHN  STODDARD. 


John  Stoddard,  a  late  resident  of  Muscotah.  was  born  in  Allegheny 
county,  Pennsylvania,  in  1833,  and  departed  this  life  February  18.  1901.  He 
was  the  son  of  Robert  and  Margaret  (Jordan)  Stoddard.  On  the  Stoddard 
side  of  the  family  the  lineage  is  Scotch-Irish.  John  Stoddard  grew  to  young 
manhood  on  the  Pennsylvania  farm,  and  received  a  good  common  school  edu- 
cation in  his  youth,  \\nien  twenty  years  of  age,  fired  by  the  stories  of  the 
riches  being  obtained  in  the  gold  fields  of  California,  he  boarded  a  vessel  in 
New  York  harbor.  It  carried  him  to  Aspenwall,  on  the  east  coast  of  the 
Isthmus,  which  he  crossed  on  mule  back.  Fie  then  Ixiarded  •  the  vessel. 
"Golden  Rule,"  which  carried  him  to  San  Francisco,  Cal.,  from  which  city 
he  journeyed  to  Sacramento,  where  he  equipped  himself  with  a  prospecting 
outfit,  and  for  ten  years  followed  the  trail  of  the  elusive  metal.  He  spent 
this  time  in  various  mining  campaigns  and  prospecting  for  gold.  He  returned 
home  by  re-tracing  the  same  route  which  he  had  traveled  on  his  way  to  Call- 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  749 

fornia,  and  arrived  in  Pennsylvania,  not  rich,  but  with  considerable  gold  in 
his  possession,  and  the  remembrances  of  a  wonderful  experience. 

Soon  after  his  return  to  his  Pennsylvania  home  he  remoxed  to  Iowa  and 
purchased  a  fami.  and  was  married  there  in  1869,  after  which  he  lived  five 
)^ears  on  his  first  farm  in  Iowa,  and  then  moved  to  another  farm,  on  which 
he  resided  for  seven  }ears.  In  1881  he  came  to  JMuscotah,  Kan.,  and  invested 
in  320  acres  of  land  near  that  city.  Mr.  Stoddard  looked  after  his  farming 
interests  and  lived  a  retired  life  while  in  Muscotah,  and  died  there  in  1901. 
Mr.  Stoddard  w^s  married  October  26,  1869,  to  Miss  Martha  Piggott,  a 
native  of  Harrison  county,  Ohio,  and  a. daughter  of  Israel  and  Liddie  (Good- 
win) Piggott,  the  former  a  native  of  Belmont  county,  Ohio,  and  the  latter  a 
native  of  Westchester,  Pa.  The  Piggott  familv  originally  came  fmni 
Virginia,  where  the  founder  of  the  family  in  America  settled  in  early 
colonial  da3'S.  Israel  P.  was  an  early  settler  in  Iowa.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Stoddard  were  bom  four  children :  Grace,  the  wife  of  Dr.  J.  O.  Ward,  Mor- 
ton, Kan. ;  Gay,  a  railway  mail  clerk,  Los  Angeles,  Gal. ;  Alice  V..  the  wife 
of  J.  C.  Thurman,  Los  Angeles,  Cal. ;  Eva,  wife  of  Carl  Young,  of  Kansas 
City.  Guy  Stoddard,  the  son,  who  is  located  at  Los  Angeles,  Cal,  is  a  bright 
young  man  of  more  than  ordinary  ability.  After  completing  the  course  of 
study  in  the  public  schools  of  Aluscotah,  he  graduated  from  the  Atchison 
County  High  School  at  Effingham.  Later,  he  attended  college  for  a  while. 
After  completing  his  education  he  became  the  owner  and  editor  of  the  Mits- 
cofah  Record.  The  newspaper  gained  a  wide  prestige  and  was  prosperous. 
After  his  marriage  to  Miss  Pearl  Knox,  of  Muscotah,  he  and  his  wife  re- 
moved to  Los  Angeles,  where  he  I'ccame  a  member  of  the  reportorial  staff 
of  the  Los  Angeles  Times.  Lie  later  entered  the  Cnited  States  railway  mail 
service  at  Los  Angeles.  Jdhn  Stoddard,  the  subject  of  this  review,  was  a 
Democrat  during  the  latter  years  of  his  life,  and  served  two  terms  as  mayor 
of  Muscotah.  Mrs.  Stoddard  is  a  member  of  tlie  Congregational  church  of 
Muscotah,  and  spends  a  portion  of  her  time  each  year  in  California. 


AARON  B.   EVANS. 


Aaron  B.  Evans,  pioneer  auctioneer  and  livery  proprietor,  of  Muscotah, 
.'\tcliison  county,  w'as  born  .\pril  16,  1857,  in  Union  county,  Tennessee.  He 
was  a  son  of  George  W.  and  Orlena  (Wolfenbarger)  Evans.  His  mother 
was  a  native  of  Granger  county.  Tennes.see,  and  was  of  German  extraction. 


750  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

George  W.  Evans,  the  father,  was  the  owner  of  a  large  farm  on  the  south 
side  of  CHnch  river,  in  Union  county,  Tennessee,  just  opposite  the  old  home 
of  the  Vansell  family.  A.  B.  Evans  and  M.  C.  Vansell,  of  Grasshopper  town- 
ship, were  boys  and  play-mates  together  in  Tennessee,  and  are  first  cousins. 
Like  most  boys  living  in  tlie  South,  during  that  period,  and  in  the  time  of  the 
Civil  war,  their  early  education  was  sadly  neglected.  In  fact,  during  the  war 
the  school  system  of  Tennessee  was  entirely  destroyed.  When  Aaron  B. 
Evans  was  twenty  years  of  age  he  left  home  and  came  direct  to  Kansas.  He 
had  no  means  wherewith  to  pa}^  his  transportation,  and  borrowed  sufficient 
money  from  a  neighbor  to  pay  his  railroad  fare  to  Atchison.  When  he 
arrived  at  Atchison  he  had  no  money  with  which  to  pay  for  a  meal  or  hotel 
accommodation.  He  and  M.  C.  Vansell,  who  accompanied  him  on  the  trip, 
walked  from  Atchison  to  Kennekuk,  where  they  stopped  at  the  home  of  their 
uncle,  M.  C.  Willis,  for  a  few  days. 

Mr.  Evans'  first  employment  in  Kansas  was  on  the  farm  of  Dave  Moore, 
located  three  and  one-half  miles  northeast  of  Kennekuk,  in  Atchison  county. 
He  worked  for  various  farmers  in  the  county  until  he  saved  sufficient  money 
to  buy  his  first  farm.  For  two  years  previous  to  his  marriage,  in  1881,  he 
was  in  the  employ  of  George  Storch,  who  at  that  time  was  engaged  in  the 
general  mercantile  business  at  Muscotah,  Kan.  In  1881  Mr.  Evans  moved 
to  a  farm  three  miles  northeast  of  Kennekuk,  where  he  resided  for  three 
years,  and  was  very  successful  in  his  farming  operations.  He  then  bought 
ninety-six  acres  of  land  near  Kennekuk,  w'hich  he  cultivated  for  two  years, 
when  he  sold  it  at  a  good  profit.  After  selling  his  first  farm  he  moved  to 
a  rented  fann  west  of  Muscotah,  which  he  operated  for  one  year,  and  in- 
vested in  partnership  with  M.  C.  Vansell,  and  divided  the  land  in  a  quarter 
section  of  raw  prairie  land,  three  miles  northwest  of  Muscotah.  He  erected 
improvements  on  this  farm  and  resided  upon  it  for  eighteen  years.  He  sold 
his  farm  in  1901.  and  in  May  of  the  same  year  invested  in  a  livery  bam,  and 
also  entered  upon  his  career  of  auctioneer,  which  he  has  followed  since  that 
time  with  considerable  success.  Mr.  Evans  also  maintains  a  breeding  stable, 
for  the  equipment  of  which  he  went  to  Lexington.  Ky.,  in  1906  and  pur- 
chased the  best  jack  to  be  had  in  the  Lexington  market,  and  shipped  him  to 
Muscotah.  This  animal  is  the  first  high  class  jack  ever  brought  to  this  sec- 
tion of  Kansas.  During  this  same  year  Mr.  Evans  also  bought  a  pure  bred 
black  Percheron  stallion,  which  he  lost  during  the  first  year  of  his  owner- 
ship. At  the  present  time  the  Evans  barn  stands  two  high  class  jacks  and  one 
pure  bred  grey  Percheron  stallion. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  75  I 

On  January  27,  1881,  Mr.  Evans  was  united  in  marriage  witli  Recy 
Tannyhill,  who  was  born  in  Marion  county,  Ohio,  a  daughter  of  VViHiam  and 
Nancy  Tannyhill,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  the  Buckeye  State,  and  emi- 
grated to  Kansas  when  Mrs.  Evans  was  but  eight  years  of  age,  and  set- 
tled on  a  farm  in  Grasshopper  township,  Atchison  county.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Evans  are  the  parents  of  seven  children  :  Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  J.  L.  Morgan, 
St.  Joseph,  Mo. ;  William  George,  a  farmer.  Grasshopper  township ;  Fred, 
who  is  associated  with  his  father  in  the  liven,'^  business;  Orlena,  the  wife  of 
Bert  Annis,  Chicago,  111. ;  Nannie,  living  in  Des  Moines,  Iowa ;  Nora,  St. 
Joseph,  Mo.,  and  Frank,  at  home. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Evans  are  members  of  the  Christian  Ad\ent  church  of 
Muscotah.  He  is  a  stanch  and  true  Republican  of  the  uncompromising 
variety,  and  has  been  one  of  the  political  leaders  of  his  section  of  Atchison 
county  for  many  years,  serving  as  delegate  several  times  to  the  Republican 
county  conventions.  He  has  always  been  an  advocate  of  educational  advance- 
ment, and  has  offered  his  children  every  opportunity  to  acquire  a  good  com- 
mon school  education.  He  was  one  of  the  pioneers  in  the  auctioneering  pro- 
fession in  Atchison  county,  and  was  the  second  man  to  enter  the  business  of 
crying  sales. 


RALPH  A.  ALLISON. 


Ralph  A.  Allison,  the  capable,  efficient  and  obliging  cashier  of  the 
Muscotah  State  Bank,  was  born  and  reared  in  the  town  where  he  resides. 
He  was  born  July  i,  i88g.  at  Muscotah,  Kan.,  a  son  of  Webster  C.  and 
Irene  (Alexander)  Allison,  the  foiTner  a  native  of  Illinois,  and  the  latter  of 
Wisconsin.  Webster  C.  Allison  was  born  in  1861  on  his  father's  farm  in 
Illinois,  and  was  the  son  of  John  Allison,  who  was  born  and  reared  in  Penn- 
sylvania, and  immigrated  to  Illinois  in  the  pioneer  days  of  that  State.  Webster 
C.  Allison  attended  the  district  schools  of  bis  native  State,  and  assisted  his 
father  on  the  home  farm  until  he  was  eighteen  years  of  age.  He  then  came 
to  Kansas,  where  his  first  employment  was  on  a  farm  west  of  Muscotah, 
owned  and  operated  by  A.  B.  Harvey.  He  worked  for  Mr.  Harvey  for  one 
year,  and  then  went  to  Jackson  county,  Kan.,  where  he  broke  up  and  de- 
veloped a  tract  of  prairie  land  which  he  purchased.  He  improved  his  farm 
and  cultivated  it  with  profit  until  1888.  when  he  came  to  ^Juscotah 
and  established  a  hardware  store  which  he  conducted  successfully  for  twentv- 


•JZ,2  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

five  years.  In  1913  Mr.  Allison  disposed  of  his  interests  in  Muscotah,  and 
removed  to  Horton,  Kan.,  where  he  is  now  conducting  a  iiardware  and  im- 
plement business. 

To  Webster  C.  and  Irene  Allison  were  born  the  following  children: 
Lola,  wife  of  Luther  Cortelyou,  assistant  cashier  of  the  First  National  Bank 
of  Parsons,  Kan. :  Minnie,  vAie.  of  Charles  Hail,  an  oil  operator,  LeRoy, 
Kan.:  Jennie,  wife  of  William  McClennon.  Owasa,  Iowa:  Ralph  A.,  with 
whom  this  review  is  directly  concerned.  Ralph  A.  received  his  primary  edu- 
cation in  the  public  schools  of  Muscotah,  after  which  he  completed  a  course 
in  the  Atchison  County  High  School  at  Effingham,  from  which  institution  he 
graduated  in  1907.  For  one  year  follo\\-ing  his  graduation  he  served  as 
stenographer  for  a  wholesale  fruit  company,  and  then  entered  his  father's 
hardware  store  in  Muscotah,  where  he  remained  until  the  stock  was  sold  in 
1913.  In  1914  he  became  manager  of  the  Farmers  Elevator  Company  of 
Muscotah.  He  became  cashier  of  the  Muscotah  State  Bank  July  i,  1914, 
and  is  filling  this  responsible  position  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  bank  patrons, 
and  in  a  manner  which"  reflects  credit  upon  himself  and  the  bank's  officials 
and  stockholders.  Mr.  Allison  was  married  in  April,  191 2,  to  Miss  Ella 
Ellson,  who  was  born  in  Muscotah,  a  daughter  of  Charles  Ellson,  proprietor 
of  the  local  meat  market.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  R.  A.  .Mlison  are  the  parents  of  one 
daughter,  Priscilla,  born  April  17,  1913. 

Mr.  Allison  is  a  Republican  in  politics,  and  is  a  member  of  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  church.  He  is  affiliated  with  the  Ancient  I'ree  and  Accepted 
Masons  and  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America. 


FRED  SUTTER. 


Fred  Sutter,  president  of  the  Farmers  and  Merchants  State  Bank  of 
Effingham,  is  a  native  son  of  Atchison  county  and  prominently  identified  with 
the  affairs  of  his  county.  Mr.  Sutter  is  rightly  considered  as  one  of  the 
real  leaders  of  the  county,  and  it  can  lie  said  of  him  that  he  has  met  with 
unusual  success  in  anything  which  he  has  undertaken.  To  him  and  his  in- 
fluence, more  than  any  other  individual,  the  farmers  of  the  county  are  in- 
debted for  the  inauguration  of  a  skilled  county  farm  expert.  Kindred  things 
of  this  character  in  belialf  of  the  welfare  of  the  county  have  been  Mr.  Sutter's 
linbbv  for  several  vears  past. 


SS>; 


^ 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 


753 


Fred  Sutter  was  Ijorn  July  20,  1869,  on  a  pioneer  farm  in  Walnut 
township,  and  is  a  son  of  Fred  Sutter,  who  was  born  in  Bath,  Germany,  in 
1827,  and  immigrated  to  America  about  1844,  and  died  in  Atchison  county 
in  September  of  1887.  Fred  Sutter,  Sr.,  landed  at  New  York  City  and  made 
his  way  from  there  to  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  where  he  married  Fredericka  Miller, 
who  was  born  at  Bath,  Germany,  September  23.  1837.  She  died  in  Atchison 
county  September  10,  1914.  The  elder  Sutter  had  learned  the  trade  of  car- 
penter in  his  youth  and  he  plied  his  trade  in  St.  Louis  until  1857,  when  he 
came  up  the  ^Missouri  river  by  steamer  to  old  Sumner,  then  in  the  heyday  of 
its  brief  glory  and  prosperity.  He  found  plenty  to  occupy  his  talents  at  Sum- 
ner and  helped  to  build  a  great  many  of  the  first  houses  ther  It  might  be 
well  to  add  here,  however,  that  the  first  home  of  the  famib.  a  Kansas  was 
at  old  Port  \\'illiam,  where  one  or  two  of  the  children  were  boi  i.     From  Port 


^ 


Fred    Sutter's   Residence. 


William  the  family  removed  to  Sumner,  and  in  the  course  of  time  Fred  Sutter, 
Sr.,  made  his  home  on  a  farm  in  the  northwestern  part  of  Walnut  township, 
near  the  Mt.  Pleasant  and  Walnut  line.  The  family  lived  there  until  the 
spring  of  i88c,  during  which  time  he  worked  at  his  trade.  !n  188c  he  moved 
to  Benton  township,  and  for  the  first  seven  years  of  his  residence  there  he 
rented  the  A.  G.  Otis  farm,  about  two  miles  west  of  Effingham  and  then 
purchased  the  farm.  The  next  investment  was  made  by  his  sons  in  the  Os- 
born  tract  of  480  acres  of  school  land.  Two  years  after  buying  this  an  addi- 
tional quarter  section  was  added,  making  640  acres  in  all,  which  was  owned 
by  this  enterprising  family.  During  all  these  vears  in  which  he  was  nccumu- 
48 


754  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

lating  valual)le  farm  lands,  the  elder  Sutter  had  the  assistance  of  his  sons,  and 
the  greater  part  of  the  estate  is  still  tilled  and  owned  by  the  children  of  this 
pioneer.  Fred  Sutter,  Sr.,  came  to  this  country  a  poor  man  and  worked  in  a 
planing  mill  and  furniture  factory  at  St.  Louis  until  he  heard  of  the  opening 
of  the  Kansas  territory,  when  he  determined  to  be  one  of  the  first  to  settle  in 
the  new  State.  He  was  farseeing,  and  by  the  practice  of  rigid  economy  and 
the  better  plan  of  holding  his  family  together,  was  able  to  leave  a  C(jnsiderable 
estate  at  his  demise.  He  was  an  honored  and  respected  member  of  the  com- 
munity and  was  well  known  throughout  the  county.  The  children  born  to 
Frederick  and  Fredericka  Sutter  were  as  follows :  Kate,  deceased  wife  of  H. 
W.  Barkow,  of  the  Kessler-Barkow  Saddlery  Company,  of  Atchison;  Mrs. 
Augusta  McAdam,  of  Effingham ;  Fannie,  housekeeper  for  her  brother, 
William,  who  resides  on  the  old  home  place ;  Mrs.  Anna  Shannon,  of  Effing- 
ham; Carl  F.,  of  Kipp,  Kan.:  ^Vil]iam  and  Fred,  and  Frank,  on  a  farm  one- 
half  mile  west  of  Effmgham. 

Fred  Sutter,  with  whom  this  review  is  directly  concerned,  received  his 
education  in  the  district  schools,  and  for  three  years  after  his  father's  death 
Hved  on  the  home  place,  or  until  1S90.  He  settled  on  part  of  the  family  estate, 
consisting  of  640  acres  held  jointly  by  the  Sutter  sons,  improving  the  property 
until  his  removal  to  Effingham,  where  he  resided  for  three  years,  and  then 
purchased  his  present  farm,  which  is  just  at  the  edge  of  Effingham.  He  has 
160  acres  of  fine  land  within  sight  of  the  town  upon  which  he  has  erected 
(\n  iQog)  one  of  the  handsomest,  modern  ten-room  farm  houses  in  tlie  county. 
He  also  built  a  new  barn,  40x40  feet,  which  is  in  keeping  with  the  rest  of  his 
farm  property. 

Mr.  Sutter  was  married  May  20,  1908,  to  Sarah,  daughter  of  Robert 
McPhilimv,  and  to  this  union  have  been  born  the  following  children :  Mabel, 
aged  five  years,  and  Geneva,  aged  three  years.  He  has  been  connected  with 
the  Farmers  and  Merchants  State  Bank  since  1905  and  was  elected  president 
of  this  thriving  financial  institution  in  1906.  Mr.  Sutter  is  a  Republican  and 
is  one  of  the  wheel  horses  of  the  party  in  Atchison  county.  He  was  appointed 
a  member  of  the  Atchison  County  High  School  board  in  September  of  191 3, 
reelected  to  the  office  in  the  fall  of  1914  and  is  now  sending  as  treasurer  of 
this  board.  He  is  a  member  and  trustee  of  the  Presbyterian  church  of  Effing- 
ham and  is  a  liberal  contributor  to  tlie  support  of  this  rehgious  denomination. 
He  is  affiliated  fraternally  with  the  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  the 
Benevolent  and  Protected  Order  of  Elks  of  Atchison,  and  the  Central  Pro- 
tective Association,  being  one  of  the  original  members  of  Effingham  Lodge, 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 


/05 


No.  158,  Central  Protective  Association,  and  has  been  its  treasurer  for  the  past 
four  years. 

While  Mr.  Sutter  is  connected  with  the  Presbyterian  church  of  Effing- 
ham, his  ideal  of  a  church  for  a  small  town  is  the  community  church  which 
can  be  used  by  the  entire  population  of  the  town  for  public  and  social  pur- 
poses. To  this  end  he  was  the  prime  mover  in  the  erection  of  the  handsome 
Presbyterian  church  building  in  Effingham,  at  a  cost  of  $14,000,  which  was 
dedicated  in  June,  1913.  This  church  building  is  used  for  many  public  pur- 
poses and  has  been  a  decided  benefit  to  Effingham  in  many  ways.  Mr.  Sutter 
started  the  movement  for  the  building  of  this  church  and  headed  the  subscrip- 
tion list,  never  desisting  in  his  work  until  the  church  was  erected  and  dedi- 
cated. Another  monument  to  his  enterprise  is  the  farmers'  institute,  with 
which  he  was  connected  for  five  years  and  assisted  materially  in  organizing. 
His  energy  and  influence  kept  the  institute  going  in  fine  shape  for  the  five 
years  with  which  he  was  connected  with  the  movement.  Mr.  Sutter  has  a 
likable  personality  and  is  one  of  the  forceful  and  influential  men  of  .Vtchi- 
son  county. 


EDMOND  W.  ALLEN. 


Edmond  \V.  Allen,  merchant,  of  Muscotah,  Kan.,  is  a  leading  and  suc- 
cessful retailer  of  his  city,  and  one  of  the  hustling  citizens  of  Muscotah.  The 
grocery  and  meat  market  of  which  Mr.  Allen  is  proprietor  was  first  estab- 
lished by  Jacob  P.  Sprang,  with  whom  Mr.  Allen  liecamc  a  partner  in  1902. 
He  became  the  sole  owner  of  the  business  in  igio.  Allen's  store  is  nicely 
located  in  one  of  the  large  business  rooms,  80x25  feet  in  extent,  on 
the  main  street  of  Muscotah,  supplemented  with  an  ice  house  and  a 
ware  house  for  feed  and  flour.  In  addition  to  conducting  the  grocery  and 
meat  market,  Mr.  Allen  is  a  retailer  of  ice  and  conducts  a  produce  exchange, 
whicli  enal>led  him  to  shi])  eggs  and  poultry  in  considera1)lc  (|uantit\-  tn  dis- 
tant markets. 

Edmond  W.  Allen  was  born  January  29,  1868,  on  a  farm  adjoining  the 
present  county  farm  on  tlie  northwest  comer,  consisting  of  eighty  acres,  in  Mt. 
Pleasant  township,  Atchison  county.  He  was  the  son  of  M.  L.  Dunlap  and 
.•\manda  (Walker)  Allen,  natives  of  Kentucky.  Amanda  (Walker)  Allen 
was  the  daughter  of  Philip  Walker,  who  immigrated  to  Kansas  from  Ken- 
tucky, settled  on  the  prairies  of  .Atchison  county,  but  later  moved  to  Missouri. 


756  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

M.  L.  Dunlap  Allen  moved  froin  Kentucky  to  Missouri,  and  came  from  that 
State  to  Atchison  county,  Kansas,  in  1863.  He  purchased  the  farm  of  130 
acres  on  which  he  erected  a  small  house,  built  out  of  native  sawed  lumber. 
In  this  liouFC  of  two  moms  se\eral  of  his  children  were  born,  and  as  the 
family  increased  in  size,  he  added  four  rooms  to  the  residence.  He  was  born 
in  1830,  and  died  in  March,  1886.  He  was  the  father  of  eight  children,  as 
follows :  Mrs.  Francis  J.  Bucknum.  of  Oklahoma  City ;  Emily,  deceased : 
William  H.,  living  at  Saugatuck,  Mich. ;  Robert  M..  former  traveling  sales- 
man, who  died  at  Holdredge,  Xelx,  in  1913:  Edmond  W..  the  subject  of  this 
review :  Mrs.  Etta  M.  Hubbard,  living  in  Michigan ;  Mrs.  Addie  Myrtle  Latta. 
of  Oklahoma  City,  and  Dudley  M.,  deceased.  The  mother  of  these  children 
died  in  188 1.  The  senior  Allen  was  again  married  in  1S83  to  Ruth  l^obinson, 
who  now  resides  in  Wyandotte  county,  near  the  town  of  Piper.  One  child, 
Ethel,  was  born  of  this  marriage. 

Edmond  W.  Allen  was  reared  on  the  pioneer  farm  of  his  father's,  near 
Atchison,  Kan.,  and  received  his  primar}'^  education  in  the  district  schools  of 
his  neighborhood,  and  completed  his  schooling  at  Bcloit.  Kan.  When  his 
father  died,  in  1886.  William  H.  Allen,  the  oldest  son.  was  appointed  admin- 
istrator of  the  estate,  and  guardian  of  the  minor  children.  He  removed  all 
of  them  to  his  home  at  Beloit,  where  he  was'  engaged  in  the  implement  busi- 
ness. This  was  done  in  order  that  William  might  properly  care  for  the 
younger  children  and  look  after  their  education.  Edmond  W.,  after  finishing 
his  schooling,  was  employed  for  two  years  in  his  brother's  store  at  Beloit, 
following  which  he  worked  for  one  year  in  a  grocery  store  and  meat  market 
in  Kansas  City,  Kan...  owned  by  Robert  Robinson.  His  brother,  William  H., 
in  the  meantime,  sold  out  his  stock  in  Beloit  and  removed  to  Hoxie,  Kan.,  and 
was  emploA'ed  in  a  bank  for  a  year  and  one-half.  Financial  disaster  overtook 
the  bank,  and  he  then  spent  one  year  in  Kansas  City,  Kan.,  after  which,  in 
1891.  he  went  to  western  Nebraska  and  entered  the  employ  of  Harris  Bros., 
a  firm  of  grain  dealers  with  headquarters  in  Lincoln,  Neb.  Mr.  Allen  was 
located  in  the  towns  of  Stamford.  Lebanon,  and  Republican  City,  Neb., 
in  the  employ  of  Harris  Bros,  and  was  then  transferred  to  the  main  office  of 
the  firm  of  Lincoln,  Neb.,  where  he  remained  until  1893.  From  1893  to  1895, 
he  was  in  the  employ  of  Hathaway  &  Williams,  fire  insurance  agents,  of  Lin- 
coln, and  when  this  firm  sold  out  he  traveled  for  a  period  of  six  months  in 
the  interests  of  an  Omaha  fire  insurance  company.  After  his  marriage,  in 
1895.  he  resided  in  Michigan  for  one  year,  and  in  1896  he  again  entered  the 
cnijilov  of  the  Harris  Bros.  Grain   Company,   which   firm  was  later  incor- 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 


T:>7 


porated  as  the  Central  Granaries,  a  very  rich  corporation.  He  remained  with 
this  concern  until  1898,  when  he  entered  the  employ  of  the  McCormick 
Harvester  Company  as  bookkeeper,  with  headquarters  at  Lincoln,  Neb.  He 
was  in  the  employ  of  the  McComiick  people  until  1903.  In  the  meantime  he 
had  formed  a  partnership  with  his  father-in-law,  Jacob  P.  Sprang,  in  the  gro- 
cery and  meat  market  business  in  ^Nluscotah,  where  Air.  Allen  has  resided  per- 
manently since  1903. 

Edmond  W.  Allen  was  married  in  1895  to  Miss  Lucie  Sprang,  and  their 
children  are  as  follows :  L^na  L.,  born  in  1896,  and  is  a  senior  in  the  fine  arts 
and  music  department  of  Kansas  University.  Miss  Una  is  a  teacher  of  piano 
and  violin,  and  has  a  large  class  of  pupils.  Mrs.  Allen  was  born  on  a  farm 
in  Benton  township,  Atchison  county,  five  miles  south  of  Effingham,  and  is 
a  daughter  of  Jacob  P.  Sprang,  who  built  up  a  fine  fann  in  .\tchison  county, 
and  established  the  business  which  is  now  owned  by  Mr.  Allen.  While  Mr. 
Allen  is  a  RepuUican,  he  votes  independentlv  on  local  and  county  matters. 
He  was  fomierl}-  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  but  since 
coming  to  Muscotah  has  united  with  the  Congregational  church  of  this  place. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Knights  and  Ladies  of  Security. 


LUTHER  CORTELYOU. 


For  a  citizen  of  a  small  Kansas  city  to  achieve  State-wide  prominence, 
and  to  become  the  official  head  of  the  body  of  mercantile  men'  with  whom 
he  became  affiliated  during  a  long  and  successful  career,  is  somewhat  out  of 
the  ordinary,  and  is  decided  evidence  that  the  recipient  of  such  honors  has 
.  received  them  solely  because  of  pronounced  ability  of  a  high  order.  For  sev- 
eral years.  Luther  Cortelyou,  farmer,  grain  merchant,  and  banker,  of  Mus- 
cotah, Kan.,  was  the  recognized  leader  among  the  grain  men  of  Kansas, 
attaining  to  his  position  by  virtue  of  executive  ability  and  powers  of  leader- 
ship. He  is  one  of  the  first  and  best  known  citizens  of  Muscotah  and  .\tchi- 
son  county,  who  for  more  than  twenty-seven  years  has  been  active  in  civic 
affairs  in  the  count}'. 

Luther  Cortelyou  was  born  December  23,  185 1,  in  Somerset  county, 
New  Jersey,  and  is  a  son  of  James  G.  and  Cornelia  (Polhemus)  Cortelyou. 
James  Garretson  Cortelyou.  the  father,  was  the  son  of  Abraham  Cortelyou, 
who  was  descended  from  French  Hugenot  colonists,  who  first  settled  on  Long 
Island  in  1624.     The  original  ancestor  of  the  family  fled  from  h'rance  to  a 


758  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

safe  refuge  in  Holland  during-  the  persecution  of  the  Huguenots  in  France. 
Jaques  Cortelyou  was  the  founder  of  the  family  in  America  and  was  prom- 
inent in  the  affairs  of  the  colony  on  Long  Island.  His  son.  Peter,  was  a 
governor  of  the  borough  in  which  is  now  located  Brooklyn.  The  descendants 
of  Jaques  Cortelyou  figured  in  Revolutionary'  historj'. 

James  G.  was  reared  in  New  Jersey,  and  there  married  Cornelia,  a  daugh- 
ter of  C.  Polhemus,  also  of  an  old  Holland  family.  He  was  the  father  of 
three  children :  John  Gardner,  deceased ;  Luther,  of  this  review ;  and  Peter  J., 
now  deceased,  fomierly  a  resident  of  Corning.  Nemaha  county,  Kansas.  The 
father  died  in  Middlesex  county,  New  Jersey. 

Luther  Cortelyou  was  reared  to  young  manhood  on  his  father's  farm, 
and  received  his  primar\'  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Somerset  county, 
New  Jersey.  He  received  his  academic  education  in  Rutgers  College,  a 
Dutch  Reformed  college,  at  New  Brunswick,  N.  J.,  and  then  attended  East- 
man's Business  College,  at  Poughkeepsie,  N.  Y.  After  his  marriage  he  re- 
moved to  Mar}dand,  where  he  lived  on  a  farm  which  he  purchased  and  cul- 
tivated for  twelve  years.  In  1889  Mr.  Cortelyou  sold  his  Maryland  prop- 
erty and  came  to  Kansas  and  located  in  Muscotah,  Atchison  county.  He 
invested  his  capital  in  the  M.  J.  Walsh  grain  elevator,  and  for  eighteen  years 
was  engaged  in  the  buying  and  shipping  of  grain.  He  extended  his  opera- 
tions, and  owned  an  ele\ator  at  Corning,  Kan.,  which  he  sold  in  1909. 
Mr.  Cortelyou  amassed  a  considerable  competence  during  the  many  years 
in  which  he  was  engaged  in  the  grain  business,  and  became  prominent  in 
mercantile  circles  in  the  State  of  Kansas.  For  seven  years  he  served  as  presi- 
dent of  the  Kansas  Grain  Dealers'  Association,  and  gained  a  wide  'acquain- 
tance among  grain  dealers  throughout  the  State  and  Nation.  He  served  for 
one  year  as  second  vice-president  of  the  National  Grain  Dealers'  Association, 
and  also  filled  the  post  of  first  vice-president  of  the  national  body  for  one 
year.  He  disposed  of  his  elevator  in  Muscotah  in  1907,  and  has  since  retired 
from  active  business  pursuits  other  than  his  farming  and  banking  interests. 
Mr.  Cortelyou  is  the  o\\'tier  of  a  fine  farm  of  250  acres  in  Grasshopper  town- 
ship, and  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Farmers  State  Bank  of  Muscotah, 
of  which  thriving  institution  he  is  the  president. 

Mr.  Cortelyou  was  first  married  in  New  Jersey  in  1876  to  Miss  Ger- 
trude Stelle,  of  Middlesex  county.  New  Jersey,  and  this  union  was  blessed 
with  four  children,  namely:  Luther,  Jr.,  assistant  cashier  of  the  First  National 
Bank  at  Parsons.  Kan.,  married  Miss  Lola  .\llison.  a  daughter  of  Webb  .Mli- 
son,  of  Nortonville,  Kan. ;  Stelle,  foitnerly  an  engineer  in  the  United  States 
Government  service,  died  in  Panama  of  yellow  fever,  in  1905,  at  the  age  of 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUXTY  759 

twenty-two,  having  been  the  last  victim  to  die  from  yellow  fever  on  the  Isth- 
mus; Peter  J.,  postmaster  of  Muscotah;  Frank  Morgan,  born  in  1886,  a  tal- 
ented engineer,  who  was  graduated  from  Kansas  University  engineering  de- 
partment, and  is  connected  with  the  engineering  firm  of  Waddell  &  Harring- 
ton, of  Kansas  City,  Mo.,  and  is  now  located  in  Vancouver,  Wash.,  in  charge 
of  the  construction  of  an  immense  bridge  across  the  Columbia  river,  costing 
$1,750,000;  this  bridge  connects  Vancouver,  Wash.,  and  Portland,  Ore.,  and 
is  a  link  in  the  Pacific  highway.  It  has  twenty-nine  steel-spans,  and  is  over 
17.200  feet  in  length.  The  largest  dredges  and  pile-dri\ing  machinery  in  the 
world  are  required  in  its  construction.  The  permanent  roadway  of  this  great 
structure  is  thirty-five  feet  wide  with  sidewalks  five  feet  in  width.  Frank  M. 
married  Miss  Marney  Burney,  of  Green  Forest,  Ark.  The  mother  of  these 
children  was  born  March  19,  1856,  in  New  Jersey,  a  daughter  of  Peter  and 
Sarah  J.  Stelle,  and  she  departed  this  life  February  5,  1905.  Mr.  Cortelyou 
was  again  married  to  Mrs.  Alice  T.  Calvert,  widow  of  J.  H.  Calvert,  deceased 
merchant  and  banker  of  Muscotah,  February  19,  1907. 

The  Democratic  party  has  always  had  the  allegiance  of  Mr.  Cortelyou. 
and  he  has  been  prominently  identified  with  the  affairs  of  his  party  in  Atch- 
ison county,  and  was  the  candidate  of  his  party  for  county  treasurer  in  1896. 
He  is  a  warm  admirer  of  President  Wilson  and  a  supporter  of  the  President's 
policies.  He  was  elected  mayor  of  Muscotah  in  April.  1900,  and  served  one 
term,  and  also  has  ser\-ed  as  a  member  of  the  school  board  of  Muscotah. 
Mr.  Cortelyou  is  a  member  of  the  Congregational  churcJi  of  Muscnt'ih.  tn 
which  denomination  he  has  been  a  liberal  contributor;  he  assisted  in  the  Iniild- 
ing  of  the  church  edifice,  and  has  served  as  trustee  of  the  church  for  several 
years.  For  the  past  thirty  years  or  more  he  has  been  a  member  of  the  Ancient 
Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  and  he  also  is  affiliated  with  the  Modem 
\\'oodmen. 


WILLIAM  S.  HUBBARD. 


Living  in  comfortable  retirement  in  Muscotah  is  one  of  the  pioneer  set- 
tlers of  Atchison  county,  who  fought  the  good  fight  with  grasshoppers  and 
hot  winds  in  the  old  days  of  hardships  on  the  prairies  over  forty  years  ago. 
William  S.  Hubbard  is  one  of  the  fine  old  gentlemen  of  Muscotah  who  came 
to  Kansas  a  poor  man,  has  reared  a  fine  family  of  prosperous  sons  and  daugh- 
ters, and  achieved  a  competence  sufficient  to  support  him  in  comfort  during 
his  declining  vears. 


760  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

^\'.  S.  Hubbard  was  born  Marcb  10,  1839,  on  a  farm  near  Cloverdale, 
Putnam  county,  Indiana,  a  son  of  Asa  and  Melinda  (Holland)  Hubbard, 
natives  of  Kentucky,  who  founded  a  pioneer  home  in  the  forests  of  Putnam 
county,  Indiana.  Asa  Hubbard,  the  fatlier.  died  when  .William  S.  was  a 
child,  and  his  mother  married  \\'.  Davis.  In  1844  the  family  moved  to  Illi- 
nois, where  the  mother  and  stepfather  died  in  later  years.  The  Davis  farm 
was  located  in  Henry  county,  Illinois.  Here  W.  S.  was  reared  to  young  man- 
hood, and  knew  ver}-  few  luxuries  in  those  early  days  of  privation  and  strug- 
gle. After  a  two  years'  residence  on  a  farm  near  Burlington,  Iowa,  he  de- 
cided to  come  farther  west  to  find  a  home  and  fortune  where  lands  were 
cheap  and  opportunities  seemed  to  be  much  better  than  in  Illinois.  In  1874 
he  set  out  witli  his  wife  and  five  children  to  find  a  home  in  Atchison  covmty, 
Kansas.  All  of  his  worldly  possessions  consisted  of  a  team  of  horses,  a  cow, 
and  twelve  dollars  in  cash.  His  first  year  on  a  rented  farm  in  Grasshopper 
township  was  a  disastrous  one,  and  the  "hoppers"  got  his  crops,  even  to  a  fine 
crop  of  cabbage,  which  lie  harvested  and  tried  to  cover  up  by  piling  hay  upon 
the  cabbages  to  keep  the  greedy  "hoppers"  from  eating  them.  Sad  to  relate, 
the  grasshoppers  burrowed  down  through  the  hay  and  ate  the  cabbage.  The 
following  year  was  much  better,  Mr.  Hubbard  raising  a  fine  crop  of  corn. 
During  his  first  year  he  raised  a  good  flax  crop  which  he  sold  for  one  dollar 
and  forty  cents  per  bushel.  He  was  eventually  able  to  invest  in  220  acres  of 
rich  bottom  land,  bordering  the  Delaware  river,  at  a  cost  of  fifteen  dollars 
an  acre.  Mr.  Hubbard  had  saved  ."^00  to  make  the  initial  payment  on  this 
tract,  and  in  nine  years  succeeded  in  lifting  the  debt.  During  the  period  in 
which  he  was  paying  off  the  indebtedness  on  his  land  he  was  also  paying 
interest  on  the  money  at  the  rate  of  ten  per  cent,  annually.  He  sold  his  first 
farm  some  years  after  this  and  invested  in  the  fine  tract  of  seventy-two  acres 
which  he  now  owns.  On  June  12,  1913.  he  and  Mrs.  Hubliard  decided  that 
they  had  worked  long  enough,  and  left  the  farm  for  a  liome  in  Muscotah. 

Mr.  Hubbard  was  married  January  29,  1861,  to  Miss  Mary  Ann  Pence, 
a  native  of  Lycoming  county,  Pennsylvania.  Six  children  have  been  bom 
to  this  worthy  couple,  namely:  William  Elsworlli,  a  farmer,  of  Kapioma 
township,  Atchison  county,  and  the  owner  of  160  acres  of  well  improved  fanri 
land;  he  married  Mattie  Roth,  and  they  have  six  children:  Lewis  Henry  Hub- 
bard, a  farmer  of  this  county,  owner  of  160  acres  of  land;  he  married  Ann 
Hinxton,  and  they  have  two  children :  Lillie  Jane,  wife  of  Malcolm  Connor, 
residing  on  a  homestead  in  South  Dakota,  and  thev  have  three  children :  Cora 
Mav,  wife  of  Simeon  Routh,  Atchison  countv:  thev  have  six  children.     The 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  76I 

Other  children  are  deceased.  All  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hubbard's  children  are 
prosperous  and  highly  respected  citizens  of  their  Tespective  communities,  and 
are  a  credit  and  comfort  to  their  aged  parents,  who  are  proud  of  the  family. 
Mrs.  Hubbard  was  born  December  27,  1839. 

Few  people  in  Atchison  county  can  point  to  a  better  record  than  .Mr.  and 
Mrs.    Hubbard,    or    can  look    back    with    greater    satisfacti(in    over    long 
years  well  spent  in  achieving  a  livelihood  and  rearing  a  fine  family  to  maturity. 
They  came  to  Atchison  county  at  a  time  when  Indians  still  roamed  the  prairies,' 
and  very  little  of  the  prairie  land  was  improved. 

Mr.  Hubbard  is  an  old-line  Democrat,  and,  while  he  has  taken  an  active 
interest  in  political  affairs  in  his  township  and  county,  he  has  never  been  an 
aspirant  for  office,  preferring  to  play  the  game  for  the  pure  love  and  fun 
of  it  rather  than  to  become  an  aspirant  for  political  honors.  He  and  Mrs. 
Hubbard  are  members  of  the  Second-Dav  Adventist  cliurch  of  Muscotah. 


O.  O.  BARKER,  M.  D. 


O.  O.  Barker,  M.  D.,  is  one  of  the  younger  members  of  the  medical  pro- 
fession in  Atchison  county,  located  at  Muscotah,  Kan.  During  the  nine  -x-ears 
which  he  has  been  located  in  Muscotah,  he  has  built  up  an  excellent  practice 
in  his  profession,  and  has  demonstrated  that  he  has  an  accurate  knowledge  of 
the  art  and  science  of  medicine.  Dr.  Barker  was  born  ^larch  30,  1885,  in  the 
town  of  True.  Sumner  county,  West  Virginia.  He  is  a  son  of  J.  Lee  and 
Anna  (Alilburnj  Barker,  the  former  having  been  born  in  i860,  and  the  latter 
in  1862,  in  Virginia.  Both  parents  still  reside  at  True,  \\'.  Va.  J.  Lee  Barker 
was  a  son  of  \l.  Calloway  Barker,  also  a  native  of  Virginia,  and  a  descendant 
of  an  old  ^^irginia  family.  The  histoiy  of  the  Barker  family  dates  back  to  the 
birth  of  Chaplain  Barker,  of  Liverpool,  England,  who  was  born  in  1750,  and 
immigrated  to  Virginia  in  1785.  David  Barker,  a  son  of  Chaplain  Barker,  dis- 
tiller, in  Richmond.  \'a.  W'illinm  Barker,  the  son  of  David,  was  a  tanner 
by  trade,  and  had  three  sons:  A\'illiam  A.,  Joseph,  and  Isaac.  Of  these  sons, 
Joseph  was  killed  by  Indians;  Isaac  lives  at  Liberty.  Va..  and  reared  the  fol- 
lowing children :  James  M.  Calloway.  Mary  E.,  A.  L..  Thomas  J.,  Francis,  and 
Joseph  Ci.  Thomas  J.  liarkcr  immigrated  to  Kansas  and  liecame  a  wcallhv  cit- 
izen of  Kansas  City,  where  he  died.  M.  Calloway  Barker  lived  at  True,  W. 
Va.,  and  reared  a  familv  of  twelve  children:  William  .\.,  who  died  in  the 


762  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

Confederate  service  during  the  Civil  war:  Mary  E.,  deceased;  R.  T.,  residing 
in  Kansas  City,  Kan.;  J.  W.,  deceased;  Thomas  B..  living  near  Hinton,  W. 
Va. :  Tames  L.,  deceased:  Dr.Joseph  L. ;  J.  Lee.  father  of  Dr.  Barker:  David 
ISI..  of  Parsons.  Kan. ;  Francis  I. ;  Ollie,  living  at  True.  W.  Va.,  and  Maria,  de- 
ceased. T-  Lee  Barker  has  alwaj's  been  a  farmer,  and  has  made  a  success  of 
his  life's  vocation.  He  is  one  of  the  prominent  and  well  known  citizens  of 
his  section  of  West  Virginia,  and  for  several  years  has  ser\-ed  as  president 
■  of  the  school  board  of  True,  W.  Va.  He  has  reared  three  children :  Orus  O., 
with  whom  this  review  is  directly  concerned ;  Mrs.  Grace  M.  Skaggs,  Topeka, 
Kan.,  and  ]\Irs.  Nellie  B.  Deeds,  of  Hinton.  W.  Va. 

Dr.  Barker  received  his  primary  education  in  the  pubhc  schools  of  his 
native  town  in  West  Virginia,  and  then  decided  to  take  up  the  study  of  medi- 
cine. He  studied  for  two  years  in  the  medical  department  in  the  University 
of  Marj'land,  and  completed  his  medical  education  in  the  LTniversity  of  Louis- 
ville. Ky..  from  which  institution  he  received  his  degree  of  Doctor  of 
Medicine  in  1906.  After  his  graduation  he  came  to  Kansas,  visited  for  a 
few  months  with  an  uncle  in  Kansas  City,  Kan.,  and  after  passing  an  exam- 
ination given  bv  the  state  board  of  medical  examiners  of  Topeka,  he  opened 
an  office  at  Muscotah,  Kan.,  October  i,  1906.  Dr.  Barker  is  a  member  of 
the  Northeast  Kansas  Medical  Society,  the  Kansas  State  Medical  Associa- 
tion, and  the  Country  Doctors'  Business  and  Social  Club.  He  endeavors 
at  all  times  to  keep  abreast  of  the  latest  advancement  in  medical  science,  and 
has  built  up  an  excellent  practice  in  Muscotah  and  the  .surrounding  countr}-. 
He  was  married  June  2,  1906,  to  Miss  Ethel  M.  Morton,  a  daughter  of  G.  W. 
Morton,  of  Columbus,  Ohio.  Dr.  Barker  is  a  fraternal  member  of  the  Knights 
and  Ladies  of  Security,  ^lodern  Woodmen  of  -\merica,  and  ^lystic  \\'orkers 
of  the  World. 


DR.  CHARLES  M.  LUKENS. 

Charles  M.  Lukens,  dentist,  Muscotah.  Kan.,  is  a  fine  type  of  profes- 
sional man  who  is  self-made,  and  has  achieved  success  in  his  profession, 
whi(;h  is  gratifving  and  worthy  of  mention  in  a  favorable  manner.  Dr. 
Lukens  was  born  June  28.  1872,  in  Harrison  county.  Ohio,  and  is  a  son  of 
William  Ellis  and  Margaret  ("McLaughlin)  Lukens.  both  of  wliom  were 
born  and  reared  in  Ohio.  William  Ellis  Lukens  was  torn  in  1849,  and  was 
a  son  of  Moses  Lukens,  born  in  Lycoming  county,  Pennsylvania,  in   1812, 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  763 

and  was  an  uncompromising  abolitionist.  He  was  an  earlv  settler  of  Har- 
rison county,  Ohio,  where  he  conducted  a  station  on  the  famous  "Under- 
ground Railway."  He  lived  to  a  great  age,  and  it  is  a  fact  that  longevity 
is  a  characteristic  of  both  the  Lukens  and  the  McLaughlin  families.  The 
Lukens  family  was  of  Quaker  origin,  and  the  founder  of  the  family  in  Amer- 
ica was  one  of  the  original  followers  of  William  Penn.  Another  character- 
istic of  the  Lukens  family  is  the  fact  that  a  brother  of  William  Ellis  Lukens 
was  a  dentist,  and  Dr.  Lukens  has  five  cousins  who  are  practicing  dentistiy. 

William  Ellis  Lukens  migrated  to  Holt  county,  Missouri,  in  1882,  where 
he  resided  for  four  years,  and  in  1S86  he  settled  in  Nemaha  county.  He  was 
one  of  the  early  pioneers  in  Nemaha  county,  and  first  engaged  in  the  live 
stock  business  at  Corning,  Kan.,  where  he  conducted  a  grain  elevator,  and 
bought  and  shipped  live  stock.  He  has  become  well-to-do,  and  is  the  owner 
of  two  large  farms  in  Nemaha  and  Jackson  counties.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lukens 
now  make  their  home  on  a  farm  in  Jackson  county,  Kansas,  south  of  Net- 
awaka.  Their  children  are:  Dr.  C.  M.  Lukens,  of  Muscotah ;  Chester  W.,  a 
farmer,  living  south  of  Netawaka,  and  Kinney  E..  a  farmer,  li\ing  in  the 
northwest  corner  of  Jackson  county,  Kansas.  The  mother  of  these  children 
was  born  in  1850. 

Charles  M.  Lukens  received  his  primary  education  in  the  public  schools 
of  Corning,  Kan.,  and  then  decided  to  work  his  way  through  college.  His 
ambition  was  to  become  a  dentist,  and  for  a  period  of  five  years  he  did  all 
kinds  of  honest  labor  in  order  to  pay  for  his  tuition  and  expenses  while  attain- 
ing his  collegiate  education.  He  not  only  earned  his  way  through  college, 
but  saved  money  in  the  meantime.  He  followed  farming  and  railroad  bridge 
work  during  this  time,  and  eventually  graduated  from  the  Western  Dental 
College  of  Kansas  City,  Mo.,  on  May  6,  1905.  He  located  in  Muscotah, 
June  29,  1905,  and  has  made  a  sigTial  success  in  the  practice  of  his  profession. 
Dr.  Lukens  also  maintains  an  office  at  Whiting,  Kan.,  and  divides  his  time 
between  the  two  towns.  Whiting  and  Muscotah. 

Dr.  Lukens  was  married  April  10,  1901,  at  Corning,  Kan.,  to  Miss 
Hallie  A.  Graham,  a  daughter  of  Dr.  J.  W.  Graham,  of  Wetmore,  Kan. 
They  have  one  child,  Graham  St.  Clair  Lukens,  bom  June  21,  1902.  The 
Republican  party  claims  die  allegiance  of  Dr.  Lukens,  and  he  has  always  been 
active  in  political  affairs  in  Atchison  county,  being  one  of  the  leaders  and 
"wheel-horses"  of  the  party  in  the  county.  He  is  affiliated  with  the  Ancient 
Free  and  Accepted  Masons  of  Muscotali.  and  the  Fraternal  Order  of  l^agles 
of  Horton,  Kan.,  and  is  a  member  of  the  Modern  Woodmen.     Dr.  Lukens 


764  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

is  possessed  of  a  likable  and  generous  personality,  which  enables  him  to  make 
friends  easily,  and  to  retain  them  for  all  time.  He  is  a  good  provider  for  his 
family,  and  is  fast  accumulating  a  comfortable  competence.  He  is  a  member 
in  good  standing  of  the  Northeast  Kansas  Dental  Association. 


JAMES  ^I.  TRIMBLE. 


J.  M.  Trimble,  deceased,  was  Ixsrn  September  10.  1843.  in  Buchanan 
county,  Missouri,  a  son  of  Benjamin  F.  Trimble,  a  native  of  Kentucky  and 
early  pioneer  settler  of  De  Kalb.  ^lo.,  where  lie  conducted  a  blacksmith  and 
wagon  shop  for  a  numl3er  of  years,  until  his  removal  to  Texas.  After  living 
in  Texas  for  some  years,  he  finally  located  in  Atchison  county,  Kansas.  James 
M.  Trimble  purchased  a  farm  in  this  county  and  cultivated  it  until  1905  and 
then  removed  to  Atchison  and  engaged  in  the  livery  business,  continuing  the 
same  until  his  demise  in  January  of  1910.  The  first  wife  of  James  M. 
Trimble  was  Margaret  ]\IcCreary,  a  daughter  of  Solomon  McCreary.  a  pioneer 
settler  of  Atchison  county.  To  this  first  marriage  were  bom  the  following 
children:  J.  P.  Trimble;  A.  F.  Trimble:  K.  S.  Trimble,  Ed.  Henry,  Roy  C, 
sheriff  of  Atchison  county,  and  T.  O.  Trimble. 

Mr.  Trimble  was  married  the  second  time,  to  Mrs.  Emma  A.  (Hayden) 
Gallup,  widow  of  Frank  Gallup,  January  21,  1892.  She  is  a  daughter  of 
Levi  and  ]\Iartha  Hayden,  natives  of  Kentucky,  and  pioneer  settlers  of  Coffey 
county,  Kansas.  The  Hayden  family  were  settlers  in  Coffey  county.  Kansas, 
at  a  time  when  the  county  was  largely  populated  by  Indians.  At  one  time. 
while  a  resident  of  this  county.  Levi  Hayden  and  a  number  of  other  settlers 
were  hunting  buffalo  and  were  surrounded  l)y  liostile  red-men,  who  robbed 
the  hunting  party  of  their  provisions  and  horses  and  left  the  hunters  on  the 
plains  destitute.  A  terrible  snow  storm  came  up,  and  several  of  the  party 
perished  from  cold  and  starvation,  Mr.  Hayden  being  among  the  numl)er  lost. 
After  his  death  his  widow  reared  the  family  of  seven  children  with  the  excep- 
tion of  two  sons  and  a  daughter,  Emma,  who  went  to  reside  with  an  uncle, 
John  Hayden,  in  Iowa.  This  uncle  was  a  ver\'  prominent  resident  of  Taylor 
county,  Iowa,  and  served  as  county  clerk  and  county  surveyor.  He  ran  a 
sur\-ey  line  from  his  farm  in  Taylor  county..  Iowa,  to  a  place  later  named  Hay- 
den Junction,  near  Council  Bluffs.  He  was  a  school  teacher  and  a  man  of 
more  than  ordinary  ability  and  reared  Ins  adopted  children  to  become  good 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  765 

citizens.  Emma  lix'ed  at  her  uncle's  liome  until  January  i,  1874,  anrl  while 
attending  high  school  at  Bedfonl,  Iowa,  she  met  Frank  ( jallup,  whom  she  mar- 
ried. Mr.  Gallup  died  .\ugust  11,  1888.  To  this  union  were  born  children 
as  follows;  Xellie  M..  wife  of  Gale  Trimble,  of  Atchison  county:  Jennie  B. 
married  Edwin  E.  Buchanrui,  now  deceased,  and  she  lives  in  Atchison;  Clara 
Maude,  wife  of  Ed.  Trimble,  residing  near  Seattle,  \\'ash. :  Samuel  D.,  of 
Atchison;  Agues  Gertrude,  wife  of  Blake  Balaock,  of  Memphis,  Tenn. 

At  the  time  of  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Trimble  and  Mrs.  Gallup,  Mr.  Trimble 
was  serving  as  superintendent  of  the  Atchison  county  poor  farm.  They  had 
charge  of  this  institution  for  over  six  years  and  then  moved  to  Mr.  Trimble's 
farm,  which  is  now  owned  by  John  M.  Price,  in  Mt.  Pleasant  township.  They 
resided  on  the  farm  until  their  removal  to  Atchison  in  1905.  After  another 
short  period  of  residence  on  the  farm  they  finally  purchased  the  property 
which  is  the  family  home  at  1206  South  Seventh  street,  Atchison.  Mr.  Trim- 
ble conducted  a  livery  and  horse  trading  business  in  Atchison  until  his  demise. 
He  dealt  extensively  in  horses  and  cattle,  and  frecjuently  conducted  farm  and 
real  estate  deals  to  advantage. 

James  M.  Trimble  was  a  life-long  Republican  and  took  an  active  and  in- 
fluential part  in  the  affairs  of  his  party.  He  was  well  and  favorably  know^n 
throughout  Atchison  county.  He  and  Mrs.  Trimble  wxre  affiliated  w'ith  the 
Presbyterian  church,  and  Mr.  Trimlile  belonged  to  the  Grand  Army  of  the 
Republic  b\-  virtue  of  having  enlisted  for  service  in  a  Kansas  regiment  diuMug 
the  Civil  war,  at  the  lime  of  the  Price  invasion.  It  can  be  said  of  him  that 
he  was  an  honest,  upright  citizen,  who  cared  well  for  those  who  depended  upon 
him  and  he  was,  according  to  those  who  knew  him  best,  a  good  man. 


JOHN   EDWARD  SULLIVAN. 

For  fifty-five  years  John  Edward  Sullivan  has  resided  in  .\tchison 
county,  Kansas,  and  can  be  readily  classed  with  the  old-timers  of  the  count)'. 
His  parents  came  from  Iowa  to  Kansas  when  he  was  but  one  year  old,  and 
his  father,  with  the  assistance  of  his  sons,  Roger  P.  and  John  Edward,  was 
enabled  to  rise  from  poverty  to  become  the  owner  of  half  a  sectif)n  of  land 
in  Grasshopper  township.  The  account  of  this  family  is  similar  to  that  of 
several  f)thcr  prosperous  Irish  families  in  Atchison  county. 

John  E.  Sullivan  was  born  May  15,   1859,  in  Keokuk,  Iowa,  a  son  of 


766  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

Michael  and  Bridget  (Tobin)  Sullivan,  both  of  whom  were  born  in  Ireland. 
Michael  Sullivan  was  born  in  1826  in  Ireland,  and  lived  in  his  native  land 
until  he  was  twelve  years  of  age,  and  then  made  his  way,  alone  and  unaided, 
to  America.  His  travels  for  seeking  fortune  in  the  n.ew  country  took  him  e\'er 
onward,  and  he  was  married  in  Keokuk,  Iowa,  to  Bridget  Tobin.  who  was 
his  faithful  helpmeet  when  he  was  rising  from  poverty  to  affluence.  Mr. 
Sullivan  came  to  Atchison,  Kan.,  in  i860,  and  for  some  time  was  engaged 
in  the  railroad  contract  work,  and  assisted  in  the  grading  of  the  Central 
Branch  railroad.  With  the  mone_\-  sa\ed  in  his  railroad  contract  work  he 
became  the  owner  of  a  home  in  Atchison,  which  he  exchanged  for  eighty  acres 
of  land  in  Grasshopper  township,  upon  which  he  settled  and  soon  de\;eloped 
into  a  fine  farm.  Mr.  Sullivan,  in  the  course  of  a  few  years,  was  enabled  to 
buy  an  additional  quarter  section,  and  with  the  help  of  his  sturdy  sons,  he 
increased  his  holdings  to  320  acres  of  well  improved  farm  land.  When  old 
age  crept  upon  Michael  Sullivan  and  his  wife  they  turned  the  farm  over  to 
their  two  sons,  who  cared  for  them  in  their  declining  years,  which  were  spent 
in  peace  and  comfort.  Mr.  Sullivan  died  at  the  home  of  his  son,  John  Ed- 
ward, December  24,  1904.  He  was  the  father  of  three  children:  John  Ed- 
ward, the  subject  of  this  review ;  Roger  Patrick,  a  prosperous  farmer  of 
Benton  township,  Atchison  county,  and  Mary,  deceased. 

John  Edward  Sullivan  attended  the  public  schools  of  .\tchisoji  until  he 
was  fourteen  years  of  age,  and  after  his  parents  removed  to  the  farm  in 
Grasshopper  township  he  remained  at  home  and  assisted  his  father  on  the 
home  farm  until  he  was  thirty  years  old.  He  then  purchased  his  present 
farm  of  160  acres,  made  improvements  upon  it,  and  has  brought  the  land  up 
to  a  high  state  of  cultivation.  Mr.  Sullivan  has  his  farm  stocked  with  well 
graded  horses  and  cattle,  and  has  frequently  exhibited  his  fine  draft  colts 
and  mules  at  the  county  fairs,  held  at  Effingham,  Kan. 

Mr.  Sullivan  was  married  in  1890  to  Anna  Small,  and  to  this  union  were 
born  eight  children,  namely:  Mary  E.,  deceased:  Anna,  John,  Lauretta,  Leo, 
and  Lucy,  all  at  home  with  their  parents ;  Grace,  deceased ;  one  child  died  in 
infancy.  Mrs.  Sullivan  was  born  October  29,  1864,  in  Ireland,  a  daughter 
of  Patrick  and  Elizabeth  (McVay)'  Small,  who  immigratetl  to  America, 
settling  in  Pennsylvania,  and  came  to  Atchison,  Kan.,  in  1879:  they  were  en- 
gaged in  farming  for  some  years,  and  are  now  living  at  Effingham,  Kan. 
Mrs.  Sullivan  died  November  23,  1906.  She  was  a  well  educated  woman, 
being  an  accomplished  musician  and  a  teacher  of  music.  Mr.  Sullivan  is 
a  stockholder  and  director  of  the  Farmers  State  Bank  of  Muscotah.     He  is 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  767 

not  allied  with  any  political  parties,  and  casts  his  vote  independently  at  elec- 
tion time  for  the  candidates  of  his  choice,  \vho  seem  best  fitted  to  perform 
the  duties  of  the  office  sought.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Catholic  church,  and 
is  fraternally  allied  with  the  Knights  of  Columbus  of  Atchison. 


RIENZI  M.  DUNLAP. 


Rienzi  M.  Dunlap,  editor  and  publisher  of  the  Muscotah  Record,  Mus- 
cotah.  Kan,,  was  burn  in  Illinois,  Feliruary  25,  1859.  He  is  the  son 
of  John  M.  and  Nancy  (Fletcher)  Dunlap,  the  former  a  native  of  Maine, 
and  the  latter  a  native  of  Illinois.  John  M.  Dunlap  was  a  descendant  from 
Scotch-Irish  ancestry,  who  immigrated  from  North  of  Ireland  to  America. 
His  wife  was  of  English  descent,  and  a  daughter  of  Kentucky  parents,  who 
emigrated  from  Kentucky  to  Illinois  in  the  early  days.  John  M.  received  his 
education  in  his  native  State,  and  was  engaged  in  teaching  school,  a  pro- 
ession  which  he  followed  for  twenty-five  years.  He  taught  school  in  Illinois, 
southern  Wisconsin,  and  also  in  the  State  of  Iowa.  He  finally  located  on  a 
farm  in  northern  Iowa,  near  Nashua,  which  he  developed  into  a  fine  produc- 
tive plant.  He  became  well  known  as  a  skilled  horticulturist,  and  originated 
several  different  kinds  of  fruits.  He  died  at  his  home  near  Nashua,  Iowa,  in 
1909.    His  widow  still  lives  on  the  home  place. 

Rienzi  M.  Dunlap  was  educated  in  the  schools  of  northeastern  Iowa,  and 
entered  college  with  the  intention  of  completing  a  college  course,  but  his  eye- 
sight failing  him,  he  was  unable  to  complete  his  classical  studies.  Later,  he 
prepared  himself  for  the  teaching  profession  by  self-study,  and  received  a 
teacher's  certificate.  He  taught  school  for  fifteen  years  at  various  places  in 
Iowa,  Minnesota  and  South  Dakota.  The  last  five  years  of  his  teaching  was 
of  a  professional  character,  with  the  backing  of  a  professional  certificate. 
During  all  this  time  he  had  been  preparing  himself  by  hard  study  to  enter 
the  ministry,  and  on  September  i,  1893,  went  to  Wisconsin  and  began  preach- 
ing in  an  Advent  Christian  church.  He  preached  for  four  years  in  Wiscon- 
sin in  the  interest  of  the  Advent  Christian  denomination,  and  later  engaged 
in  the  market  gardening  business  for  the  benefit  of  his  health  at  Baraboo, 
Wis.,  where  he  resided  until  1909,  in  the  meantime  preaching  in  the  churches 
of  the  nearby  towns.  From  1909  until  1910  he  had  charge  of  a  church  at 
Linn,  Kan.     Mr.  Dunlap,  while  engaged  in  teaching,  managed  to  obtain  con- 


768  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

siderable  journalistic  experience  by  working  in  various  newspaper  offices, 
among  them  being  that  of  his  uncle.  Consequently,  it  is  not  surprising  that 
in  iqio  he  came  to  Muscotah,  Kan.,  and  purchased  the  Muscotah  Record. 
He  is  operating  an  excellent  newspaper,  which  is  noted  for  its  clean,  moral 
and  fearless  stand  on  all  public  questions. 

j\Ir.  Dunlap  was  married  at  Mendota,  III,  August  23,  1893,  to  Miss 
Retta  Morris,  of  Ohio,  who  was  also  a  public  school  teacher,  who  taught 
school  fifteen  terms  previous  to  her  marriage,  several  years  of  which  were  in 
Iowa.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dunlap  are  the  parents  of  three  children:  Morris  O., 
a  student  of  journalism  in  the  Ad\ent  Christian  College,  Aurora,  III,  which 
course  is  to  be  followed  by  two  years  in  the  university;  Ella  M.,  a  pupil  in 
the  eighth  grade  in  the  Muscotah  school:  Mary,  a  pupil  in  the  sixth  grade  in 
the  public  school.  Mr.  Dunlap  is  an  independent  in  politics,  who  has  not 
allied  himself  in  any  form  of  politics,  and  beheves  that  the  best  government 
results  from  the  independent  voting  of  its  citizens.  His  newspaper  is  also 
noted  for  its  independence. 


LEWIS  P.  Dr  BOIS. 


Lewis  P.  Du  Bois  has  the  distinction  of  being  the  oldest  living  pioneer  set- 
tler of  Atchison  county  residing  in  Shannon  township.  The  story  of  his  life 
since  coming  to  the  great  \\'est  in  search  of  health  reads  like  a  romance  and  is 
well  worth  recounting  in  the  pages  of  this  history  of  the  county  which  he  has 
helped  to  create  during  the  past  fifty-seven  years  or  more.  The  last  days  of 
his  eventful  life  are  being  peacefully  spent  in  the  beautiful  country  home  which 
he  erected  several  years  ago,  which  sets  far  back  in  a  park  created  by  his  own 
hands  and  shaded  by  great  trees  planted  in  years  gone  by  on  the  barren  prairie 
which  he  broke  and  brought  to  a  high  state  of  cultivation.  Mr.  Du  Bois  can 
look  out  over  the  broad  acres  which  he  and  his  good  and  faithful  wife  have 
accumulated,  and  be  well  content  that  providence  has  been  kind  to  them  and 
theirs. 

Lewis  P.  Du  Bois  is  a  descendant  of  an  old  American  family.  He  was 
born  March  23,  1834,  in  Salem  county,  Xew  Jersey,  a  son  of  Samuel  and 
Mary  (Johnson)  Du  Bois,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  New  Jersey.  Louis 
Du  Bois,  a  Frenchman,  who  came  to  America  in  about  1660,  and  established 
the  French  settlement  of  New  Palz,  was  the  original  founder  of  the  family  in 
this  country.     His  children  were  as  follows :  Jacob,  Abraham,  Sarah,  Isaac, 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  769 

David,  Solomon,  Rebecca,  Rachel  and  Matthew.  Samuel  Du  Bois  was  the 
son  of  Matthew,  a  great-grandson  of  the  first  Louis  Du  Bois.  Lewis  Dn  Bois, 
direct  ancestor  of  Lewis,  and  son  of  Mathias,  was  a  soldier  in  tlie  Revolution 
and  served  for  seven  years  under  General  Washington,  and  was  engaged  in 
all  of  the  battles  in  which  Wasliington's  army  participated.  Matthias'  chil- 
dren were :  Sarah,  Lewis,  Anna,  Rachel,  Cornelius,  Matthew  and  Benjamin. 
Lewis  Du  Bois,  the  Revolutionaiy  patriot,  married  Rebekah  Craig  and  was 
the  father  of  the  following  children :  John,  Matthew,  Polly,  Lewis,  Rebekah, 
Benjamin,  Elizabeth,  and  Samuel,  father  of  the  subject  of  this  review.  Sam- 
uel Du  Bois  was  born  September  26,  1800,  and  died  in  May,  1873.  He  mar- 
ried Mary  Johnson,  who  was  born  January  17,  1824,  and  died  January  28, 
1879. 

To  Samuel  and  Mary  Du  Bois  were  born  children  as  follows :  Rebecca, 
who  became  the  wife  of  Clarence  Struper,  and  is  now  deceased;  Adaline,  wife 
of  Jacob  Kaeley,  deceased;  Mary  Jane,  wife  of  John  Du  Bois,  of  Fairfield, 
Iowa;  Lewis,  with  whom  this  review  is  directly  concerned;  Emeline,  wife  of 
Daniel  Hitchner,  Nemaha  county,  Kansas ;  Eliza,  wife  of  A.  Hitchner,  de- 
ceased;  Samuel  Johnson.  Salem  county,  New  Jersey.  Mr.  Du  Bois  has  an  old 
Bible  over  150  \ears  old  and  also  has  in  his  possession  genealogical 
works  concerning  the  Du  Bois,  Patterson  and  the  Ewing  families  which 
can  be  consulted  for  further  genealogical  data  if  need  be.  Samuel  Du- 
Bois  was  a  farmer  and  his  father,  Lewis,  was  a  paymaster  in  the  American 
army  of  defense  during  the  War  of  1812.  Both  lived  and  died  on  the  old 
ancestral  farm  which  has  been  in  the  family  for  many  generations.  Lewis 
donated  one  farm  of  160  acres  to  the  Daretown  Presbyterian  church  and  prac- 
tically endowed  it.  Samuel  was  a  very  prominent  citizen  in  his  neigh!)orIiood 
and  held  several  important  offices  and  was  one  of  the  twelve  free  holders  of 
Salem  county,  New  Jersey. 

Lewis  P.  Du  Bois  was  educated  in  the  common  schools  of  his  native 
county  and  when  twenty  years  of  age  was  employed  as  clerk  in  a  store  at 
Bridgeton,  Cumberland  county,  New  Jersey,  for  three  years,  after  whicli  l^e 
spent  one  year  assisting  his  fatiier  farm  llie  nld  hnmeslead.  His  health  failing, 
he  was  told  by  the  family  doctor  that  he  must  go  west  or  he  could  live 
but  a  short  time.  Leaving  the  old  home,  his  sweetheart  and  all  associations 
behind  him,  he  set  out  and  arrived  in  Atchison  in  April,  1858,  with  only  $50 
in  cash  in  his  pockets.  I'or  the  first  year  he  made  his  home  with  Dr.  Challiss, 
on  the  doctor's  farm.  Dr.  Challiss  advised  him  to  spend  one  year  near  the 
river  and  then  go  to  tiic  mouniains  for  an  indefinite  st.-iy  until  he  was  cured. 

49 


-■JO  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

At  the  end  of  his  first  year's  residence  in  the  West  he  set  out  for  the  mountain 
country  as  assistant  to  Eh  Mason,  the  first  sheriff  of  Atchison  county,  in  the 
conduct  of  a  wagon  train  en  route  to  Ft.  Kearney.  His  first  trip  to  tlie  West 
and  the  outdoor  hfe  proved  beneficial  and  upon  his  return  he  clerked  in  tlie 
store  of  P.  R.  King  until  Xovember  of  1859,  and  again  crossed  the  plains 
with  Henry  Macey,  of  Weston,  Mo.  This  was  a  very  hard  and  long  trip,  taken 
in  the  winter  time,  but  he  gained  rapidly  in  strengtli  and  general  health  and 
accumulated  weight  until  he  tipped  the  scales  at  158  pounds.  Upon  his  arrival 
in  Denver,  Colo.,  the  mining  excitement  was  at  its  height  and  he  was  seized 
with  the  gold  fever.  He  took  up  a  mining  claim  in  the  mountains,  but  left 
it  and  went  further  into  the  mountainous  country.  He  spent  all  of  his  money 
on  developing  another  claim,  building  a  sluice  and  dam  and  turning  the  course 
of  a  stream  in  order  to  get  a  sufficient  flow  of  water  for  placer  mining.  All  of 
his  efforts  came  to  naught  and  his  mining  fixtures  were  washed  away  by  a 
disastrous  flood  and  he  was  left  in  debt  over  $i.coo.  He  and  his  a.s'sociates 
then  went  to  Georgia  gulch  and  bought  another  claim  which  yielded  suf- 
ficiently to  enable  him  to  pay  off  his  debts  and  then  the  gold  gave  out  entirely. 
News  came  to  the  camp  during  his  first  winter  in  the  mountains  that  a  num- 
ber of  men  were  snow  bound  over  the  divide  and  were  starving  for  food.  The 
snow  was  from  seven  to  ten  feet  deep  on  the  level  and  twenty  feet  deep  on  the 
ranges.  Mr.  Du  Bois  and  another  man  were  tiie  only  men  brave  enough  to 
volunteer  to  cary  succor  to  tlie  destitute  prospectors  and  had  the  distinction  of 
being  the  first  men  to  cross  the  Rockies  in  the  dead  of  winter.  From  Colo- 
rado he  went  to  U^yoming  and  then  returned  to  Atchison  in  1861,  meeting  the 
fast  pony  express  on  his  way  and  learning  of  Abraham  Lincoln's  election  to 
the  Presidency. 

From  Atchison  he  returned  to  tlie  old  liome  in  New  Jersey  and  there 
married  the  sweetheart  who  had  been  waiting  for  him  to  come  back,  restored  to 
vigorous  health  and  strength.  He  followed  farming  in  New  Jersey  for  three 
years,  suffering  in  the  meantime  from  rheumatism  and  sickness,  brought  on 
from  too  much  exposure  to  the  elements.  In  1865  he  and  his  wife  again  re- 
turned to  Atchison  with  a  cash  capital  of  $500  and  he  took  charge  of  a  farm 
owned  by  his  friend.  Dr.  Clialliss,  on  the  share  plan  for  a  period  of  three  years. 
His  farming  experience  for  those  three  years  was  not  at  all  profitable,  and  he 
was  left  at  the  end  of  the  time  with  practically  no  funds.  Jayhawkers  took 
practically  all  tliat  he  made,  and  one  time,  after  he  had  fattened  a  lot  of  hogs  on 
corn  which  cost  him  $1.10  per  bushel,  thieves  stole  the  porkers  and  lie  was 
left  without  a  dollar.  He  then  ventured  to  sell  fruit  trees  to  the  settlers  in 
Colorado  on  the  route  to  Denver  and  was  very  successful  in  taking  many 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  77I 

orders.  The  delivery  of  this  consignment  consisting  of  two  wagon  loads  cost 
over  $1,850  by  overland  freight  train  in  the  fall  of  the  year.  The  Indians  were 
troublesome  at  the  time  and  during  one  eventful  night  whicii  demonstrated 
that  the  biggest  braggarts  with  the  train  were  the  greatest  cowards,  the  Indians 
tried  to  run  off  their  mules  but  were  finally  driven  off.  This  venture  resulted 
in  replenishing  his  store  of  funds  and  he  bought  his  first  farm  with  the  [iro- 
ceeds,  paying  cash  for  it.  Like  man}'  others  during  those  early  days,  Mr.  Du 
Bois  herded  cattle  on  the  great  free  ranges  but  was  unfortunate  in  having  fiftv 
head  die  of  Texas  fever  contracted  from  an  infected  herd  of  Texas  cattle 
which  were  being  pastured  over  the  range  on  the  way  to  market.  Many,  in- 
deed, were  the  discouragements  which  beset  his  attempts  to  secure  a  livelihood, 
at  one  time  ha\'ing  purc'.iased  a  horse  from  a  Mr.  Galbreath,  it  developed  that 
the  beast  was  afflicted  with  glanders  in  a  contagious  form.  This  necessitated 
•he  killing  of  all  of  his  horses  and  the  consequent  restocking-  of  his  farm. 
Prosperity  eventually  smiled  upon  him  and  his,  however,  and  better  times 
came  and  he  became  the  owner  of  320  acres  of  exceedingly  fine  land  in  Shan- 
non township.     He  is  a  director  of  the  Bank  of  Vliets,  Kan. 

Mr.  Du  Bois  was  married  Xovember  3,  1863.  to  Sarah  Jane  Jones  and 
to  this  union  have  been  born  children  as  follows :  Mrs.  Carrie  C.  Buck,  born 
in  1865,  and  residing  at  Vliets,  Kan.;  Lewis  P.  died  in  infancy:  Samuel  T., 
born  July  7,  1876,  operates  the  home  farm,  married  Anna  Katharine  Kistlcr, 
daughter  of  William  D.  Kistler,  and  has  two  children,  Lewis  P.,  Jr.,  and  Kath- 
ryn  Kller.  The  mother  of  the.'^e  ciiildren  was  born  .April  5.  1835.  in  Salem 
county.  New  Jersey,  daughter  of  Joseph  and  Mary  Ann  (Van  Meter)  Jones. 
The  Jones  family  of  which  she  is  a  descendant  is  a  very  old  one  in  America, 
and  a  history  of  the  family  is  being  nov\r  published.  The  Van  Meter  family 
had  its  origin  in  this  country  as  far  back  as  1660  and  they  were  members  of 
the  ntw  Palz  settlement  in  >,"e\\-  Jersey.  Her  grandindther.  Samuel  Van 
Meter,  mari-ied  Lady  Anna  I'ishop,  a  titled  English  lady  who  was  a  member 
of  a  noble  English  family.  Several  of  her  ancestors  served  in  the  war  of 
independence. 

On  November  3,  191 3,  there  was  celebrated  at  the  hospitable  and  1)eauti- 
iul  Du  Bois  home,  the  fiftieth  or  golden  wedding  anniversary  of  this  widely 
known  and  well  loved  pioneer  couple.  Guests  to  the  number  of  500  came  to 
congratulate  them  from  far  and  near,  amnng  them  being  the  notable  men  and 
women  of  Atchison  county,  who  are  proud  of  the  friendship  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
J")u  Bois.  The  tables  groaned  with  good  things  to  eat  and  the  day  was  spent 
iiappily  in  merrymaking,  the  wedding  ceremony  of  Lewis  and  Sarah  being 
again  du])licated  for  the  edification  of  the  interested  guests.     No  invitations 


//- 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 


were  issued  for  the  occasion.  I)ut  a  g'cneral  country-wide  notice  printed  in  the 
Atchison  newspapers  caused  a  perfect  hegira  to  the  Du  Bois  home  of  old  and 
new  friends  of  this  worthy  couple,  who  wished  to  be  in  line  to  grasp  llieir 
Iiands  and  wish  them  many  more  happy  years  of  wedded  life  which  have  been 
unmarred  by  a  single  serious  discord.  The  fifty-three  years  of  wedded  life 
iiave  been  replete  with  happiness  and  blessings  for  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Du  Bois,  in 
the  main,  while  tinged  with  sorrows  which  are  the  inevitable  lot  of  all  mankind. 
Mr.  Du  Bois  and  the  members  of  his  family  are  affiliated  with  the  Pres- 
b}terian  church.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  lodge,  the  Independent  Or- 
der of  Odd  Fellows  and  the  Central  Protective  Association,  having  been  one 
of  the  founders  of  the  Good  Intent  lodge  of  the  Central  Protective  Association. 
He  lias  l:)een  a  life-long  Democrat,  and.  while  never  Iriving  sought  political 
preferment  and  not  having  filled  any  office  but  that  of  trustee  of  Shannon 
township,  he  has  always  taken  in  otlier  years  a  very  active  part  in  count)'. 
State  and  Xalional  politics.  He  was  a  great  personal  friend  of  Goxernor 
Click. 


EDWIN  S.  WOOD\^^ORTH. 


The  name  Woodwortli  is  a  noted  one,  not  only  in  Kansas,  Init  in  Ameri- 
can history.  A  long  line  of  distinguished  men  have  descended  from  the 
original  foimders  of  the  family  in  America,  and  the  men  of  each  successive 
generation  have  added  additional  luster  to  the  family  name  by  deeds  of  valor 
and  statesmanship  wiiich  stand  out  prominently  in  the  annals  of  their  respec- 
tive abiding  places.  Edwin  S.  Woodworth,  farmer  and  live  stock  breeder, 
of  Kapioma  township,  is  a  well  and  favorably  known  member  of  the  civic 
body  of  Atchison  county,  and  a  son  of  Maj.  Caleb  A.  Woodworth,  who  was 
one  of  the  famous  figures  in  the  early  period  of  the  making  Kansas  into  a 
great  State.  His  grandfather,  Caleb  A.  Woodworth,  Sr..  was  one  of  the 
earliest  of  the  Kansas  pioneers. 

Alajor  Caleb  A.  Woodworth  was  born  in  Wilkesbarre.  Pa.,  April  14,  1838, 
and  was  a  son  of  Caleb  Woodworth,  a  native  of  Tyre,  N.  Y.,  whose  father, 
also  named  Caleb,  was  a  captain  of  artillery  under  Ceneral  Scott  in  the  War 
of  1812.  Gresham  Woodworth,  the  great-grandfather  of  Major  Wood- 
worth,  was  a  colonel  in  the  Continental  amiy  during  the  American  Revolu- 
tion, and  fought  at  the  battle  of  Saratoga.  The  W^oodworth  family  is  of 
English  origin,  the  progenitors  of  the  family  having  emigrated  from  the  Isle 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  773 

of  Man  early  in  the  seventeenth  centui")'.  The  father  of  Major  Woodworth 
was  a  farmer  by  occupation,  and  married  JMiss  Ellen  Gordon,  of  Goshen, 
X.  \'..  a  cousin  of  Gen.  Gordon,  of  Goshen,  and  a  daughter  of  Cornelius 
Gordon,  who  was  born  in  Ireland,  of  Scotch-Irish  parents,  and  settled  in 
Virginia.  The  elder  \\'oodworth  died  at  the  age  of  seventy-four  years,  and 
the  wife  and  mother  died  in  December,  1898,  at  the  age  of  eighty-six  years. 
Caleb,  Sr.,  immigrated  to  Kansas  in  1857,  and  settled  at  Muscotah,  Atchison 
count}-.  Both  Caleb  Woodworth  and  his  wife  were  members  of  the  Congre- 
gational church,  and  Caleb  was  an  Odd  Fellow.  He  was  well  educated,  and 
in  his  younger  days  was  a  school  teacher,  becoming  a  farmer  in  later  life. 
The  line  of  Woodworths  in  America  tells  of  many  men  of  letters  and  dis- 
tinction, and  many  soldiers  who  have  shed  luster  on  the  family  name  in  the 
successive  generations. 

There  were  five  children  born  to  Caleb,  Sr.,  and  wife,  namely:  Calel)  A., 
father  of  Edw'in  S. ;  Gilbert  M.,  who  came  to  Kansas  at  an  early  day,  and 
served  three  years  in  a  Kansas  regiment  during  the  Civil  war,  first  as  cor- 
poral, then  as  sergeant,  and  later  was  captain  of  a  company  of  the  Fourth 
Arkansas  infantry,  and  was  made  lieutenant-colonel  of  the  Twelfth  Kansas 
militia  in  1864.  He  became  prominent  in  political  life,  and  served  as  State 
senator  in  Colorado,  and  died  while  marching  in  the  G.  A.  R.  reunion  parade 
in  Philadelphia,  September  8.  1899 ;  eighty  veterans  succumbed  to  the  heat. 
He  left  one  son,  Charles  G.,  of  Onanga,  Okla. ;  Ben  F.,  a  resident  of  Downs, 
Okla  ,  served  three  years  in  the  Union  army,  part  of  the  time  as  bugler  of 
Company  A,  Fifth  regiment,  Kansas  infantr}-,  and  later  as  captain  in  the 
Fourth  Kansas  regiment ;  David  G.,  a  graduate  of  Monroe  Institute,  a  teacher, 
and  a  Kansas  militiaman.  David  Woodworth  assisted  in  the  survey  of  Okla- 
homa, moved  to  the  new  State  in  1889,  and  settled  at  Downs.  He  was  a 
successful  farmer,  but  is  now  postmaster  at  Kingfisher,  Okla.  The  mother 
accompanied  him  to  Oklahoma,  and  died  there;  Sarah  Elizabeth,  deceased, 
was  the  wife  of  B.  A.  Colville,  and  left  one  son,  Dr.  Frank  Colville,  who  died 
in  St.  Joseph,  Mo. 

Major  Caleb  A.  Woodworth  came  to  Kansas  in  1857,  from  Virginia,  and 
engaged  in  farming  near  Muscotah  until  1859,  when  he  entered  the  Univer- 
sity of  Chicago,  and  pursued  his  collegiate  education  until  the  outbreak  of 
the  Civil  war.  He  then  returned  to  Kansas  and  offered  his  services  in  defense 
of  the  Union.  His  first  enlistment  was  for  a  period  of  nine  months  in  Com- 
pany B,  Fourth  regiment,  Kansas  infantry.  He  tlien  assisted  in  organizing 
the  Thirteenth  Kansas  regiment,  and  was  a  member  of  Company  F  of  that 


774  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

regiment,  which  he  joined  September  20,  1862.  He  rose  rapidly  in  rank,  was 
commissioned  major  of  his  regiment,  and  ser\-ed  for  three  years,  or  until  the 
close  of  the  war.  He  served  directly  under  Colonel  Bowen,  and  under  Gen- 
erals Blount,  Schofield.  Steele,  and  Reynolds.  He  participated  in  the  battles 
around  Springfield,  Mo.,  and  in  Arkansas.  At  the  battle  of  Prairie  Grove, 
in  1862,  his  horse  was  shot  from  under  him.  Three  times  his  mount  was 
killed  in  battle,  but  he  seemed  to  bear  a  charmed  life,  and  was  never  wviunded. 
After  the  close  of  the  war  he  returned  to  Atchison,  Kan.,  and  engaged  in 
freighting  across  the  plains,  making  three  trips  in  all  with  a  freighting  ontf't. 
He  was  the  first  man  to  telegraph  money  from  Denver,  Colo.,  to  Atchison. 
He  operated  a  liverv  barn  where  the  union  depot  now  stands  in  Atchison. 
About  1868  he  again  turned  his  attention  to  farming,  and  settled  in  Kapioma 
township,  where  his  father  had  preempted  half  a  section  of  land.  Major 
Woodworth  farmed  the  home  tract,  and  erected  the  house  where  Edwin  S. 
now  lives.  He  liecame  an  extensive  cattle  feeder,  and  was  very  successful 
in  his  farming  operations. 

Major  Woodworth  was  married  in  June,  1867,  to  Miss  Margaret  Shaw, 
of  Valley  Falls.  Kan.  Three  children  were  born  of  this  union,  namely :  Nora, 
wife  of  E.  M.  Wilcox,  Kamaloops,  British  Columbia ;  Edwin  S. :  Jennie, 
living  in  Wood,  S.  D.  The  mother  of  these  children  was  born  in  .\krnn, 
Ohio.  January  21,  1850,  a  daughter  of  William  and  Louise  (Fletcher)  Shaw, 
natives  of  Ohio.     Slie  is  now  residing  with  her  daughter  at  \\'ood,  S.  D. 

The  civic  and  political  career  of  Major  Woodworth  was  a  distinguished 
one.  He  was  elected  State  senator  from  Atchison  county  on  the  Republican 
ticket  in  1876,  and  served  for  four  years.  During  his  term  as  senator  he 
wrote  the  bill  and  presented  the  same  to  the  State  legislature,  organizing  the 
Kansas  State  Historical  Society.  In  1892  he  was  chosen  to  represent  the 
third  district  in  the  lower  house  of  the  legislature,  this  time  being  elected  on 
the  Democratic  ticket.  In  1895  he  removed  to  Effingham,  Kan.,  and  resided 
in  tliat  city  until  1897,  when  he  removed  to  Atchison  to  take  up  his  duties 
as  superintendent  of  the  State  Soldiers'  Orphans'  Home.  He  filled  the  duties 
of  this  position  until  1900,  when  he  resigned  and  retired  to  a  home  in  Mus- 
cotah,  Kan.  Major  Woodworth  died  October  24,  1908.  His  demise  marked 
the  passing  of  one  of  the  most  noted  of  the  Kansas  pioneers,  a  distinguished 
soldier  and  statesman.  He  left  a  heritage  of  honorable  and  upright  service 
to  the  people  of  the  State,  of  which  his  descendants  can  well  be  proud. 

Edwin  S.  Woodworth  was  born  .\pril  20,  1874,  on  the  farm  where  he 
now  resides.  He  was  educated  in  the  common  schools  of  his  native  county, 
and  studied  in  Holton  University,  after  completing  a  course  in  the  high  school 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  775 

at  Effingham,  Kan.  After  his  marriage,  in  1895,  he  began  farming  the 
home  place  of  the  Woodworth  family.  He  is  the  owner  of  163  acres  of  rich 
farm  land,  which  is  well  improved.  Mr.  Woodworth  is  a  well  known  breeder 
of  registered  Shorthorn  cattle,  and  ships  the  product  of  his  farm  in  this  re- 
spect to  all  parts  of  the  country.  He  is  a  member  of  the  American  Short- 
horn Breetlers"  Association.  During  1015  he  had  a  herd  of  fifty  thorough- 
bred Shorthorns,  but  has  sold  to  buyers  at  excellent  prices  until  he  has  de- 
pleted his  herd. 

Mr.  \^'oodworth  was  married  May  29,  1895,  to  Miss  Sadie  E.  Speer, 
born  June  11,  1875,  and  reared  on  a  farm  three  miles  east  of  Muscotah. 
(See  biography  of  D.  Anna  Speer  for  details  concerning  the  Speer  family.) 
Four  children  have  been  born  to  Edwin  S.  and  Sadie  E.  Woodworth,  namely : 
Mrs.  Marg'uerite  Mulligan,  of  Benton  township;  Mabel,  a  student  in  the 
county  high  school  at  Effingham ;  Isabelle  and  Mildred,  at  home. 

Politically,  Mr.  Woodworth  is  allied  with  the  Democratic  party.  He 
attends  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  and  is  affiliated  with  the  Knights 
of  Pythias,  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America  and  the  Central  Protective 
Association.  There  is  no  doubt  in  the  minds  of  those  who  know  Mr.  Wood- 
worth  and  esteem  him  for  his  many  excellent  qualities,  that  he  will  keep 
alive  the  traditions  of  the  Woodworth  family  and  endeavor  to  follow  in  the 
footsteps  of  his  illustrious  ancestors  as  regards  right  living  and  doing  his 
duty  to  his  countv  and  State. 


HAL  C.  LOW^ 


Hal  C.  Low.  of  the  firm  of  Johnson-Low  Clothing  Company,  of  .\tcliison, 
was  born  in  1879  in  Doniphan  county,  Kansas.  His  parents  were  J.  ^^'.  and 
Mary  (Collins)  Low,  natives  of  the  Buckeye  State,  the  father's  home  having 
been  at  West  ATilton,  Ohio.  The  grandfather  of  Hal  C.  was  An.sel  Low, 
who  was  one  of  the  earliest  pioneer  settlers  of  Kansas,  first  coming  to  Atchi- 
son in  1852,  following  wliich  he  located  in  Doniphan,  where  he  kept  the  first 
hotel,  or  tavern,  and  also  operated  a  general  store.  To  the  home  of  this 
pioneer  came  in  the  fall  of  1860,  .\braham  Lincoln,  who  was  liicn  touring 
the  country  in  his  first  campaign  for  the  presidency.  Lincoln's  visit  and  stay 
at  the  Low  hostelry  was  an  event  which  awakened  a  great  deal  of  pride  with 
J.  W.  Low  and  he  was  fond  of  relating  the  circumstance  and  describing  in 
detail  how  Mrs.  Low  served  the  simple  wants  of  the  greatest  of  all  Americans. 


■J-jQ,  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

He  was  always  a  stanch  supporter  of  the  martyred  President  and  ofave  (Hrect 
evidence  of  his  loyalty  to  the  Union  by  his  enlistment  in  Company  I,  Seventh 
regiment,  Kansas  cavalry,  serving  under  Generals  Rosecrans  and  Grant  suc- 
cessively, and  was  in  active  service  throughout  the  entire  war. 

Hal  C.  Low  was  educated  in  the  common  and  high  schools  of  Atchison, 
and  then  entered  his  father's  dry  goods  store,  where  he  spent  several  years 
profitably,  absorbing  the  details  of  the  business  and  in  becoming  a  proficient 
salesman  and  buyer.  This  experience  stood  him  in  good  stead,  and  in  1905 
he  organized  the  Johnson-Low  Clothing  Company  and  has  made  an  unquali- 
fied success  of  the  venture.  The  store  is  one  of  the  most  complete  in  this 
section  of  the  State,  and  carries  high  grade  goods  of  the  best  workmanship 
and  design.  The  ever  increasing  trade,  whicli  flows  to  this  establishment, 
is  the  best  evidence  of  its  continued  success. 

Mr.  Low  was  married  in  1905  to  Miss  Jane  Pollock,  daughter  of  S.  M. 
Pollock,  an  early  pioneer  settler  of  Iowa,  later  a  resident  of  Kansas,  and  now 
residing  in  Atchison.     Mr.  Low  is  a  Republican. 


D.  ANXA  SPEER. 


The  public  owes  much  to  the  teachers  who  have  made  a  life  work  of 
their  chosen  profession.  While  the  teaching  profession  is  used  to  some  extent 
as  a  stepping-stone  to  something  supposedly  higher  and  l)elter.  or  as  an  oppor- 
tunity on  the  part  of  young  people  to  earn  some  money  in  preparation  for  em- 
barking in  some  other  vocation,  there  are  in  tlie  ranks  of  the  profession  a 
considerable  number  of  efficient  and  painstaking  educators  wlio  through  a  deep 
and  abiding  love  of  the  work  of  teaching  the  youth  of  the  land  and  a  desire 
to  advance  themselves  high  in  their  profession,  have  made  themselves  indis- 
pensable members  of  the  community,  and  have  shown  by  application  and  actual 
practice  that  they  are  fitted  above  the  rank  and  file  to  hold  executive  positions. 
D.  Anna  Speer,  county  superintendent  of  schools  for  Atchison  county,  is  a 
capable  and  successful  educator  whose  marked  ability  has  received  due  recog- 
nition from  the  people  of  the  community  in  which  she  was  reared. 

She  was  born  in  Atchison  county,  a  daughter  of  Joseph  and  Mary  (Foun- 
tain) Speer.  Her  father,  Joseph  Speer,  was  born  March  4.  1834,  in  Leesville, 
!nd..  and  was  the  son  of  Andrew  and  Dicie  ( Kirby)  Speer.  both  natives  of 
Kentucky.  Miss  Speer's  mother  was  a  daughter  of  Stephen  Fountain  and 
AT.ii\    rn-n-k"!   Fountain,  natives  of  North  C.irolina.     The  ancestors  on  the 


yf'Mi^  zl^.  Sy/*ff/(r  .y/tm*' 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  yj-J 

side  of  eacli  parent  were  pre-Revolutionary  colonists  of  Virijinia  and  the  Car- 
olinas.  The  Speers  were  among  the  earh'est  settlers  of  Kentucky  and  the 
great-great-grandfather  of  Miss  Speer  on  the  maternal  side  was  a  signer  of 
the  Declaration  of  Independence.  Joseph  and  Mary  Speer  were  married  in 
Indiana  and  came  west  in  1859,  settling  on  a  farm  near  Muscotah  in  the  spring 
of  i860.  Mr.  Speer  invested  in  a  partly  improved  farm  of  160  acres  on  which 
they  lived  until  old  age  required  that  they  leave  the  farm  for  a  town  home  in 
Muscotah.  During  the  Civil  war  Mr.  Speer  served  in  the  Kansas  State  militia 
and  took  part  in  the  expedition  against  the  Price  invasion.  JosepI:  Speer 
died  March  5,  1900.  His  wife  was  born  in  September,  1S33,  and  departed 
this  life  June  19,  1909.  To  them  were  born  six  sons  and  three  daughters: 
William  F.,  who  resides  on  the  home  farm;  Mrs.  Mary  J.  Long,  of  Fowler, 
Kan. ;  Andrew,  present  county  commissioner  and  farmer  residing  near  Mus- 
cotah ;  James  R.,  one  of  the  pioneer  settlers  of  Guthrie,  Okla. ;  John  W.,  a 
farmer  of  Morrison,  Okla. ;  George  T.,  a  resident  of  Guthrie,  Okla.,  and  audi- 
tor of  the  Arkansas  Lumber  Company;  D.  Anna;  Jesse  A.,  engaged  in  the  liv- 
ery business  at  Medford,  Okla. ;  Sadie  E.,  wife  of  E.  S.  VVoodworth,  of  Mus- 
cotah, a  son  of  Major  Woodworth.  The  Speers  are  a  family  of  pioneers  and 
are  found  to  be  leading  citizens  of  their  respective  communities.  Joseph  and 
Mary  Speer  reared  their  large  family  of  children  to  become  useful  and  influ- 
ential members  of  society  and  God-fearing  men  and  women.  Before  death 
called  them  to  the  eternal  rest  they  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  the  county 
where  their  earliest  and  most  arduous  labors  liad  been  accomplished  grow  to 
become  a  prosperous  and  populous  community. 

D.  Anna  Speer  was  educated  in  the  rural  school  of  her  home  neighbor- 
hood and  the  Muscotah  public  schook  She  completed  a  teachers'  course  in 
Campliell  College  and  w^as  graduated,  receiving  a  life  diploma  from  the  State 
Normal  College  at  Emporia,  Kan.,  in  1893.  She  then  taught  school  for  a 
number  of  years.  During  the  summer  vacations  she  did  post-graduate  work 
in  the  University  of  Chicago,  Kansas  University  and  Colorado  College,  at 
Colorado  Springs,  Colo.,  and  received  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts  in  1911. 

She  entered  the  University  of  California  at  Berkeley  and  received  the 
degree  of  Master  of  Arts  in  1913.  Miss  Speer  is  self-educated,  having  worked 
her  way  through  college  and  university  while  teaching  school  to  earn  money 
for  tuition  and  expenses.  She  began  her  teaching  career  with  a  few  years' 
service  in  the  rural  schools  and  in  1893  became  a  teacher  in  the  Effingham 
County  High  School,  where  she  taught  continuously  for  seventeen  years.  She 
was  then  an  instructor  for  two  years  in  the  State  Normal  School  at  Emporia, 
Kan.,  after  which  she  spent  one  vear  as  a  student  in  Ihe  I 'ni\'cv^il\-  nf  C:\\\- 


7/8  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

fornia.  After  receiving  her  degree  from  the  University  of  Cahfornia  she 
served  as  instructor  in  Grass  \'alley,  Cal.,  High  School.  This  was  a  dehght- 
ful  experience  in  one  of  tlie  most  beautiful  spots  on  the  globe,  but  she  returned 
liome.  and  on  July  i.  1915,  entered  upon  her  new  duties  as  county  superinten- 
dent of  public  instruction  of  her  home  cnunty.  That  she  will  make  a  success 
of  her  work  is  assured. 

Miss  Speer  is  affiliated  with  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  the  Eastern 
Star  lodge  and  is  a  member  of  the  County  and  State  Teachers'  associations, 
and  is  a  member  of  the  National  Educational  Association.  She  is  a  deep  and 
capable  student:  a  thorougli  and  progressive  educator,  who  is  familiar  with 
the  most  advanced  methods  of  teaching  and  is  destined  to  achieve  marked  suc- 
cess in  her  present  important  position. 


JOSEPH  C.  GREEN AW^A^LT. 

Joseph  C.  Greenawalt,  retired  lawyer,  Muscotah,  Kan.,  was  born  April 
17,  1840,  on  a  farm  in  Montgomery  county,  Pennsylvania.  He  comes  of  old 
Holland  Dutch  stock  and  the  progenitors  of  tlie  Greenawalt  family  emigrated 
from  Holland  to  America  in  1665.  He  is  a  son  of  George  and  Sarah  (Con- 
ner) Greenawalt,  natives  of  Pennsylvania.  George  Greenawalt  was  a  son  of 
John,  and  his  wife's  father  was  John  Conner,  a  native  of  England.  Jfiseph 
C.  was  eighteen  months  old  when  In's  father  died,  leaving  a  widow  with  six 
children  to  rear,  namely;  Mary  Amanda,  Sarah  Ann  and  Margaret,  now  de- 
ceased; Samuel  C  deceased,  who  served  as  captain  in  a  company  in  the  Sev- 
enty-third regiment.  New  York  infantry,  in  the  Union  army,  and  was  a  wan- 
derer from  choice,  ha\-ing  gone  to  sea  for  several  years,  his  first  service  in 
the  Union  army  Ijeing  as  a  scout:  F.lmina  C,  deceased,  and  Joseph  C,  with 
whom  this  review  is  directly  concerned,  and  who  was  reared  in  eastern  Ohio 
at  the  iiome  of  his  aunt.  He  lived  at  iiis  aunt's  home  until  he  attained  the 
age  of  sixteen  years,  attended  school  and  learned  the  trade  of  carpenter  and 
cabinet  maker  in  a  shop  operated  by  liis  uncle. 

.\s  a  bov  Joseph  C.  (ireenawalt  had  been  ambitious  to  ac(juirc  an  education 
and  was  not  content  with  the  idea  of  spending  his  days  at  the  carpenter's 
bench.  Accordingly,  at  the  age  of  sixteen,  we  find  tliat  lie  started  out  to 
make  his  own  way  in  the  world  and  to  educate  himself  by  partly  working  his 
way  through  college.  He  entered  Mt.  Union  College,  at  Alliance.  Ohio,  and 
was  one  of  the  first  students  enrolled  in  this  college  when  it  was  advanced 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  779 

from  a  seminar)'  to  a  regular  college.  He  worked  during  the  summer  seasons 
and  was  thus  enabled  to  pa}-  his  way  through  the  college  course.  \Mien  he 
was  eighteen  years  of  age.  he  also  taught  one  term  of  school.  He  studied 
languages  for  one  year  in  the  Hayesville  Institute  at  Ashland,  Ohio.  After 
studying  for  three  years  at  Mt.  Union,  he  matriculated  at  the  University  of 
Michigan  in  Ann  Arbor,  Mich.,  entering  the  junior  class  of  this  university  in 
i860.  In  1862  he  received  his  bachelor's  degree  from  the  University  of  Mich- 
igan, but  did  not  acquire  his  master's  degree  until  five  years  later,  in  1867. 
In  May  of  1862  Mr.  Greenawalt  enlisted  in  Company  I,  Eighty-sixth  regiment, 
Ohio  infantry,  and  served  for  four  months,  when  he  was  commissioned  a 
lieutenant  of  the  Ohio  Sharpshooters,  but  resigned  his  commission  and  took 
charge  of  the  Canton,  Ohio,  Union  School  for  the  ensuing  six  months.  He 
then  sei-ved  as  deputy  clerk  of  the  circuit  court,  studied  law  in  the  meantime 
and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  at  Ravenna,  Ohio.  In  the  spring  of  1864  Mr. 
Greenawalt  went  to  Colorado  and  engaged  in  mining  engineering  in  the 
mountains,  forty  miles  west  of  Denver.  After  a  stay  in  the  West  he  settled 
in  Platte  City,  Mo.,  and  practiced  law  there  until  1871,  and  after  a  trip  to  the 
Pacific  coast,  he  located  permanently  in  the  city  of  Atchison  in  August  of 
1871.  He  practiced  law  successfully  for  twenty-five  years  in  Atchison,  and 
held  the  office  of  city  attorney  in  1875. 

Mr.  Greenawalt  has  always  been  a  great  lover  of  horses,  and  more  to 
gratify  his  love  of  horse  flesh  than  anything"  else  he  established  in  1882,  the 
famous  Greenview  Stock  Farm,  near  Atchison,  now  owned  by  B.  P.  Wag- 
gener.  He  erected  the  residence  and  several  of  the  buildings  now  on  the  farm 
and  engaged  in  the  breeding  of  fast  trotting  horses.  For  some  years  he  made 
his  home  on  the  farm  and  practiced  his  profession  in  the  city,  going  to  and  fro 
from  his  law  office  and  giving  the  farm  work  his  personal  supervision.  The 
Greenview  Stock  Farm  became  famous  for  the  many  fast  horses  bred  there, 
one  of  the  most  noted  of  which  was  Samuel  G.,  record  2:29.  and  who  made  a 
trial  record  of  2:i8j4  when  a  four-year-old.  He  made  a  practice  of  breeding 
two-3-ear-olds  for  speed  and  succeeded,  shipping  horses  to  buyers  in  eastern 
and  southern  points  where  racers  were  desired  for  the  tracks.  In  1900  Mr. 
Greenawalt  removed  to  Muscotah  and  continued  his  horse  breeding  until  1912, 
when  he  practically  retired  from  the  pursuit  of  his  favorite  hobby.  He  is  the 
owner  of  a  fine  farm  of  160  acres  adjoining  Muscotah  on  the  east. 

Mr.  (ireenawalt  has  been  twice  married,  his  first  wife  being  Sophia  E. 
Bowers,  of  Cleveland.  Ohio,  and  who  died  May  26,  1870,  at  the  age  of  twen- 
ty-seven years,  leaving  an  infant  daughter,  Maude  Mary,  born  February  11, 
1870,  and  died  August  2,   1870.     He  married  Mary  C.  Bowers,  of  Stark 


780  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

county,  Ohio,  in  September  of  1882.  This  marriage  was  blessed  with  one  son, 
Samuel  O.,  born  November  6,  1885.  and  died  March  i,  1902.  Mrs.  Greena- 
walt  was  bom  December  15.  1845,  '"  Stark  count)^  Ohio,  a  daughter  of  Elijah 
and  Mary  Bowers,  natives  of  Pennsylvania.  In  politics,  Mr.  Greenawalt  is 
an  independent.  Mrs.  Greenawalt  is  a  member  of  the  Congregational  church 
of  Muscotah.  For  many  years  Mr.  Greenawalt  has  been  a  Mason  and  served 
as  eminent  commander  of  ^Washington  Commandery,  No.  i,  at  Atchison  for 
two  years,  and  also  served  as  worshipful  master  of  Active  lodge  of  Masons, 
and  is  a  member  of  the  Knights  of  Pvthias. 


HENRY  NIEMANN. 


Wherever  members  of  the  German  race  have  settled  in  the  agricultural 
sections  of  the  Middle  West,  we  find  that  they  have  been  uniformly  success- 
ful, and  it  is  only  natural  to  find  that  certain  individuals  achieve  greater  suc- 
cess than  others.  Henry  Niemann,  of  Center  township,  Atchison  county,  is 
an  American  citizen  of  Gennan  birth,  who  came  to  this  country  a  poor  emi- 
grant lad.  and  has  made  a  wonderful  success  since  he  purchased  his  first  eighty 
acre  tract  in  this  county,  nearly  forty  years  ago.  He  is  now  one  of  the  larg- 
est landed  proprietors  of  the  county,  and  one  of  the  best  known  stockmen  of 
northeast  Kansas. 

Henry  Niemann  was  born  February  14.  1853,  in  Minden,  Germany,  a  son 
of  Christian  and  Mary  (Krouse)  Niemann,  who  lived  ant!  died  in  tlie  I-'ather- 
land.  They  were  the  parents  of  seven  children  as  follows :  Crist,  deceased ; 
Henry,  whom  this  review  directly  concerns ;  Fred,  a  farmer  of  Center  town- 
ship ;  Mrs.  Christena  Krouse,  deceased ;  Charles,  a  farmer  of  Atcliison  county ; 
William,  living  in  Germany,  and  Augustav,  deceased.  Henry  was  educated 
in  tlie  schools  of  his  native  land  and  at  the  age  of  eighteen  years  left  the 
Fatherland  and  immigrated  to  America  in  search  of  his  fortune,  wliich  he  was 
eventually  to  find  in  Kansas.  He  first  settled  in  Madison  county,  Illinois, 
and  worked  there  as  a  farm  hand  for  five  years.  He  saved  his  money  care- 
fully while  working  on  the  farms  of  Illinois,  and  in  1S76  came  to  Kansas  and 
invested  in  a  tract  of  eighty  acres  of  land  in  Center  township.  He  erected  a 
small  two-room  cabin  on  his  land  and  a  barn  to  house  his  team  of  horses.  He 
broke  his  land  gradually  and  at  first  was  able  to  farm  only  a  small  portion  of 
it.  The  neighbors  tried  to  discourage  him  by  telling  him  that  the  strong  winds 
might  wreck  his  home  at  any  time  and  advised  In'm  to  find  a  better  and  safef 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  jSl 

location.  He  failed  to  find  a  place  which  suited  him  as  well  as  his  first 
choice,  and  although  he  has  lived  for  forty  years  on  the  farm  his  buildings 
have  never  yet  been  blown  away  by  the  Kansas  zeph\rs.  Mr.  Niemann  has 
prospered  as  he  deserved  and  by  the  exercise  of  economy,  hard  work  and  good 
financial  judgment,  has  become  the  owner  of  615  acres  of  land  in  several 
farms,  all  of  which  are  well  improved  and  highly  productive.  Mr.  Niemann 
is  an  extensive  feeder  of  hogs  and  raises  large  numbers  annually  for  the  mar- 
ket. He  believes  in  feeding  the  grain  products  of  his  farm  to  live  stock  on 
the  place  and  thus  reaps  greater  benefits  than  the  ordinary  methods  of  fann- 
ing would  yield.  He  is  a  stockholder  in  a  prosperous  mercantile  concern  at 
Nortonville,  Kan. 

Mr.  Niemann  was  married  in  1897  to  Louise  h^'ommer,  and  to  this  mar- 
riage have  been  born  ten  children,  namely :  Mrs.  Mary  Dietrich,  a  w-idow, 
Avho  lives  with  her  parents ;  Rosa,  widow  of  George  Moeck,  also  living  with 
her  parents ;  Christena,  deceased ;  Dena,  deceased ;  William,  a  farmer  living  in 
Center  township ;  Mrs.  Dora  Dietrich,  deceased ;  Harry,  Henry  and  Julius,  liv- 
ing at  home,  and  Mrs.  Lillie  Poos,  Nortonville,  Kan.  The  mother  of  these 
children  was  born  in  Wurtemlierg.  Germany,  in  1858,  a  daughter  of  J'jhn  and 
Kathrine  (Markley)  Frommer,  natives  of  Germany,  who  were  early  settlers 
of  Atchison  county. 

Mr.  Niemann  is  an  independent  Republican  voter,  who  refuses  to  wear 
the  collar  of  any  one  set  of  political  bosses,  and  votes  as  his  judgment  indi- 
cates. He  and  his  family  are  members  of  the  German  Lutheran  church. 
Henry  Niemann  is  a  fine  type  of  successful  German-American  farmer  and  is  a 
tiller  of  the  soil  first  and  last ;  he  lays  claim  to  no  ambition  beyond  tilling  his 
broad  acres  and  making  his  land  yield  the  maximum  of  sustenance  for  man  and 
beast ;  his  great  success  lays  in  the  fact  that  he  has  confined  his  energies  to  the 
soil  and  its  cultivation  and  he  has  managed  to  get  a  good  slice  of  the  liest  land 
obtainable. 


FRED  \\\  KAUFMAN. 


Fred  W.  Kaufman,  merchant,  Cummings,  Kan.,  was  born  in  Nortonville, 
Kan.,  February  18,  1879.  He  is  a  son  of  Frank  and  Louise  (Baker)  Kauf- 
man, who  were  the  parents  of  thirteen  children.  Frank  Kaufman  was  born 
in  Senna,  Germany,  in  1833.  When  a  youth,  in  his  native  land  he  learned  the 
shoemaker's  trade  which  he  followed  there  until  eighteen  years  of  age,  and  he 
then  emigrated  from  Germany  to  America  in   185 1.     He  came  to  Atchison, 


782  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

Kan.,  and  worked  as  a  cobbler.  W  hen  the  town  of  Pardee.  Kan.,  was 
founded,  Mr.  Kaufman  opened  a  shoe  shop  in  that  town  and  con(hictcd  it  for 
about  four  years,  after  which  he  located  in  Nortonville  and  worked  at  his 
trade  until  his  demise  in  191 1.  The  children  of  Frank  and  Louise  Kaufman 
were  as  follows:  Charles,  deceased,  merchant  of  Nortonville,  born  1866,  died 
1908;  Edward,  a  merchant,  Nortonville;  Fred,  a  merchant  of  Cummings, 
Kan.,  the  subject  of  this  review;  Mrs.  Anna  Coon,  of  Rock  Creek,  Kan. ;  Mrs. 
Flora  Hilderl)rand,  Independence.  Kan. ;  \\'alter,  a  farmer,  living  near  Cleve- 
land, Okla. ;  Grace,  residing  at  Nortonville.  The  mother  of  these  children 
was  born  near  the  city  of  Atchison,  and  is  now  living  in  Nortonville. 

Fred  Kaufman  was  reared  in  Nortonville  and  attended  the  public  scliools 
of  his  native  city  after  which  he  studied  in  the  Atchison  Business  College. 
At  the  age  of  fifteen  years  he  was  employed  as  clerk  in  a  general  merchandise 
store  in  his  home  city.  In  1900  he  went  to  St.  Joseph,  Mo.,  wliere  he  was 
employed  in  the  wholesale  department  of  the  Wheeler  &  Motter  Mercantile 
Company  for  a  period  of  nine  years,  and  served  in  the  capacity  of  mail  order 
clerk  in  this  establishment.  He  was  then  given  a  traveling  position  as  sales- 
man with  his  firm  and  for  three  years  sold  goods  in  the  surrounding  terri- 
tory with  considerable  success.  His  ambitions  led  him  to  undertake  things 
in  his  own  behalf,  however,  and  in  1912  Mr.  Kaufman  located  in  Colorado, 
wltere  he  was  engaged  in  ranching  for  three  years.  Tiiree  years'  hard  work 
enabled  him  to  develop  his  Colorado  farm  into  a  good  piece  of  salable  prop- 
erty and  he  then  disposed  of  his  lioldings  and  came  to  Cummings  where  he 
invested  his  casii  capital  in  a  general  merchandise  store  whicli  lie  is  conduct- 
ing with  consideralile  .success.  His  previous  commercial  experience  has 
proven  to  be  invaluable  to  him  since  entering  the  mercantile  field  in  his  own 
behalf,  and  he  has  developed  a  splendid  business  in  Cummings.  Besides  his 
large  store  in  Cummings,  !\Ir.  Kaufman  has  invested  in  210  acres  f)f  land  in 
Colorado  and  Oklahoma. 

Mr.  Kaufman  was  married  September  6.  1905.  to  Carrie  F.  Ilackiiev, 
and  this  marriage  has  been  blessed  with  two  children:  Fred,  Jr.,  and  Maxine 
C,  both  of  whom  are  at  home  with  their  parents.  Mrs.  Kaufman  was  bom 
October  27,  1884,  at  Agency,  Buchanan  county,  Missouri,  and  is  a  daughter 
of  Alfred  and  Pauline  (Slover)  Hackney,  natives  of  \Visconsin  and  Missouri, 
respectively.  Alfred  Hackney  was  a  son  of  Tliomas  and  Mary  (Saxton) 
Hackney,  the  fonner  a  native  of  England.  Thomas  was  an  early  pioneer  set- 
tler in  Doniphan  county,  Kansas,  coming  there  about  1852,  and  also  operated 
a  drug  store  at  Wathena,  Doniphan  county.  Mrs.  Thomas  Hackney  is  still 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  783 

living  at  the  age  of  eighty-eight  years,  born  August,  1827.  Alfred  is  now- 
living  in  retirement  at  St.  Joseph.  Mo.,  and  has  attained  tlie  age  of  sixty-five 
years.     ?iJrs.  Kaufman's  niMther  thed  in  1 004,  at  tlie  age  of  forty  years. 

Mr.  Kaufman  is  a  Republican  in  politics  and  is  affiliated  witli  the  United 
Commercial  Travelers"  lodge  at  Hastings,  Neb.  He  and  Mrs.  Kaufman  at- 
tend religious  worship  at  the  Baptist  church,  of  which  Mrs.  Kaufman  is  a 
member.  Mr.  Kaufman  is  a  splendid  type  of  self-made  man  whose  success 
in  the  mercantile  field  is  certain  to  continue  in  the  years  to  come.  His  busi- 
ness methods  are  such  as  to  commend  him  favorably  to  the  many  patrons  of 
his  store;  he  is  likewise  a  good  citizen  who  has  the  best  interest  of  his  town 
and  countv  at  heart. 


ARNOLD  LANGE. 


Lancaster  township,  iVtchison  county,  is  rightly  considered  as  one  of  the 
genuine  garden  spots  of  the  State  of  Kansas,  because  of  the  fertility  of  the 
soil,  the  well  kept  appearance  of  the  fields,  and  tlie  excellent  improvements  on 
the  farms,  the  owners  of  which  seem  to  vie  with  each  other  as  to  who  can 
have  the  nicest  looking  and  most  productive  farm.  Tliis  township  has  a  large 
German  population,  or  rather,  American  citizen  farmers,  of  German  birth  or 
descent,  and  it  is  a  proverb  in  this  land  that,  wherever  you  see  a  community  of 
thrifty  farmers  of  German  descent,  there  you  will  find  enterprise,  thrift  and 
progress.  Arnold  Lange,  of  this  township,  is  a  successful  farmer  and  breeder, 
of  German  Ijirtli  who  has  made  good  in  ins  adopted  country  and  holds  a  higli 
place  in  the  citizenship  of  the  county. 

Arnold  Lange  was  born  in  Westphalia,  Prussia,  German  Empire,  Decem- 
ber 23,  1853,  and  is  a  son  of  Herman  and  Charlotte  (Mittendorf)  Lange, 
who  were  born  and  reared  in  the  Fatherland.  Herman  Lange  was  a  farmer 
and  coal  dealer,  and  also  conducted  a  grocery  store  for  a  time.  He  was  born 
in  1824,  lived  all  of  his  life  in  liis  native  land  and  died  in  1907.  His  wife, 
Charlotte,  died  in  1899,  at  tlie  age  of  seventy-six  years.  They  were  the  par- 
ents of  twelve  children,  six  of  whom  are  living. 

Arnold  Lange  received  his  schooling  in  Germany  and  worker!  as  farmer 
and  teamster  until  his  emigration  from  Germany  to  America  in  1882.  He  set- 
tled in  Atchison  county  and  invested  his  capital  in  eighty  acres  of  land  north 
of  Huron,  which  he  cultivated  for  nine  years  with  fair  success.  He  then  sold 
the  farm  at  an  increase  over  the  purchase  price  and  bought  the  farm  which  now 
constitutes  his  home  place  and  which  contains  240  acres  of  good  land.     The 


784  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

improvements  on  the  land  when  Mr.  Lang-e  purchased  the  tract  were  indif- 
ferent and  inchided  a  small  house.  Naturally  one  of  his  thrift  and  pride 
could  not  remain  lont;-  content  with  poor  accommodations  and  he  has  hnilt  a 
commddious  farm  residence  and  a  very  fine  barn  and  im])roved  the  looks  of  his 
place  with  shruhhery  and  trees  until  it  presents  a  handsome  appearance.  He 
has  also  set  out  an  orchard  of  six  acres.  Mr.  T-anj^e  has  specialized  in  his 
live  stock  raising  with  considerable  success  and  his  efforts  in  breeding  thor- 
oughbred Pcrchcron  horses  have  met  with  reward  commensurate  with  his 
efforts.  He  has  bred  and  raised  some  very  fine  animals  of  this  class  and 
in  1906  was  awarded  first  ])rize  on  Percheron  draft  animals  at  the  county 
fair  held  in  Effingham.  His  interest  is  given  to  breeding  fine  cattle  and 
his  herd  of  shorthorns  are  as  good  as  can  be  found  in  the  county. 

Mr.  Lange  was  ntarricd  in  1883  to  Miss  Minnie  Ivloepper,  who  has  borne 
him  three  children :  Herman,  of  Huron,  Kan. ;  William,  a  farmer,  of  Grass- 
hopper township,  and  Arnold,  a  graduate  of  the  Huron  schools  and  at  home 
assisting  his  father  in  the  fann  work.  The  mother  of  these  children  was  born 
December  14,  1865.  in  Illinois,  and  is  a  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Christian 
Klocppcr  deceased.  Mr.  Lange  is  a  Democrat,  and  is  a  member  of  the  (lerni.in 
J.utheran  church.  He  is  fraternally  connoctefl  with  the  Modern  \\'oodmen 
lodge. 


WILLIAM  H.  GRANER. 
"The  Graner  Farm." 


According  to  competent  .aulhorily  there  are  in  Atchison  ouniy  a  num- 
ber of  ])ure  bred  li\i'  stock  breeders,  who,  if  they  received  tlu-  recognition  to 
which  they  are  rightly  entitled,  would  take  high  rank  ann)ng  the  leading  live 
stock  men  of  the  country,  .\mong  these  specialists  are  W'illiaiu  11.  and  Henry 
C.  Graner,  sons  of  one  of  the  pioneer  pure  bred  live  stock  breeders  of  the 
comity  who  are  following  in  their  father's  footsteps  and  have  made  a  name 
and  faiue  tor  tlieinsehes  wiiicli  extend  far  beyond  llu'  borders  of  this  county 
and  lieyond  the  borders  of  the  State  of  Kansas,  Willi.im  IT.  Graner.  ]v:o- 
prietor  of  the  "Graner  Farm,"  which  is  the  old  homestead  of  the  Graner 
family,  is  one  of  the  most  successful  agriculturists  of  the  county  and  is  deser\'- 
uig  of  .special  credit  for  his  progressivencss  and  decided  atiility  as  a  breeder 
of  fine  live  stock.  The  "Graner  b'nrm"  is  one  of  the  best  stocked  and  best 
e(|nipped  ranches  in  the  West  and  is  noted  for  its  fine  .Shorthorn  cattle  and 


jfm  w^Wi 


<^AffU  %. 


..  /A.     .  /fo>//.a    {.//...-/■)    %■. 


The  Old  Graner  Homestead.  W.  H.  Graner.  Owner. 


^   C-^^^^a-^^^^^ 


Crowd  of  prosperous  Kansas  farmers  at  H.  C.  Graner's  Annual  Sale  of  Large  Type 
Poland    China    Sows,    May!  27,   1913.      Pleasant  Hill  Stock  Farm,  Lancaster,  Kansas. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  jH^ 

Standard  lired  Percheron  liorses.  Mr.  Graner  learned  the  breeding  business 
from  his  father  and  has  made  a  success  of  tlie  undertaking.  His  farm  con- 
sists of  i6o  acres,  whicl:  was  formerly  owned  and  developed  by  his  father, 
Gottlieb  Graner.  On  this  farm  are  some  very  fine  animals  of  the  pure  bred 
Shorthorn  type  which  will  compare  most  favorably  in  Ijreeding  and  appear- 
ance with  anything  of  the  kind  in  the  country.  His  herd  of  Percherons  include 
twenty  registered  mares  which  have  won  many  prizes  at  count}'  fairs  and  live 
stock  exhiliits  in  Kansas.  Mr.  Graner  has  owned  and  used  two  grandsons 
of  "Brill'ant."  the  sons  of  "Old  F>rilliant,"  ar.d  sire  of  these  animals,  the 
"Colored  Gentleman,"  was  awarded  first  and  championship  over  all  draft 
horses  at  the  world's  e.\hibit  of  live  stock  at  the  Chicago  international  exhibi- 
tion in  1893.  ^11  o^  li's  mares'  ancestry  is  traced  back  to  "Old  Brilliant"  and 
this  strain  predominates  in  his  drove  of  fine  Percherons. 

In  the  l)reeding  of  Shorthorn  cattle  he  has  used  such  sires  as  a  son  of 
the  imported  cow.  "Ballechin,"  "Charming  Maid,"  V67-616,  "Sire  Cere- 
monious Archer,"  171479.  A  number  of  the  cows  in  Mr.  Graner's  herd  are 
sired  by  "Victor  Archer,"  223102,  a  pure  Victoria,  and  one  of  the  finest  strains 
of  Shorthorn  cattle  known.  Mr.  Graner  has  not  shown  any  of  his  fine  stock 
cattle  outside  of  Atchison  county.  He  has  six  large  cattle  barns  for  the  hous- 
ing of  his  li\'e  stock  and  ships  the  product  of  his  farm  to  bu}'ers  and  fanciers 
in  all  parts  of  the  United  States. 

Gottlieb  Graner,  founder  of  the  "Graner  Farm,"  and  father  of  William 
H.  and  Henry  C.  Graner.  of  Lancaster  township,  was  born  in  Germany  in 
1835.  and  immigrated  from  the  Ivatherland  to  .\merica  at  the  age  of  sixteen 
years.  He  first  settled  in  Illinois  where  he  worked  as  a  farm  hand,  and  a  few 
years  later  came  west  to  Kansas  City,  Mo.  In  this  city  he  invested  his  sav- 
ings in  a  city  lot  which  is  now  in  the  heart  of  the  most  valuable  business  dis- 
trict of  the  southwest  metropolis,  but  he  eventually  let  the  lot  go  for  taxes. 
From  Kansas  City  he  made  his  way  to  the  city  of  Atchison  where  he  found 
employment  in  a  brewery  at  a  salary  of  $100  ])er  month.  He  saved  his  money 
and  in  1868  purchased  160  acres  of  raw  prairie  land  in  Lancaster  township. 
fur  which  he  ])aid  five  dollars  an  acre.  He  became  a  breeder  of  Shorthorn 
cattle  and  Percheron  horses  and  succeeded  in  this  underiaking.  being  one  ot 
the  ])ioneer  breeders  of  the  western  country.  .\t  the  lime  of  his  demise,  in  1894, 
be  was  the  owner  of  560  acres  of  well  improved  farm  lands. 

Gottlieb  Graner  married  Martha  Hauck,  also  a  native  of  Germany,  and 
who  died  in  1905.  To  this  well  and  favorably  known  pioneer  couple  were 
born  the  following  children  :  Mrs.  Matilda  Stansburger,  a  widow,  residing 
in  California;  William  H.,  with  whose  career  this  review  is  directly  concerned; 

(30) 


786  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

Henry  C,  a  farmer  and  stockman,  living  near  William  H. ;  Ferdinand,  living 
in  Xew  York,  and  .\dol])h,  residing  in  California.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  dottlieb 
Graner  were  Lndierans,  and  honest,  industrious.  God-fearing  people. 

William  H.  Graner  was  bom  June  13,  i86g.  on  the  farm  which  he  now 
owns  in  Lancaster  township.  He  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm  and  attended 
the  Bell  district  school  and  also  studied  in  the  Monroe  Institute  at  Atchison, 
after  which  he  pursued  a  course  in  the  Atchison  business  college.  His  com- 
mercial course  occupied  a  period  of  four  years  and  has  proven  to  be  invaluable 
to  him  in  tlie  manngcment  of  his  extensive  farming  interests,  .\fter  complet- 
ing his  commercial  course  Mr.  Graner  went  to  work  on  the  home  farm  with 
his  father,  .\fter  his  father's  demise  in  1894  he  took  charge  of  the  farm  and 
managed  it  until  all  the  children  became  of  age.  The  estate  left  by  his  father 
was  then  divided,  and  William  bought  the  interests  of  the  other  heirs  in  the 
home  farm  and  came  into  possession  of  the  homestead  place  of  160  acres 
which  he  ha?  improved  with  several  barns  and  modern  farm  buildings.  He 
has  prospered  and  is  now  the  owner  of  560  acres  of  land,  two  farms,  each  of 
which  is  well  equipped  with  good  buildings.  One  of  these  farms  is  tilled  by 
a  tenant,  and  Mr.  Graner  had  planted  in  1915  140  acres  of  com. 

Mr.  Graner  was  married  in  1898  to  Miss  Clara  Matthias,  and  to  this 
union  have  been  bom  four  children,  namely:  Martha,  deceased;  Louis.  Mar- 
guerite, and  Esther,  at  home  with  their  parents.  Mrs.  Graner  was  bom  Feb- 
ruary 6,  187 1,  in  Lancaster  township,  a  daughter  of  Fred  and  Agnes  (Boden- 
doerfer)  Matthias,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Germany  and  immigrated 
from  the  I'atlierland  to  .\merica  and  bccanif  early  pioneer  settlers  in  .\tcliison 
county.  Mrs.  Graner  attended  the  Rock  district  school  in  her  youth  and  is  an 
excellent  helpmeet  to  her  husband  and  a  kind  mother  to  her  children. 

Mr.  (iraner  is  an  indejx'ndent  in  ix:ilitics  and  prefers  to  vote  for  the  man. 
regardless  of  party  affiliations.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Lutheran  church,  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  and  Modem  Woodmen  of  America.  He  is  a 
well  educated  and  versatile  citizen  and  a  capable  and  successful  business  man. 
as  well  as  farmer  and  breeder.  He  has  achieved  a  considerable  measure  of 
prominence  in  the  county  and  State  because  of  his  decided  ability.  Besides 
his  farming  interests  he  is  a  stockholder  of  the  Independent  Harvester  Com- 
pany of  Piano,  111.,  of  which  concem  he  is  the  county  agent,  a  large  warehouse 
having  been  erecte<l  on  tlie  "Graner  b^arm"  for  the  purpose  of  housing  the 
implement  stock  sold  to  farmers  in  the  neighborhood.  Mr.  Graner  is  a  mem- 
ber and  stockholder  of  the  Percheron  Society  of  .\merica,  the  Importers  and 
Breeders,  and  the  American  Percheron  Registry  Association,  and  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  .\merican  Sliortliorn  Breeders'  As.sociation.     He  is  a  director  in  the 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  787 

Brown  County  Mutual  Fire  Insurance  Company,  of  which  prosperous  con- 
cern he  has  been  a  director  for  fifteen  years. 


HENRY  C.  GRANER. 
"Pleasant  Hill  Stock  Farm." 

Situated  on  a  hillside  within  sight  of  the  old  Graner  homestead  in  Lan- 
caster township,  Atchison  county,  is  the  "Pleasant  Hill  Stock  Fami,"  owned 
and  managed  by  Henry  C.  Graner,  one  of  the  most  successful  and  best  known 
farmers  and  breeders  of  northeast  Kansas.  Mr.  Graner  is  a  son  of  Gottlieb 
Graner,  a  pioneer  in  the  pure  bred  live  stock  industry  of  Atchison  county, 
whose  biography  appears  in  the  review  of  the  life  of  William  H.  Graner  on 
the  preceding  pages  of  this  history  of  their  home  county.  Tiie  "Pleasant  Hill 
Stock  Farm"  is  unquestionably  one  of  the  best  equipped  modern  breeding 
plants  in  the  .State  of  Kansas  and  is  famed  over  the  West  for  tlie  product 
of  its  fields  and  barns.  This  farm  consists  of  240  acres  of  well  tilled  and  well 
improved  land,  situated  two  miles  north  of  the  town  of  Lancaster  and  only 
a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  birthplace  of  Henry  C.  Graner.  In  addition  to 
his  home  place,  Mr.  Graner  is  the  owner  of  160  acres  of  land  wliich  he  uses 
for  pasturing  his  live  stock.  The  home  farm  is  well  equipped  witli  two  farm 
dwellings  and  five  well  built  barns  and  granaries  with  other  conveniences  to 
facilitate  the  handling  of  live  stock.  The  owner  has  given  special  attention 
to  equipping  his  farm  for  the  breeding  of  fine  cattle  and  hogs.  He  pays  a 
great  deal  of  attention  to  his  Poland  China  hogs  and  is  a  breeder  of  the  Big 
Type  Poland  China  swine,  which  arc.  among  the  best  in  the  L^nited  Slates. 
Mr.  Graner  ships  the  product  of  his  breeding  pens  to  all  parts  of  the  country 
anfl  lias  annual  sales  of  tlioroughbred  hogs  which  are  a  feature  of  the  country- 
side. To  show  the  prices  obtained  from  his  sales  in  19 14,  one  small  sow  sold 
for  $500.  He  handles  the  Big  Type  Poland  China  breed  exclusively  and  is  a 
regular  exhibitor  at  county  fairs  and  has  frequently  taken  first  prizes  and 
many  blue  ribbons.  His  drove  of  fine  hogs  exceeded  300  in  191 5,  all  pure 
bred  stock. 

Mr.  Graner's  herd  of  Sliorthorn  cattle  is  of  the  Scotch  pure  bred  strain 
and  bred  to  "Choice  Goods,"  a  famous  strain  known  the  world  over  for  qual- 
ity. He  has  also  shown  his  fine  cattle  at  the  county  fairs  and  live  stock 
exhibits  and  carried  off  many  first  prizes.  His  herd  of  pure  bred  Shorthorns 
numbers  fifty  head  at  the  present  time,  all  registered  stock.  In  addition  to 
licing  a  breeder  of  hogs  and  cattle  Mr.  Graner  breeds  standard  Percheron 
horses  of  the  imported  strain  sired  by  "Brilliant,"  of  which  he  has  usiially 
fmni   t\\cnty-fi\c   tn   lliirl\-   iiead   of   fine   stocl<   on    the  place. 


788  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

Henrj'  C.  Graner  was  born  April  19,  1871,  on  the  old  Graner  homestead 
in  Lancaster  township,  on  which  he  was  reared  to  young  manhood.  Wlien 
a  small  boy  he  attended  school  in  the  village  of  Lancaster,  and  after  the  school 
house  was  erected  in  the  neighborhood  he  went  to  the  district  school.  He 
was  one  of  the  first  students  to  enter  Midland  College  in  Atchison  and  there 
completed  his  education.  He  remained  on  the  home  farm  until  1901  and  tlien 
bought  the  farm  which  lie  now  owns,  first  consisting  of  160  acres,  to  wliich 
he  afterwards  added  an  eighty.  He  later  invested  in  another  quarter  sec- 
tion which  he  uses  for  pasture. 

He  was  married  June  6,  1901,  to  Miss  Mary  K.  ^leck,  who  has  borne 
him  five  children,  as  follows:  Lillian,  born  October  11,  1902;  Matilda,  born 
April  21.  irc.4.:  Louise,  born  June  i,  1907:  Henrietta,  born  March  11,  1910. 
and  Frederick,  born  April  8,  191 3.  The  mother  of  these  children  was  torn 
in  Center  township  August  31,  1874,  a  daughter  of  Fred  Meek,  now  living  on 
a  farm  in  Center  township,  Atchison  county.  Mrs.  Graner  is  a  capable 
woman,  a  devoted  wife  and  mother,  and  the  Graner  home  is  a  very  happy  one 
at  all  times. 

Mr.  Graner  is  a  Democrat  in  politics,  but  has  little  time  to  devote  to  the 
political  game  other  than  to  vote  for  his  favorite  candidates  at  election  time. 
He  and  Mrs.  Graner  are  members  of  the  Liuicaster  Presbyterian  church,  of 
which  institution  Mr.  Graner  is  a  trustee.  He  is  affiliated  with  the  Ancient 
Free  and  .Accepted  Masons,  tlie  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  and  the 
Modem  Woodmen  of  America.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Standard  Bred 
Poland  China  Record  As.sociation,  and  the  Percheron  Society  of  America. 
Mr.  Graner's  success  has  been  mainly  due  to  hard  work,  close  application  to 
his  affairs  and  keen  financial  iudgment. 


RICHARD  E.  KING. 

Richard  E.  King,  farmer  of  Oak  Mills.  \\'alnut  township.  Atchison 
county,  was  born  in  this  county,  January  11.  1876.  He  was  a  son  of  Richard 
M.  King,  pioneer,  fanner,  merchant  and  early-day  freighter,  who  v.'as  torn  in 
Smith  county,  Tennessee,  January  23,  1837.  Richard  M.  was  a  son  of  .Abra- 
ham and  Mahaley  (James)  King,  natives  of  Virginia,  who  came  to  Tennessee 
in  1833.  They  migrated  from  Tennessee  to  Buchanan  county.  Missouri,  in 
1851,  and  one  year  later  moved  to  a  farm  in  Platte  county,  Missouri,  where 
Abraham  King  and  his  wife  eventually  died.  Richard  M.  King  crossed  the 
plains  with  a  freighting  outfit  which  started  from  Ft.  Leavenworth  en  route 
to  Ft.  Laramie  in  \\'^yoming.  and  met  with  considerable  adventure  on  tiie  long 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  789 

trip,  which  consumed  ninety  days  going  and  reluming.  The  Indians  molested 
them  frequently,  and  one  time  a  mischievous  band  stole  all  the  tongue  pins 
from  their  wagons.  Another  time,  when  they  were  in  camp,  a  band  of  hun- 
dreds of  Pawnees  swarmed  around  the  train  and  tried  to  intimidate  the  men. 
One  big  Pawnee  l.uck,  uttering  a  loud  "woof,"  stuck  a  spear  in  Mr.  King's 
stomach.  On  acc(Xmt  of  the  Indinn  fiirce  being  of  superior  number  to  the 
whites,  they  did  not  dare  take  offense  at  anything  they  did,  or  seem  offended 
at  any  of  their  pranks  for  fear  of  massacre.  Richard  M.  King  followed 
freighting  four  years  and  made  his  last  trip  to  the  far  West  in  1862,  from  Ft. 
Leavenworth,  Kan.,  to  Ft.  Union,  X.  M.  He  came  back  from  this  trip,  and 
with  his  sa\ings  bought  a  tract  of  land  on  the  Missouri  river  in  Walnut  town- 
ship. Unhappily,  this  land  was  eventually  cut  off  from  the  mainland  by  the 
freakish  Missouri,  when  it  once  more  changed  its  course,  and,  althiiugh 
the  deed  to  the  land  is  still  held  bv  Richard  M.  King  the  nuidd\-  waters  of  the 
Missouri  flow  over  it.  In  1866  he  bought  forty  acres  of  land  in  the  hills, 
back  from  the  river.  He  was  married  November  22,  1863,  to  ^lary  Frances 
Mottle,  a  daughter  of  Da\-id  and  Frances  (Ureal)  Hottle,  both  of  whr)m  were 
natives  of  Brook  county,  Virginia.  They  too,  came  to  Kansas  in  the  early 
days,  and  settled  in  Leavenworth  county,  in  1855.  David  Hottle  was  a 
butcher  by  trade  and  bought  and  killed  the  first  beef  ever  slaughtered  in  the 
historic  town  of  Kickapoo,  Leavenworth  county.  Kickapoo  was  a  hotbed  of 
the  pro-slavery  element  in  those  days  and  woe  betide  the  man  who  opposed 
their  wishes.  Two  children  were  born  to  Richard  M.  King  and  wife:  Lucy 
Ann,  born  August  27,  i86_i,  deceased  wife  of  Thomas  Reagan,  a  passenger 
conductor  on  the  Missouri  Pacific  railway.  To  Mr.  and  Airs.  Reagan  were 
born  two  children,  Thomas  D.,  born  March  8,  1889,  '"i'^'  John  M..  born  .\ugusi 
7,  1905 ;  Richard  E.,  the  subject  of  this  review. 

Richard  E.  King  grew  to  manhood  on  the  home  farm  and  was  educated 
in  the  common  schools  of  his  native  comity  and  the  high  school  at  Kansas 
City,  Kan.  He  was  married  in  1895  to  Mar\-  Sacks,  a  daughter  of  Flenry 
Sacks,  of  Atchison  county.  She  died  in  1898,  and  after  her  death,  Mr. 
King  went  to  Kansas  City,  Kan.,  to  reside  and  was  there  engaged  in  \arious 
pursuits.  He  married  Miss  Sue  Allen  in  Kansas  City,  Kan.,  January  16, 
1900.  Afrs.  King  is  a  daughter  of  James  T.  and  Jane  (McCampbcll)  Allen, 
both  natives  of  Woodford  county,  Kentucky,  whose  people  removed  from  the 
ancestral  home  of  the  family  in  Virginia  to  Kentucky.  The  old  Allen  home- 
stead built  of  natural  stone  is  still  standing  in  the  latter  State,  a  ])icturesque 
and  beautiful  reminder  of  ante-bellum  days.  In  1885  James  T.  Allen  and 
family  left  Kentucky  and  went  to  Cass  county,  Missouri,  where  they  resided 


79° 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 


on  a  farm  until  1903,  and  then  removed  to  Harrisonville,  Mo.,  where  they 
now  live.  One  child  has  been  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Richard  E.  King.  Rich- 
ard Allen  King,  born  July  12,  1903,  a  bright  and  intelligent  boy  and  is  an  ex- 
cellent student  in  school. 

The  King  home,  situated  on  a  bluff  overlooking  the  reaches  of  the  old 
Missouri  river,  is  noted  for  its  hospitality  and  good  cheer.  '1  heir  home  has 
been  named  "Che-me-o-kah,"  a  Kaw  Indian  term,  meaning  "Lodge  of  the 
Rising  Sun,"  or  "Sunrise  Cottage."  The  Kaw  Indians  had  a  village  on  this 
farm  in  ancient  times.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  King  are  a  fine  young  couple  who  are 
highly  esteemed  by  all  who  know  them.  Mrs.  Richard  M.  King  has  one  of 
the  most  remarkable  collections  of  family  heirlooms  in  Kansas. 


JOHN  MOECK. 


John  Moeck,  farmer,  of  Centei  township,  Atchison  county,  was  born  in 
W'urtemlierg,  Germany,  March  17,  1869.  He  is  a  son  of  Henry  and  Eva 
(Heinz)  Moeck,  who  were  the  parents  of  the  following  children:  Mrs.  Kath- 
rine  Younger,  living  near  Potter.  Kan. ;  Anna,  deceased ;  Henry,  farmer.  Ger- 
many; John,  subject  of  this  sketch;  Karl,  Osborne  county,  Kansas;  Regina, 
Atchison,  Kan. ;  and  George,  deceased.  The  father  was  born  April  3,  1839, 
in  Germany,  where  he  spent  his  life.  He  was  a  son  of  Henry  Moeck,  also 
a  native  of  Germany.  His  wife,  Eva,  was  born  December  i,  1841.  She  is 
a  native  of  Germany,  and  is  now  living  on  a  farm  in  that  country.  John 
Moeck,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  attended  the  schools  in  Germany,  and  in  1883 
immigrated  to  the  United  States,  settling  in  Atchison  county,  Kansas,  where 
he  worked  on  a  farm  for  his  board  and  clothing.  He  attended  the  district 
schools  of  Center  township  until  he  was  twenty-one  years  old.  During  this 
time  he  was  living  with  his  uncle,  Fred  Moeck,  and  the  following  five  years 
he  worked  as  a  farm  hand.  He  was  then  married,  and  settled  down  on  the 
farm  which  he  now  owns.  He  rented  it  for  a  time,  until  he  was  able  to 
accumulate  enough  to  buy  it.  He  bought  the  place  in  1898,  and  has  owned 
it  since  that  time.  The  farm  consists  of  145  acres  of  fine  land,  which  the 
owner  has  improved  extensively.  Two  acres  of  the  place  is  planted  with  fine 
fniit-bearing  trees.     Mr.  Moeck  keeps  high  grade  stock  on  his  farm. 

The  career  of  Mr.  Moeck  shows  what  one  can  do  by  hard  work,  ^^^^en 
he  arrived  in  Atchison  county  he  had  only  four  dollars,  and  even-  cent  that 
he  now  owns  has  been  earned  by  hard  work  since  he  came  to  Atchison  county. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  7QI 

Mr.  Moeck  is  a  self-made  man,  wlio  has  won  a  desiral)le  place  for  himself 
in  his  community.  That  his  fellow  citizens  hold  him  in  high  regard,  is  shown 
by  the  fact  that  they  elected  him  to  the  office  of  township  treasurer  for  two 
terms.  He  has  been  road  overseer,  and  is  now  a  member  of  the  school  board. 
In  1895  Mr.  Moeck  married  Kathrine  Ziegler,  who  was  born  April  5, 
1875.  She  is  a  native  of  Germany,  and  the  daughter  of  George  and  Agnes 
(Frommer)  Ziegler.  When  a  child  five  years  old  Mrs.  Moeck  came  to 
America  with  her  parents,  who  settled  in  Center  township,  Atchison  county. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Moeck  have  four  children :  Eva,  Louise,  Frieda,  and  Walter, 
living  at  home.  Mr.  Moeck  is  a  Republican.  He  is  an  elder  in  the  German 
Lutheran  church.  In  reviewin-g  his  life,  it  is  only  fair  to  say  that  he  is  one 
of  those  self-made  citizens  who  form  the  solid  foundation  of  our  democracy. 
By  his  own  efforts  he  has  climbed  to  the  top,  and  has  shown  by  his  life 
what  the  man  who  A\-ill  tr_\-  can  accomplish. 


JOHN  O.  A.  MILLER. 


John  O.  A.  Miller,  farmer  and  stockman,  of  Kapioma  township.  Atchi- 
son county,  was  born  January  i,  1872,  in  Kapioma  township.  He  is  a  son  of 
James  and  Eliza  (Russell)  Miller,  who  were  the  parents  of  eight  children,  one 
of  whom  is  dead.  The  father,  James  Miller,  was  born  in  Clay  county,  Mis- 
souri, August  3,  1 83 1,  and  was  a  son  of  Moses  Miller,  a  native  of  Kentucky. 
James  Miller  grew  up  on  his  father's  farm  and  at  the  age  of  eighteen  crossed 
the  wild  western  plains  to  New  Mexico,  working  for  the  Govemment.  He 
found  a  few  years  of  the  strenuous  life  enough  and  settled  down  to  farming 
in  Atchison  county  in  1854.  He  bought  160  acres  of  land  frmn  a  land  com- 
pany. The  farm  was  composed  of  good  bottom  land  and  he  made  extensive 
improvements  on  the  profitable  returns  which  his  large  crops  brought.  He 
was  a  large  breeder  of  cattle,  especially  Shorthorns,  and  his  judgment  on 
cattle  was  regarded  as  authoritative.  He  was  known  throughout  that  part  of 
the  countrs^  as  the  "cattle  king."  He  farmed  700  acres  until  his  death.  Dur- 
ing his  life  time  he  held  a  number  of  township  offices.  His  successful  career 
ended  September  12.  1913,  with  his  death  at  Muscotah,  Kan.  His  wife,  who 
was  a  native  of  Iowa,  died  in  1879. 

John  Miller  grew  up  on  his  father's  farm.  He  attended  the  Atchison 
County  High  School  at  Effingham,  Kan.,  and  after  working  a  short  time 
he  went  to  the  State  Normal  School  at  Emporia,  Kan.     To  earn  his  way 


792  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

through  college  he  worked  as  a  farm  hand  until  he  had  saved  enough  money 
lo  carry  him  through  school.  After  leaving  the  State  Normal  School  he 
rented  the  farm  which  he  now  owns,  and  in  19 12  bought  it.  The  place  con- 
sists of  160  acres.  In  1914  he  built  a  fine  barn,  which  is  one  of  the  best  in 
the  State  for  its  size.  It  is  40x52  feet  and  has  a  smaller  wing,  26x14 
feet,  with  a  capacity  of  seventy-five  tons  of  hay.  It  is  strongly  constructed 
and  is  a  model  barn.  "Sir.  Miller  maintains  that  stock  as  fine  as  his  ought  to 
have  a  good  barn  in  which  to  live.  He  makes  a  specialty  of  Percheron 
horses  and  Chester  White  hogs.  He  is  also  a  breeder  of  Shorthorn  cattle 
and  has  maintained  the  same  strain  which  his  father  kept.  In  addition  to  his 
activities  in  the  rural  life  of  his  neighborhood  Mr.  Miller  is  active  in  the  busi- 
ness affairs  of  Muscotah.  He  is  a  director  and  stockholder  in  the  State  Bank 
at  Muscotah,  Kan.,  and  has  an  interest  in  the  Farmers'  Grain  and  Elevator 
Supply  Company  and  the  Mutual  Telephone  Company. 

In  1903  he  married  Jane  Ernst,  who  was  born  November  6,  187 1,  in 
Kapioma  township,  Atchison  county.  She  is  a  daughter  of  John  and  Eliza 
(Lewis)  Ernst.  The  father  is  a  native  of  Germany  and  the  mother  of  Nor- 
way, and  both  came  to  Atchison  county,  Kansas,  in  the  early  days.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Miller  have  two  children :  Alice  E.  and  Mary  E.,  twins,  who  are  living 
at  home.  Mr.  Miller  is  a  Democrat  and  has  been  treasurer  of  Kapioma 
township.     He  is  a  member  of  the  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons. 


CHARLES  CARLTON  FIART. 

For  a  Kansas  citizen  and  pioneer  settler  to  spend  the  better  part  of  a  life- 
time in  building  up  a  fine  and  highly  productive  farm,  and  then  to  enter  the 
banking  business  at  a  time  when  most  men  are  ready  to  retire  and  live  a  life 
of  ease,  is  rather  out  of  the  ordinary,  but  such  has  been  the  experience  of  C. 
C.  Hart,  banker,  of  Muscotah,  Kan.  Mr.  Hart  has  lived  in  Kansas  for  forty- 
seven  years  and  has  been  successively  farmer  ruid  lianker  during  that  time. 
He  is  a  descendant  of  one  of  the  old  families  in  America  and  comes  of  a 
family  of  ministers  and  teachers. 

C.  C.  Hart  was  torn  December  6,  1842.  in  Sandusky,  Ohio,  and  was  a 
son  of  Rev.  Ichabod  and  Harriet  (Whitcomb)  Hart,  the  fomier  a  native  of 
New  York,  and  tlie  latter  was  born  in  Templeton.  Mass..  April  22,  1810.  and 
died  in  Chicago,  III.  April  30.  1889.  The  Hart  family  is  a  very  old  one  in 
America  and  is  descended  from  two  English  immigrants  who  settled  in  Con- 


-i.  ^:  :£./ 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  79-5 

itecticut  in  the  colonial  period  of  our  Nation's  history,  and  from  whom  tiie 
city  of  Hartford  took  its  name  in  tiie  seventeenth  centnry.  Several  descend- 
ants of  these  early  pioneers  fought  for  the  cause  of  American  independence 
m  the  American  Revolution  and  also  in  the  War  of  1812.  Two  brothers  of 
C.  C.  Hart  served  in  the  Union  army  in  the  late  Civil  war.  The  father  of 
C.  C.  Hart  was  educated  for  the  Presbyterian  ministry  and  later  became  a 
Congregational  minister.  He  received  his  college  training  in  Princeton  Uni- 
versity and  migrated  to  Ohio  in  1840;  resided  at  Sandusky  until  1843,  and 
then  took  charge  of  a  church  at  Medina,  Ohio,  until  1844,  when  he  removed 
to  Kenosha,  Wis.  After  several  years'  ministerial  work  in  Wisconsin  he 
located  in  lUinois,  and  died  at  Wheaton,  that  State,  in  1870,  at  the  ripe  old  age 
of  eighty-four  years.  Rev.  Hart  was  the  father  of  eiglit  cJiildrcn :  Edwin  R. 
received  a  college  education  and  served  in  the  Union  army ;  Rev.  Walter  O. 
Hart,  a  Union  veteran,  now  located  in  North  Carolina;  Eliza  F.,  born  in 
Kenosha,  Wis.,  January  23,  1847,  married  George  W.  Phillips,  and  died  Sep- 
tember 15,  1875,  at  l.laiio,  Te.xas.  one  and  one-half  years  after  her  nrirriage. 
While  carrying  on  his  ministerial  work  the  Rev.  Ichabod  Hart  also  conducted 
a  farm  in  the  neighborhood  of  his  work.  Exlwin  R.  Hart  was  educated  in 
Oberlin  College,  Ohio,  and  Walter  O.  received  a  college  and  theological  insti- 
tute education  and  is  now  living  in  retirement  with  his  son  who  also  is  a 
minister. 

C.  C.  Hart,  with  whom  this  review  is  directly  concerned,  was  reared  to 
young  manhood  on  his  father's  farm  and  attended  the  schools  of  Genoa,  Wis. 
During  the  Civil  Avar  he  remained  at  home  and  assisted  his  father  in  the  farm 
work.  In  1868  he  decided  to  strike  out  for  liimself  and  try  his  fortunes  in 
the  \\'est.  He  came  to  Kansas  and  located  in  Jackson  county,  on  the  western 
border  of  Atchison  county,  where  he  purchased  160  acres  of  railroad  owned 
land,  at  a  cost  of  five  dollars  and  forty  cents  per  acre.  He  at  once  began  im- 
proving this  tract  which  was  raw  prairie  at  the  time  of  purchase  and  in  the 
course  of  time  developed  it  into  a  fine  and  highly  productive  farm.  The 
Hart  farm  is  one  of  the  most  productive  and  best  improved  in  the  State  of 
Kansas  and  is  widely  known  for  the  exxellent  shape  in  which  the  grounds  and 
improvements  are  kept.  Mr.  Hart  added  eighty  acres  adjoining  in  .Atchison 
county  to  the  original  quarter  section  and  now  has  240  acres  in  all.  He  re- 
mained on  the  farm  until  1905,  in  the  meantime  having  become  interested  in 
the  Muscotah  Stale  Bank  as  a  stockholder  and  director.  In  that  year  he 
removed  to  the  town  of  Muscotah,  where  he  has  since  made  liis  residence  in 
an  attractive  home.  Mr.  Hart  was  elected  cashier  of  tiie  bank  January  i,  1910, 
and  served  in  this  capacitv  until  August  I,  1915.    While  cashier  lie  also  served 


794  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

as  vice-president  of  the  institution  and  is  now  connected  with  the  bank  in 
that  capacity. 

Mr.  Hart  was  married  in  1867  to  Miss  Emma  A.  Olden,  who  has  borne 
him  the  following  children :  Arthur  C,  born  in  1873,  married  Bertie  Stock- 
ton, and  has  one  child,  Dorothy,  residing  in  Bakersfield,  Cal. ;  Dwight  Hart 
died  in  youth.  Mrs.  Emma  A.  (Olden)  Hart,  the  mother,  was  bom  in  Wis- 
consin in  1846,  and  is  a  daughter  of  Enos  Olden,  a  native  of  New  York 
State,  and  a  descendant  of  an  old  eastern  family. 

The  Republican  party  has  always  claimed  the  allegiance  of  Mr.  Hart, 
and  he  has  taken  an  active  part  in  political  affairs  during  his  long  residence 
in  Grasshopper  township  and  Muscotah.  While  living  on  the  farm  he  held 
various  township  offices,  and  was  always  found  in  the  forefront  of  civic  move- 
ments which  had  for  their  intention  the  ultimate  good  of  all  the  people.  He 
filled  the  post  of  mayor  of  Muscotah  for  four  years  and  was  a  good  official. 
In  church  work  he  has  been  very  active  and  is  at  present  the  treasurer  of  the 
Congregational  church.  His  work  in  the  interest  of  the  young  people  of  Mus- 
cotah has  endeared  him  to  all  of  the  residents  and  for  twenty-five  years  he 
has  served  as  the  superintendent  of  the  Sunday  school  of  his  church.  Mr. 
Hart  was  secretary  of  the  Atchison  County  Sunday  School  Association  for 
ten  vears.  Although  this  grand  old  pioneer  has  passed  the  allotted  three 
score  and  ten  vears  of  age.  he  is  still  active,  mentally  and  physically,  and 
rarely  a  day  passes  which  does  not  find  him  at  his  desk  attending  to  his 
duties  in  the  bank  or  working  alDout  tlic  gnuinds  of  his  altracti\-e.  well  kept 
home.  Mr.  Hart  is  a  courteous  and  kindly  gentleman  of  the  old  school  whom 
one  can  not  help  but  admire  for  his  many  sterling  qualities. 


WILLT.XM  YOUNG. 


A  native  born  Kansan,  who  became  a  successful  agriculturist  and  banker, 
and  left  an  indelible  imprint  upon  the  business  and  social  life  of  .\tchison 
county,  was  the  late  William  Young,  of  .A.rrington,  Kan.  The  Young  family 
was  one  of  the  real  pioneer  families  of  the  county,  and  the  late  Mr.  Young 
was  born  on  a  pioneer  farm  in  Mt.  Pleasant  township  May  20.  1858.  He  was 
a  son  of  William  Johnson  Young,  whose  w^ife  was  Mrs.  Martha  (Wamach) 
Smwvdeii,  widnw.  lorn  in  \'irginia,  a  daughter  of  .\braham  Wamach.  an 
earlv  pioneer  settler  of  Atcliison  county,  who  came  to  this  county  in  1854 
and  settled  on  adjoining  homesteads  witli  W.  J.  Young.     W.  J.  Young,  the 


HISTORY  Ol'  ATCHISON  COUNTY  795 

father  of  \Villiam,  was  born  in  Tennessee  in  1815,  and  was  the  first  judge 
of  Atchison  county.  He  settled  on  a  farm  in  Wahiut  township,  two  and  one- 
half  miles  northeast  of  Potter,  Kan.,  which  farm  is  now  owned  by  Peter  C. 
Griner.  The  elder  Young  was  a  natural  born  leader  of  men,  and  took  an 
active  and  influential  part  in  the  political  affairs  of  the  county  in  the  early 
days.  He  was  a  religiolis  man,  whose  home  was  a  meeting  place  for  the 
politicians  and  ministers  of  the  Gospel,  and  he  was  very  hospitable.  His 
father  was  the  Rev.  Duke  Young,  a  native  of  Tennessee,  who  came  to  Kan- 
sas in  1854,  and  preached  the  first  sermon  in  the  county,  on  the  doctrine  of 
the  Christian  denomination.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Young  was  about  sixty  years  of 
age  when  he  came  to  Atchison  county,  and  he  had  been  preaching  the  Gospel 
for  many  years  in  Tennessee.  J.  W.  Young  became  a  member  of  the  Chris- 
tian church  when  sixteen  years  of  age.  The  Young  family  was  of  Scotch- 
Irish  ancestry. 

William  Young,  with  whom  this  review  is  directly  concerned,  was  one 
of  a  family  of  fourteen  children  reared  by  his  parents.  He  grew  to  manliood 
on  his  father's  farm,  and  after  his  marriage,  in  1880,  he  and  his  wife  located 
on  a  farm  in  Mt.  Pleasant  township,  near  the  town  of  Potter,  and  developed 
it  into  a  fine  and  productive  tract.  He  continued  in  agricultural  pursuits 
until  1908,  when  he  went  to  Arrington,  Kan.,  and  purcliased  the  Arrington 
State  Bank,  which  he  operated  until  his  demise,  January  12.  1910.  After  Mr. 
Young's  death,  his  widow  disposed  of  the  bank  and  the  Arrington  property, 
and  removed  to  Atchison,  where  she  has  since  made  Iier  home  at  419  Kearney 
street. 

William  Young  was  married  February  5,  1880,  to  Miss  Angie  Cooley, 
and  to  this  union  were  Ijorn  the  following  children:  Maude,  wife  of  Earl 
Stapler,  Atchison;  Duff  D.  Young,  bom  April  8,  1901.  The  mother  of  these 
children  was  born  November  9,  1861,  a  daughter  of  James  and  Cassendania 
(Waddle)  Cooley,  both  of  whom  were  born  and  reared  in  Kentucky.  James 
Cooley,  her  father,  migrated  to  Kansas  in  1854  and  settled  on  a  homestead 
south  of  Potter,  in  Leavenworth  county.  His  wife,  Cassendania,  came  to 
Kansas  to  reside  with  her  sister,  Mrs.  Masterson,  who  lived  in  Mt.  Pleasant 
township,  and  she  was  married  in  i860  to  James  Cooley.  Eight  children 
were  born  to  them,  of  wliom  Mrs.  Young  was  the  fifth  in  order  of  birth. 
James  Cooley  took  an  active  and  prominent  part  in  political  affairs  in  Kan- 
sas in  the  early  days,  and  served  as  the  representative  to  the  State  legislature 
from  Leavenworth  county  for  two  terms,  from  1868  to  1872,  inclusive.  He 
died  in  1876. 


796  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

William  Young  was  a  member  of  the  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted 
Masons,  the  Odd  Fellows,  and  the  Fraternal  Aid  Union.  He  was  a  man  who 
lived  his  life  according  to  Christian  precepts,  and  was  a  regular  attendant  at 
church  and  Sunday  school  of  the  Cliristian  denomination.  His  start  in  life 
was  at  the  foot  of  the  ladder,  and  he  was  successful  in  his  undertakings,  build- 
ing for  himself  and  his  family,  and  leaving  behhid  him  on  this  earth  tlie 
memory  of  a  life  well  spent,  and  to  his  family  a  heritage  of  industry,  honesty, 
straightforwardness  and  right  living  which  will  long  be  remembered  by  those 
who  knew  him  best. 


JAMES  E.  BEHEN. 


In  the  compilation  of  the  biographical  department  of  this  historj^  of 
Atchison  county,  Kansas,  the  fact  is  frequently  brought  to  the  mind  of  the 
reviewer  that  the  really  successful  men  of  this  county  are  essentially  self- 
made,  and  began  at  the  foot  of  the  ladder  of  success,  working  their  way  up- 
ward by  various  means,  all  of  which  were  honest  and  based  upon  hard  and 
painstaking  labor  at  the  outset  of  their  careers.  Very  few  were  well  edu- 
cated, or  had  been  blessed  with  opportunities  in  their  youth  such  as  are  the 
heritage  of  the  youth  of  the  present  day.  James  Edward  Behen,  successful 
farmer,  of  Center  township,  Atchison  county,  is  one  of  those  citizens  who 
are  deserving  of  credit  for  what  tliey  have  accomplished.  Starting  out  as 
a  boy  of  twelve,  he  has  made  his  own  way  in  the  world,  and  after  he  attained 
manhood,  with  the  assistance  of  a  good  and  faithful  helpmeet,  he  has  ac- 
complished results  which  are  really  creditable.  Starting  with  a  tract  of 
eighty  acres  of  land  in  1900,  wiiich  he  found  necessary  to  improve,  he  soon 
added  another  eighty,  then  another  eighty,  and  now  has  a  fine  farm  of  240 
acres,  which  is  one  of  the  most  fertile  tracts  of  land  in  the  county,  practically 
all  of  which  is  in  cultivation.  Mr.  Behen  has  the  right  idea  of  farming, 
inasmuch  as  he  sells  the  product  of  his  farm  "on  the  hoof,"  and  has  become 
an  extensive  feeder  of  cattle  and  hogs.  This  plan  insures  the  fertility  of 
the  soil,  and 'his  farm  is  steadily  improving  as  the  result  of  a  wise  method  of 
cultivation. 

Mr.  Behen  is  a  native  son  of  Kansas,  who  was  born  and  brought  up  on 
Kansas  soil,  and  will  not  admit  that  there  is  any  better  place  under  the  sun 
for  a  man  to  acquire  a  fortune  than  right  here  in  Atchison  county,  and, 
judging  "by  what  he  has  done  in  Kansas,  the  writer  is  prone  to  agree  with 
him.    James  E.  Behen  was  bom  March  28,  1864,  at  Leavenwnrth,  and  is  a 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  797  . 

son  of  Michael  and  INIaiy  Behen,  who  had  six  cliildren.  The  father  was  of 
Irish  descent.  He  followed  Ijridge  building.  James,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  started  out  to  make  his  own  way  at  the  age  of  twelve  years,  and  went 
to  work  on  the  farm  of  Edward  Whalen,  in  Doniphan  county,  Kansas,  and 
stayed  there  eiglit  years.  Meanwhile,  he  attended  the  district  school,  receiv- 
ing a  rudimentar}'  education.  He  then  worked  as  a  farm  hand  until  he  was 
twenty-two  years  old.  For  several  years  following  he  rented  land  in  Atchi- 
son and  Doniphan  counties.  In  1900  he  bought  eighty  acres  in  Center 
township,  and  fi\e  years  later  bought  the  eighty  acres  adjoining  his  farm 
on  the  west.  Now  he  owns  240  acres,  which  he  has  improved  considerably. 
He  built  a  modern  barn,  32x35  feet  in  size,  and  also  built  a  fine  cattle  barn, 
forty  feet  scjuare.  He  does  a  large  feeding  business,  handling  a  carload  of 
cattle  each  year.     He  keeps  graded  stock  of  all  kinds  on  Iiis  farm. 

In  1888  he  was  married  to  Lizzie  Pauly,  wlio  was  born  March  30, 
1862.  in  Doniphan  county,  Kansas.  She  is  the  daughter  of  John  and  Anna 
(  Hartzinger)  Pauly,  natives  of  Germany.  The  parents  were  early  settlers 
in  Illinois,  and  moved  to  Doniphan  county,  Kansas,  in  1857.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Behen  have  eight  children:  Mrs.  Agnes  McCibben,  Atchison,  Kan.;  Alice, 
deceased;  Mary,  graduate  of  Atchison  High  School,  living  at  home;  Thtimas, 
living  at  Imme;  Joseph,  at  home;  John,  whereabouts  unknown;  Roy  and  l-'red, 
living  at  home.  Mr.  Behen  is  a  Democrat.  He  is  a  member  nf  the  Rnman 
Catholic  church. 


FRED  HARTMAX. 


It  is  meet  that  considerable  space  be  devoted  to  the  \alianl  old  pioneers 
of  Kansas  who  assisted  in  the  settlement  of  the  country,  and  had  much  lo  do 
with  its  development.  Not  all  of  them  figured  prominently,  and  it  was  given 
to  a  very  few  to  be  honored  abo\-e  their  fellows.  In  the  latter  class  the  re- 
viewer must  of  necessitv  and  choice  jilace  the  late  Frerl  Harlman.  pioneer, 
successful  fanner,  L'nion  veteran  and  well  known  public  (official,  who  for 
more  than  two  decades  was  a  well  kno\\n  and  highly  esteemed  citizen  of 
Atchison  county. 

Fred  Hartman  was  ])orn  in  l*"ranklin  county.  Indiana,  December  7.  1844, 
a  son  of  Jonathan  and  Christina  (  W'olking)  Ilartman.  His  paternal  grand- 
father was  Henry  Hartman,  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  of  German  extraction, 
and  his  wife,  Alice  Case,  whom  lie  married  in  Pennsylvania,  migrated  to  In- 
diana in  the  early  days  of  the  settlement  of  the  Iloosier  State.     Jonathan 


798  rnsTORV  of  atchisox  couxty 

Hartman,  father  of  the  subject,  was  born  in  Frankhn  county.  Indiana.  Jan- 
uary 22.  1822,  and  was  reared  to  young  manhood  among  the  rugged  hills  of 
his  native  county,  learning  the  carpenter's  trade,  and  then  moving  to  Platte 
county,  Jilissouri,  with  his  family  in  1846.  Xine  years  after  settling  in 
Platte  county,  he  removed  to  Port  William,  at  that  time  a  thriving  settlement 
on  the  banks  of  the  Missouri  river  in  Atchison  county.  Here  he  erected  one 
of  the  first  sawmills  in  Atchison  county  and  the  State  of  Kansas,  and  fur- 
nished all  the  sawed  lumber  for  the  settlers  for  many  miles  around.  The  year 
1856  saw  the  beginning  of  the  stiniggle  between  the  Free  State  and  pro-slav- 
en,'  men  for  possession  of  Kansas,  and  the  summer  of  that  year  w'itnessed  some 
lively  times.  History  records  the  fact  that  a  man  named  Bob  Gibson,  leader 
of  the  Kickapoo  Rangers,  came  from  the  headquarters  of  the  gang  with  a 
squad  of  men  for  the  purpose  of  mobbing  Jonathan  Hartman  on  account  of 
his  opposition  to  slavery.  Mr.  Hartman  was  a  man  of  high  courage  and 
assumed  a  defiant  attitude  toward  the  Rangers  who  finally  left  without  doing 
the  damage  which  they  had  boasted  was  their  intent.  About  this  time  the 
noted  Pardee  Butler  was  set  afloat  on  a  raft  down  the  Missouri  river  b>'  the 
pro-slavery  men  of  Atchison,  and  Butler  appealed  to  Hartman  for  aid  after 
landing,  near  Port  \^"illiam.  Mr.  Hartman  gave  Butler  every  assistance 
possible,  in  getting  him  to  his  home.  In  1857  Jonathan  Hartman  sold  his 
sawmill  and  settled  on  a  farm  in  Mt.  Pleasant  township,  near  the  old  military' 
road  which  ran  from  Ft.  Leavenworth  to  Denver,  and  the  Far  W'estern  points. 
Great  trains  of  thirty  or  more  heavily  laden  wagons  drawn  by  six  and  twelve 
yoke  of  oxen  were  constantly  passing  the  liome  of  tlie  Hartmans.  Mrs. 
Hartman  recalls  the  great  drought  of  i860  and  the  great  snows  of  the  fol- 
lowing winter.  During  the  year  of  the  great  drought  the  settlers  did  not 
raise  any  crops  and  were  forced  to  journey  to  Atchison  for  provisions,  on  the 
return  trip  stopping  at  tlie  Andrew  Parnell  farm  for  assistance  in  their  dire 
need.  Two  of  the  drivers  on  a  wagon  train  that  terrible  winter  had  their 
feet  frozen,  one  of  the  men  afterwards  losing  L-otli  feet  as  a  result  of  the  hard- 
ships undergone.  The  Parnell  home  was  a  welcome  and  hospitable  place  of 
refuge  for  the  starving  and  suffering  settlers,  during  that  winter.  Mrs. 
Hartman  also  recalls  the  beautiful  and  inspiring  sights  made  by  the  troops  of 
United  States  cavalry  which  were  frequently  seen  from  her  home  in  those  days. 
Fred  Hartman  hearkened  to  the  call  of  the  Union  in  the  second  year  of 
the  great  civil  conflict  and  enlisted  in  Company  F,  of  the  famous  Thirteenth 
Kansas  volunteer  regiment,  under  Captain  Hayes,  Major  \\'oodw()rth  and 
Colonels  Bowen  and  Speck.  He  was  engaged  chiefly  in  scout  duty,  and 
was  stationed  at  Ft.   Smith  and  other  points  in   the  Southwest  during  his 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  799 

term  of  service,  which  lasted  for  three  years,  and  was  finally  mustered  out  at 
Ft.  Leavenworth  in  1865.  He  tlien  came  home  and  resumed  the  farm  work 
on  his  fatlier's  farm.  He  was  married  January  21,  i86r),  to  Cynthia  Parnell. 
To  this  union  were  liorn  the  fullowing  cliildren :  Henrietta,  wife  of  R.  H. 
Ripple,  died  in  1896;  Hannah  Ann,  wife  of  James  Iddings,  both  of  whom  are 
deceased,  and  who  left  one  child.  Geneva  Iddings.  of  Topeka,  Kan. ;  Dora,  wife 
of  Joseph  Speck,  died  in  1896,  leaving  one  daughter,  Dora,  who  lives  with 
her  grandmother;  Jonathan,  a  salesman  of  Kansas  City;  Josephine,  wife  of 
John  Putman,  of  Atchison:  May  Florence,  wife  of  Roy  Trimble,  sheriff  of 
Atchison  county,  has  four  children;  Birdie,  wife  of  Henry  Barr,  died  in  1906; 
Frederick,  died  in  1911,  was  married  to  Blanche  Baker,  daughter  of  Captain 
Baker.  The  mother  of  these  children  was  born  January  14,  1849,  in  Buch- 
anan county.  jNIissouri,  a  daughter  of  .\ndrcw  and  Mirah  (Wilson)  Parnell 
natives  of  Kentucky  and  Indiana,  respectively.  Andrew  and  Mirah  Parnell 
began  their  wedded  life  in  Franklin  county,  Indiana,  where  they  were  reared 
and  then  migrated  to  Arkansas,  and  from  there  to  Missouri  in  the  early  forties. 
In  1859  the  family  left  Buchanan  county  and  settled  in  Mt.  Pleasant  town- 
ship, Atchison  county,  where  they  figured  prominently  in  the  early  history  of 
the  county.  The  little  Parnell  was  named  after  Andrew  Parnell  and  the  old 
town  of  the  same  name  took  its  appellation  from  the  family  which  settled 
in  the  neighborhood.  Mr.  Parnell  spent  his  last  days  in  Jefferson  county, 
Kansas,  where  he  died  in  1872.  He  liecame  very  well-to-do  and  prospered. 
He  was  one  of  the  original  Free  State  men  and  suffered  considerable  loss  at 
the  hands  of  the  Jayliawkers  and  l)order  ruffians,  .\ndrew  Parnell  was 
the  father  of  eleven  children,  six  sons  and  five  daughters,  and  sent  three  of 
his  sons  to  serve  their  country  in  tiie  Thirteenth  Kansas  regiment,  one  son 
being  killed.     Mrs.  Hartman  is  the  youngest  child  of  this  large  family. 

When  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fred  Hartman  were  married  they  settled  on  a  farm 
near  Parnell,  which  Mrs.  Hartman  still  owns.  They  developed  this  farm 
and  cultivated  it  successfully  until  1896.  when  they  removed  to  Atchison, 
where  Mr.  Hartman  died  October  25,  1909.  Mr.  Hartman  was  a  life-long 
Republican  and  began  taking  an  active  part  in  political  and  civic  affairs  when 
he  had  attained  his  majority.  He  was  elected  sheriff  of  the  county  in  the  fall 
of  1895,  and  served  four  years  in  all.  in  this  important  office.  Previous  to 
his  removal  to  Atchison,  he  had  capably  filled  the  office  of  trustee  of  Mt. 
Pleasant  township.  He  became  identified  with  tlie  ci\ic  life  of  .\tchison  and 
served  as  a  member  of  the  city  council  and  was  lield  in  high  esteem  for  his 
ability  and  capabilities  as  a  citizen.  .Mr.  Hartman  was  prominent  in  Odd 
Fellow  and  Masonic  circles  during  his  long  life  in  the  county. 


800  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

Fred  Hartman  was  one  of  those  pioneer  citizens  of  Atchison  county 
which  are  distinguished  tor  their  quahties  of  leadership,  and  his  descendants 
are  proud  of  his  record  as  a  citizen  and  public  official.  He  was,  during-  his 
whole  life,  a  reader  and  student  who  believed  in  keeping  abreast  of  the  times 
and  made  a  hobby  of  gatliering  historical  data,  being  much  interested  in  the 
history  of  his  adopted  State.  Hi.>^  mind  remained  keen  to  the  end  of  his  days 
and  he  will  always  be  fondly  rememliered  Ijy  those  who  knew  liim.  To  him 
and  his  comrades  who  laid  the  foundation  of  the  prosperous  and  happy  com- 
munity of  Atchison,  this  volume  is  respectfully  dedicated. 


•OSCAR  A.  SIMMONS. 


Successful  banking  calls  for  qualifications  somewhat  different  from  those 
required  in  other  pursuits  or  professions.  It  calls  for  a  keen  mind,  decisive 
action,  ability  to  pass  judgment  upon  a  proposition  and  its  merits,  and  the 
power  to  judge  and  gauge  human  nature,  and  determine  upon  the  honesty 
or  sincerity  of  those  with  whom  the  banker  is  constantly  doing  business. 
Oscar  A.  Simmons,  active  vice-president  and  manager  of  the  First  National 
Bank  of  Atchison,  possesses  the  qualifications  of  a  successful  banker  to  a 
considerable  degree.  He  is  unquestionably  one  of  the  rising  financiers  of 
Kansas  with  an  ever  increasing  prestige  in  financial  circles.  He  is  one  of 
those  broad-minded  men  who  keep  abreast  of  progress  and  have  the  faculty 
of  adapting  their  capabilities  to  the  advanced  needs  of  the  times,  .\lthough 
a  comjjaratively  young  man,  as  years  measure  a  man's  age,  his  experience 
in  banking  has  been  such  as  to  eminently  fit  him  for  the  important  position 
which  he  holds. 

O.  A.  Simmons  is  a  native  of  Kansas,  and  was  born  in  Jefferson  county 
February  ii,  1874.  His  father  was  Joshua  Simmons,  a  native  of  Indiana, 
and  his  mother  was  Susan  Pitcher  Simmons,  born  and  partly  reared  in  Mis- 
souri. The  parents  of  both  Joshua  and  Susan  Simmons  were  among  the 
pioneer  settlers  in  Jefferson  county,  and  it  is  probable  that  they  located  there 
in  about  1855.  Both  the  Sfrnmons  and  Pitcher  families  were  prominent  in 
the  affairs  of  Jefferson  county  in  the  early  days  of  the  county's  growth,  and 
were  highly  respected.  Joshua  Simmons  and  Susan  Pitclier  were  married  in 
Jefferson  county.  At  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  war,  Joshua  Simmons  offered 
his  services  in  behalf  of  the  Union,  and  enlisted  in  Company  A.  Eleventh  reg- 
iment, Kansas  infantrv,  at  the  age  of  seventeen  vears,  and  was  under  the 


^_^_*-*-r  *.*'-^ 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  •  8oi 

command  of  Colonels  Moonlight  and  PlumlD.  Mr.  Simmons  took  part  in 
some  hard  campaigns  during  his  enlistment,  the  Eleventh  regiment  being  a 
part  of  the  division  which  fought  General  Price's  army  of  invasion  through- 
out Missouri  and  .Vrkansas.  On  a  number  of  occasions  he  showed  his  per- 
sonal braveiy  in  volunteering  for  scout  duty  in  the  Southwest.  He  was  mus- 
tered out  at  the  close  of  the  war,  returned  home,  and  was  married  sliortly 
afterward.  After  a  long  and  successful  career  as  a  farmer  and  merchant, 
he  is  now  living  a  retired  life  at  Brondon,  Colo.,  at  the  ripe  age  of  sevent}'- 
one  years.  Eight  children  were  born  to  Joshua  and  Susan  Simmons,  five 
of  whom  jire  living,  as  follows:  Mrs.  J.  W.  Faubion,  of  Anthony,  Kan.;  Os- 
car A.;  Mrs.  P."H.  Scales,  of  Birmingham,  Ala.;  W.  C.  and  C.  T.  Simmons, 
of  Los  Angeles,  Cal.  The  mother  of  these  children  departed  this  life  in  1886. 
She  was  a  good  wife  and  a  kind  and  loving  mother. 

O.  A.  Simmons  attended  the  common  and  high  schools  of  his  native 
county  and  town,  after  which  he  was  employed  in  a  general  store  at  Win- 
chester, Jefferson  county,  until  1899.  lie  was  then  employed  in  charge  of  the 
gents'  furnishing  department  of  a  large  department  store  at  Leavenworth 
for  one  year.  His  ambitions  had  always  been  headed  toward  entering  the 
field  of  banking,  inasmuch  as  he  believed  that  he  could  make  a  success  as  a 
banker.  Opportunity  naturally  beckoned ;  he  saw  the  need  of  a  bank  in  the 
town  of  Potter,  Atchison  county.  Taking  what  funds  he  could  muster  he 
went  to  Potter  and  organized  the  Potter  State  Bank,  serving  as  the  cashier  of 
this  institution  for  two  years.  He  then  sold  his  holdings  in  the  Potter  bank 
and  organized  the  Exchange  State  Bank  at  Nortonville.  For  a  period  of  five 
years  he  was  in  charge  of  this  flourishing  bank,  and  here  had  the  oppor- 
tunity of  demonstrating  his  inherent  ability  as  a  financier.  A  wider  and 
larger  field  beckoned  to  him  and  he  came  to  Atchison  in  1906.  Here  his 
genius  as  an  organizer  has  had  full  opportunity  for  exercise  and  he  organ- 
ized the  Commercial  State  Bank,  which  later  l>ought  control  of,  and  was  con- 
solidated with,  the  First  National  of  Atchison.  Mr.  Simmons  was  elected 
vice-president  of  the  bank  at  the  time  of  the  re-organization  and  was  in- 
stalled as  the  bank  manager.  He  has  since  taken  an  active  part  in  the  organ- 
ization of  other  banking  concerns,  having  organized  the  I'armers  State  Bank 
of  Anthony,  Kan.,  in  1910,  of  which  his  brother-in-law,  J.  W.  Faubion.  is 
the  cashier.  In  iqoi  he  organized  the  Jarbalo  State  Bank  at  Jarbalo,  Kan., 
of  which  T.  J.  Mains  is  cashier.  Mr.  Simmons  disposed  of  his  interests  in 
the  Jarljalo  bank  in  191 1,  and  bought  the  Farmers  State  Bank  at  Effingham, 
selling  control  of  this  bank  in  1912.     His  next  venture  was  the  purchase  of 


8o2  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

the  controlling  interest  m  the  State  Savings  Bank  at  Leavenworth,  of  which 
.Mr.  Mains  is  now  the  vice-president.  He  re-organized  the  Arrington  State 
Bank  at  Arrington,  Kan.,  in  1903,  and  is  still  interested  in  its  affairs.  He 
organized  the  Citizens  State  Bank  at  Elmo,  Mo.,  in  1913,  and  is  the  principal 
owner  of  this  bank,  and  is  a  stockliolder  in  the  Union  State  Bank  at  ;McLouth, 
Kan.  It  is  a  noteworthy  fact  that  every  financial  institution  with  which  JNJr. 
Simmons  has  been  connected  has  prospered,  and  is  in  sound  condition.  In 
everv  bank  in  which  he  has  been  interested  he  has  displayed  ability  of  a  high 
order  as  a  financier  and  manager. 

•  Mr.  Simmons  has  been  twice  married,  his  first  wife  being  ^Margaret 
Mains,  whom  he  espoused  in  1902,  being  a  daughter  of  James  Mains,  of 
Oskaloosa,  Kan.  She  died  in  1907.  His  second  marriage,  in  1910,  was  with 
Mar>'  Frances,  daughter  of  J.  H.  Barry,  a  substantial  and  well  known  citizen 
of  Atchison  (see  biography  of  J.  H.  Barr\).  Two  children  have  blessed 
this  union:  John  Barry,  born  December  17,  191 1,  and  O.  A.  Simmons,  junior, 
boiTi  March  9,  1913. 

From  farmer  boy  to  banlvcr  and  capitalist  in  the  short  period  of  a  little 
over  forty  years,  with  no  initial  capital  to  begin  with,  but  a  keen  mind  and 
strong  body,  is  the  gist  of  the  career  of  him  of  whom  this  review  is  written. 
^\■hen  a  boy  lie  worked  for  fifty  cents  per  day  in  Jefferson  county.  Coming 
from  the  soil,  and  being  reared  on  the  farm,  he  has  never  entirely  lost  a  love 
for  the  land  itself,  and  is  heavily  interested  in  various  tracts  of  good  farm 
land,  and  owns  400  acres  of  Atchison  county  farm  land,  and  700  acres  in 
eastern  Colorado,  which,  together  with  holdings  in  Missouri  and  Texas,  will 
aggregate  over  1.500  acres.  His  financial  interests  are  varied,  and  in  .\tch- 
ison  are  of  such  nature  as  to  be  of  distinct  benefit  to  tiie  welfare  of  the  city. 
He  holds  stock  in  several  of  the  city's  leading  mercantile  concerns.  His  first 
work  was  as  a  farm  laborer  at  $10  per  month.  His  commercial  career  prac- 
tically began  in  a  general  store  at  W'inchester,  Kan.,  at  a  salary  of  $17  per 
month,  and  during  the  twenty-three  years  following,  he  has  amassed  a  for- 
tune of  over  $100,000.  Yet,  there  are  those  who  say  that  opportunity  for 
attaining  wealth  and  position  are  gone,  and  that  a  young  man  has  no  chance 
to  succeed  because  of  the  great  competition  of  the  financial  trusts  of  the 
country.  The  life  story  of  O.  A.  Simmons  is  a  direct  contradiction  to  the 
wail  of  the  pessimist,  and  furnishes  a  decided  inspiration  to  any  young  fellow 
blessed  with  mentality  and  strength  to  go  and  do  likewise  in  his  favorite  line 
of  endeavor.  While  Mr.  Simmons  is  a  stanch  Republican,  he  does  not  take 
an  active  part  in  political  affairs,  and  has  declined  political  preferment. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  803 

H.  B.  WALTER. 

H.  B.  Walter,  of  Benton  township,  Atchison  county,  Kansas,  is  one  of 
the  most  widely  known  and  successful  live  stock  breeders  in  Kansas,  and  has 
made  a  signal  success  as  a  breeder  of  l^iland  China  hogs  during  the  past  ten 
years.  He  first  began  the  breeding  of  fine  live  stock  in  Republic  county, 
Kansas,  and  while  he  has  been  a  resident  of  Atchison  county  only  since  tgoq. 
he  has  become  known  the  length  and  breadth  of  the  county  for  his  fine  live 
stock  production.  Mr.  Walter  did  not  venture  in  the  breeding  department 
of  specialized  agriculture  for  the  puipose  of  producing  show  animals,  but 
began  his  work  purely  as  a  commercial  venture,  and  has  succeeded  even  be- 
yond his  most  sanguine  expectations.  He  is  the  owner  of  i6o  acres  of  fine 
farm  land,  located  three  and  one-half  miles  northwest  of  Effingham,  on 
which  are  excellent  improvements.  His  farm  is  headquarters  for  supplying 
breeders  with  registered  stock  in  all  parts  of  the  cotintry,  and  he  has  the 
distinction  of  having  developed  the  world  beater  of  big  type  litters,  and  has 
produced  and  sold  a  world's  record  type  of  Poland  China  swine  of  the  big 
variety.  For  the  past  four  years  he  has  made  the  sales  record  for  the  State 
of  Kansas  in  the  numbers  produced  and  the  prices  obtained.  His  farm  pro- 
duces 200  head  of  registered  Big  Type  Poland  China  swine  annuallw  and 
he  holds  two  sales  each  year,  in  the  months  of  October  and  February.  In 
Februarv  of  191 5,  Mr.  Walter  sold  fifty  head  of  hogs,  at  an  average  price 
of  sixty  dollars  per  head,  to  buyers  who  attended  the  sale  from  all  parts  of 
the  West.  In  Februarv  of  the  preceding  year  he  sold  at  his  regular  sale  fifty 
head,  which  lirought  an  average  price  of  seventy  dollars  each.  The  output  of 
his  breeding  pens  is  shipped  to  points  as  far  west  as  Oregon,  and  to  places 
ranging  from  Minnesota  to  the  Gulf  States.  In  July  of  1915  he  filled  an 
order  for  three  high  priced  hogs  sent  in  from  Connecticut,  fie  has  done  no 
exhibiting  except  at  the  local  stock  shows. 

PI.  B.  Walter  was  born  on  a  farm  in  Jay  county,  Indiana.  July  31,  1871, 
a  son  of  Thomas  S.  and  Sarah  (Sherman),  the  former  a  native  of  Indiana, 
and  the  latter  a  native  of  Ohio.  The  family  migrated  from  Indiana  to  Re- 
public county,  Kansas,  in  1892,  and  settled  on  a  farni  in  that  county,  where 
Thomas  S.  still  resides.  H.  B.  received  his  education  in  the  pul)lic  schools 
of  his  native  county  and  State,  and  studied  at  Ridgevdle  College.  Indi- 
ana. He  pre]Kired  himself  for  the  teaching  profession,  and  taught  school 
in  Indiana  for  one  year,  and  taught  for  nine  years  in  Republic  county,  after 
moving  to  Kansas.  He  held  the  highest  average  grade  possible  to  obtain  in 
his  teacher's  certificate,  and  met  with  considerable  success  in  his  profession, 


804  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

but  abandoned  teaching  to  engage  in  farming,  in  which  avocation  he  began 
with  the  same  determination  to  succeed  as  he  had  been  imbued  with  when 
he  began  to  teach.  He  purchased  a  farm  in  Repubhc  county,  which  he  cul- 
tivated, later  buying  a  place  in  Brown  county.  Kansas,  which  he  sold  in 
1900,  and  made  the  purchase  of  his  present  farm. 

He  was  married  in  1895  to  Fanny  Kunkel,  a  daughter  of  Noah  and  Car- 
oline Kunkel.  who  were  residents  of  Republic  count}-,  Kansas,  from  1867 
until  their  death.  Mrs.  Walter  was  also  a  teacher  for  eight  years,  and  lived 
in  Republic  county  over  forty  years.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  \\'"alter  have  two  living 
children:  Frank,  born  in  1898,  and  Ruth,  bom  in  October.  1902. 

Mr.  and  JNIrs.  \\'alter  are  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  clnirch. 
Politically,  Mr.  \\  alter  is  an  independent  voter,  who  is  not  tied  to  the  prin- 
ciples of  any  political  part}-  or  leader.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Central  Pro- 
tective Association. 


HEKELXKAEMPER  BROTHERS. 

This  firm  has  the  distinction  of  operating  the  oldest  soda  and  vinegar 
manuf actor}-  in  Kansas,  which  was  founded  by  William  H.  Hekelnkaemper, 
father  of  the  present  proprietors,  in  1S63.  The  first  factory  was  located 
in  a  little  shed,  14x14  feet,  one  door  east  of  the  A.  J.  Harwi  hardware 
store  on  Commercial  street,  Atchison.  Kan.  Mr.  Hekelnkaemper  operated 
the  business  for  ten  years,  and  gradually  enlarged  his  quarters  as  much  as  his 
limited  means  would  allow,  and  about  1873  removed  the  plant  to  the  present 
location  on  the  comer  of  Ninth  and  Laramie  streets.  He  erected  a  brick 
ftructure.  22x50  feet,  and  also  built  an  ice  house.  His  business  prospered 
from  the  start  when  he  moved  to  his  new  location,  and  was  confined  to  the 
trade  in  Atchison  with  the  exception  of  supplying  the  towns  within  a  radius 
of  fifty  miles  in  northeast  Kansas,  and  western  Missouri.  In  the  old  days 
patrons  drove  in  wagons  for  a  distance  of  fifty  miles  and  more  to  purchase 
the  products  of  the  factor}-,  and  many  of  the  former  patrons  are  still  buying 
from  the  sons.  After  the  founder's  death  in  1881,  the  business  was  allowed 
to  languish  to  some  extent  owing  to  the  enforcement  of  the  State  prohibition 
law.  for  the  reason  that  the  products  of  the  factory,  while  not  intoxicating, 
were  largely  purchased  b}-  saloons.  Trade  naturally  fell  off  for  a  time  until 
conditions  were  adjusted  to  the  new  regime,  and  new  demands  were  created 
in  other  retail  circles  than  the  saloon  business.  The  plant  was  closed  for 
about  a  year  and  the  widow  then  leased  the  buildings  for  ten  years  to  M.  L. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  805 

Greenhut.  \\ho  later  retired.  Tlie  sons  tlien  took  charge  in  igoo,  and  it  has 
since  been  operated  bv  F.  W.  and  G.  A.  Hekehikaemjier.  The  1j<)\s  had  no 
capital  to  begin  with,  but  had  a  wonderful  amount  of  determination  and  per- 
severance which  stiuid  them  in  good  stead  and  enaljled  them  to  make  good. 
The  business  had  to  lie  built  over  again,  but  fortunately  paid  a  small  profit 
during  the  first  years.  In  time  other  additions  were  made  to  the  plant  and 
tlie  capacitv  ha*^  been  increased  to  over  15,000  bottle  of  soda  water  per  day. 
This  is  the  main  product  of  the  factory  which  also  produces  fruit  syrups  and 
flavoring  extracts  of  a  superior  grade  and  quality,  in  addition  to  fifty  thou- 
sand gallons  of  high  grade  vinegar  each  year.  During  the  busy  season  four- 
teen men  are  emplo}-ed  and  Hekelnkaemper  Brothers  has  grown  to  become 
one  of  the  important  manufacturing  concerns  of  Atchison.  During  the  past 
eight  years  the  business  has  practically  doubled  itself  over  that  of  each  pre- 
ceding year. 

"  \\'illiam  H.  Hekelnkaemper,  Sr.,  was  born  in  April  of  1837,  in  West- 
phalia, Germany,  and  emigrated  from  his  native  land  when  a  }oung  man.  He 
landed  at  New  Orleans  from  a  sailing  vessel  and  then  came  by  river  boat  to 
St.  Louis  where  he  lived  for  a  number  of  years  and  engaged  in  the  grocery 
business.  His  store  was  burned  and  he  left  St.  Louis  and  came  to  the  town 
of  Rollin,  Mo.,  where  he  again  established  a  grocery  store  about  1861.  In 
the  spring  of  1S63,  he  came  to  Atchison.  Kan.,  and  opened  and  operated  the 
first  pool  and  billiard  room  in  the  city.  One  \ear  later  he  disposed  of  part 
of  his  equipment  and  moved  a  part  to  Seneca,  Kan.,  where  after  operating  a 
pool  room  for  a  time,  he  sold  out  and  returned  to  Atchison,  fn  about  1863 
he  embarked  in  the  soda  manufactory  as  stated  in  the  preceding  paragraph. 
Wiiile  a  resident  of  St.  Louis,  Mr.  Hekelnkaemper  was  married  to  Theresa 
Houk,  who  was  born  in  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  of  German  parents,  who  both  died 
during  the  great  cholera  epidemic  when  Theresa  was  about  three  years  of 
age.  The  children  born  to  this  union  are  as  follows:  Gustave  A.,  Frederick 
W. :  William  (',..  Frank  V.,  .Laura,  Edith.  Emma  and  Anna. 

F.  W.  Hekelnkaemper  was  married  September  17,  1901,  to  Pauline  Oster- 
tag,  a  daughter  of  George  Ostertag,  one  of  the  pioneer  wagon  makers  of 
Atchison,  and  to  this  union  have  been  born  two  children :  Irene  and  Lucille. 
He  is  a  Democrat  and  is  a  member  of  the  Elks,  Eagles  and  (he  Moose. 

G.  A.  Hekelnkaemper  is  associated  with  F.  W.  in  the  business  as  above 
mentioned.  He  was  married  in  August.  1901,  to  Lydia  Weik.  a  daughter  of 
Christian  Weik,  an  Atchison  county  pioneer,  and  to  this  union  have  been  born 
two  cliildren:  Marie  and  Louise.     G.  .\.  is  a  Democrat  in  politics. 


8o6  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

William  H.  Hekelnkaemper  died  August  20,  1881.  He  was  politically 
allied  witli  the  Republican  party  durinc:-  his  life,  and  was  a  member  of  the 
Atcliison  city  council  for  a  number  of  years,  having  been  a  particular  and 
close  friend  and  admirer  of  the  late  Senator  John  J.  Ingalls.  He  was  one  of 
the  founders  of  the  famous  Turner  Society,  and  was  its  first  president.  He 
was  prominently  identified  with  the  affairs  of  the  society  and  the  civic  affairs 
of  Atchison  until  his  demise.  He  was  a  man  of  great  resourcefulness  which 
aided  him  in  making  a  new  start  on  occasions  when  everything  looked  dark- 
est for  his  future.  He  had  many  warm  friends  in  Atchison  and  was  uni- 
versally respected  by  all  who  knew  him. 


CLEM  P.  HIGLEY. 


Clem  P.  Higley,  farmer  and  stockman  of  Center  township,  Atchison 
county,  was  born  there  March  25,  1869.  He  is  a  son  of  Russell  and  Carrie 
( Hooper)  Higlev,  who  were  the  parents  of  nine  ciiildrcn,  as  follows  :  William, 
deceased ;  Otto,  deceased ;  Emma  Winsor,  Las  Vegas,  N.  M. ;  Hallie  Nelson, 
Las  Vegas,  N.  M. ;  Theodore,  a  traveling  man ;  Clem,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch;  Frank,  farming  the  old  home  place,  and  Gilbert  and  Mina,  both  de- 
ceased. Tlie  father  was  liorn  just  west  of  New  York  City.  January  3. 
1833.  In  his  early  manhood  he  followed  the  blacksmithing  trade,  and  at  the 
age  of  twenty  went  to  Illinois,  where  he  remained  for  two  years.  C(Mning  fo 
Atchison  county,  he  preempted  160  acres  of  land  in  section  3,  Center  town- 
ship, and  sold  it  shortly  afterward  and  bought  80  acres  in  section  35,  a  mile 
east  of  old  Pardee,  Kan.  He  made  extensive  improvements  on  this  place 
and  farmed  it  until  he  retired  in  1895.  He  now  lives  with  his  son,  Clem. 
Russell  Higley's  life  did  not  run  as  smoothly  as  it  might  seem  from  this  ac- 
count of  it.  In  his  early  days  in  Kansas  the  drought  destroyed  his  crops 
one  year.  He  gathered  only  one  bushel  of  corn  from  his  field  that  year. 
Having  started  out  with  no  capital,  this  misfortune  was  a  serious  one.  He 
and  his  twin  brother,  Russell,  worked  for  I\ardee  Butler,  while  he  returned  to 
Illinois.  They  worked  for  Mr.  Butler  all  summer  and  in  the  fall  of  1856 
started  to  walk  back  to  Illinois,  so  as  to  be  home  during  the  winter.  A  winter 
in  Kansas  was  a  serious  thing  in  those  days,  and  with  the  best  of  provisions, 
it  was  a  fierce  ordeal.  In  the  spring  of  1857  they  returned  to  Kansas,  hav- 
ing the  confidence  in  this  country  to  develop  into  a  prosperous  district.  Rus- 
sell was  a  son  of  Francis  Higley,  and  iiis  mother  died  when  he  was  a  very 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  807 

small  boy.  Carrie  Higley,  the  mother  of  Clem,  was  born  in  Tennessee  in 
1837.  Her  father  was  a  freighter  from  Missouri  to  Santa  Fe,  N.  M.  Mrs. 
Higley  died  in  1899. 

Clem  Higley,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  attended  school  at  Pardee,  Kan., 
and  when  twenty-one  years  old,  started  out  to  work  by  the  month.  A  year 
later  he  rented  a  farm  in  Benton  township,  five  miles  south  of  Effingham, 
Kan.  Then  for  a  period  of  nine  years  he  rented  in  Benton  township,  and 
the  following  three  years  rented  his  father's  faitn  and  in  1903  bought  105 
acres.  The  place  was  not  well  improved  and  he  set  to  work  erecting  build- 
ings, and  now  has  a  large  two-story  home  and  two  liarns,  one  24x50 
feet  and  the  other  40x42  feet.  The  latter  has  a  cement  basement.  Hig- 
ley's  total  holdings  now  numlier  185  acres  of  land.  He  keeps  graded  stock, 
including  fine  Poland  China  hogs.  In  1896  he  was  married  to  Margaret 
Hawk,  who  was  born  March  21,  1877,  in  Ohio.  She  is  a  daughter  of  La- 
fayette and  Hattie  (Pitt)  Hawk,  both  natives  of  Ohio.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Higley 
have  had  si.x  children  born  to  them,  the  second  child  dying  in  infancy.  The 
others  are,  Newell,  W'ilber.  Morris,  Marie.  Dale.  .Ml  arc  li\-ing  with  their 
parents.  Mr.  Higley  is  a  Republican  and  is  a  member  of  the  Christian 
church. 


WILLIAM  E.  HL'BBARD. 


William  E.  Hubbard,  farmer  and  stockman,  Kapioma  township.  Atchi- 
son county,  was  born  September  8,  1861,  in  Henderson  county,  Illinois.  He 
is  a  son  of  Simeon  and  Mary  .Ann  (  Pence)  Hul)I)ard,  who  were  the  parents 
of  the  following  children:  Mrs.  Lillie  O'Connor,  wiilnw  li\ing  in  .Muscotah; 
Mrs.  Cora  Routh,  Kapioma  township ;  Lewis,  farmer,  Kapioma  township ; 
\\'illiam,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  and  two  children  who  died  in  infancy. 
Simeon  Hubliard,  the  father  of  \A'illiam,  was  horn  March  10,  1840.  in  In- 
diana. He  was  a  farmer  in  his  young  nianhuod,  and  on  coming  lo  Kansas 
in  1874,  followed  the  same  occupation.  Settling  near  Muscotah,  he  ren^^d 
land  for  four  years,  and  during  this  time  saved  his  earnings  for  future  in- 
vestment. At  the  end  of  four  years  he  had  accumulated  enough  to  buy  the 
farm,  and  he  became  a  landowner  and  led  a  prosperous  career  as  a  farmer. 
He  fed  stock  for  the  market  as  well  as  grew  crops.  He  now  resides  in  Mus- 
cotah, Kan.     The  motlicr  of  William  Hubbard  is  also  living. 

William  E.  Hubbarrl  grew  up  on  his  father's  farm  in  lUimiis  ,-uul  attended 
the  district   school   in    Kapioma  lownsliij).   .Atchison   coinitv.      When   he    was 


8o8  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

of  age  he  began  farming  in  partnership  with  liis  father.  At  the  age  of  twen- 
ty-eight he  was  married  and  located  on  a  rented  farm  near  his  father's  place. 
He  lived  there  until  1895,  when  he  bought  180  acres  just  south  of  where  he 
had  rented.  After  working  this  place  seven  years,  he  sold  it  and  bought  the 
160-acre  farm  which  he  now  owns.  On  this  place  William  has  invested  a 
considerable  sum  in  improA^ements  which  include  a  fine  granary.  He  is  a 
stockholder  in  the  Grange  elevator  at  Muscotah,  Kan.  It  should  also  be  men- 
tioned that  William  keeps  graded  stock  on  his  farm. 

In  18S9  he  married  JNIartha  Rnutli.  wlio  was  bom  near  Leavenworth. 
Kan.,  in  1869.  They  are  the  parents  of  seven  children  as  follows:  Jesse. 
Atchison  county ;  Mrs.  Bessie  Roberts,  Kapioma  township ;  Fred,  Lola,  Ollie, 
Mabel  and  Frank,  all  living  at  home.  Mr.  Hubbard  is  a  Democrat  and  is 
now  serving  as  a  member  on  the  school  board  in  his  district,  Rose  Valley, 
No.  49.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Mission  church.  Mr.  Hubbard  is  a  citizen 
interested  in  the  welfare  of  his  community  and  is  always  active  in  any  project 
that  will  improve  his  neighborhood. 


DRENNAN  L.  DAWDY. 


Drerinan  L.  Dawdy  is  a  stockman  first,  last  and  always.  Pedigrees  and 
prices  are  his  stock  in  trade,  and  to  talk  with  Mr.  Dawdy  without  hearing 
about  his  fine  stock  is  impossible.  Next  to  his  famil\-  his  stock  is  his  pride. 
Mr.  Dawdy  confines  his  stock  raising  to  the  best  strains.  It  is  liis  theory  that 
it  never  pavs  to  bring  up  a  scrub.  The  same  amount  of  feed  and  the  same 
amount  of  care,  if  intelligently  applied  to  registered  animals,  will  bring  in 
double  and  treble  returns.  Mr.  Dawdy  believes,  and  it  is  his  policy  not  to  waste 
time  on  inferior  breeds.  Mr.  Dawdy  has  a  cow  that  cost  him  $75.  The 
former  owner  of  the  cow  did  not  see  any  marks  of  good  blood  in  the  animal, 
but  Mr.  Dawdy  did,  and  he  has  made  $4,000  out  of  that  one  cow  in  tlie  last 
seven  years.  The  buying  of  this  cow  at  the  price,  however,  was  simply  a  very 
fortunate  investment,  as  Mr.  Dawdy  says,  generally  speaking,  "The  highest 
priced  cattle  were  much  the  best  investments,  and  he  has  paid  as  high  as  $800 
and  $900  for  cows  and  $1,000  for  a  bull.  He  sold  one  of  the  calves  for  $755 
and  another  for  $500.  He  learned  his  business  well,  for  he  learned  it  in  tlie 
best  way  possible,  from  his  father.  The  father,  John  W.  Dawdy,  was  a 
breeder  of  fine  cattle  in  Illinois  and  probably  inherited  that  trait  from  his 
parents,   who  were   Kentuckians.     The   father  was  liorn   in   tlie   line  grass 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  809 

country  March  30.  1840,  but  at  the  age  of  seven  was  taken  by  liis  parents,  Jef- 
ferson and  Elizabeth  (Amos)  Dawdy,  to  Illinois,  where  he  remained  until 
1910.  While  he  was  living  at  Abingdon.  111.,  he  met  Sarah  J.  Latimer,  to 
whom  he  was  married  May  7,  1847.  She  was  a  daughter  of  .Alexandria  and 
Julia  Ann  (Hart)  Latimer,  natives  of  Tennessee,  and  was  the  mother  of  six 
children,  three  of  whom  are  living.  Drennan,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  is 
the  oldest.  The  others  are  Norval  M.  and  Daisy  E.,  who  live  in  California. 
In  1910  the  parents  removed  to  Napa,  Cal.,  where  the  father  is  now  living. 
The  mother  died  August  12,  191 5. 

After  attending  the  countr}'  school  near  his  Illinois  home,  Drennan  at- 
tended Hedding  College  at  Abingdon  and  later  weilt  to  business  college  at 
Chicago.  But  he  was  a  natural  burn  stockman  and  could  not  resist  the  lure. 
So  he  went  back  to  his  father  and  joined  him  in  the  livestock  business  and  be- 
came associated  with  his  father  in  the  breeding  of  Shorthorn  cattle  under  the 
firm  name  of  J.  W.  Dawdy  &  Son.  In  the  latter  part  of  1889  he  and  Walter 
Latimer  purchased  the  entire  herd  of  cattle  known  as  the  Shannon  Hill  herd 
owned  hy  the  late  Ex-Governor  George  W.  Glick,  of  Atchison,  Kan.  This 
herd  was  the  largest  collection  of  pure  Bates  cattle  in  America  at  that  time, 
and  were  dispersed  by  D.  L.  Dawdy  &  Co.,  at  auction  in  Kansas  City,  Mo., 
April  11-12,  1900,  the  ninety-one  head  bringing  a  total  of  $20,460,  which  was 
considered  a  remarkable  sale  for  an  entire  herd,  which  included  a  number  of 
aged  cows,  the  general  average  of  the  sale  being  $225  per  head  with  a  top 
price  of  $800  for  the  "Second  Dutchess"  of  Atchison,  the  buyer  of  wimm  was 
the  late  W.  R.  Nelson,  of  the  Kansas  City  Star.  Mr.  Nelson  bought  fifteen 
head  of  cattle  at  this  sale  at  an  average  price  of  $415  per  head.  In  June  of 
the  same  year  this  firm  bought  the  entire  herd  of  Scotch  and  Scotch  topped 
Shorthorns  of  J.  T.  Kinmouth  &  Son,  Cohimlius  Junction,  low;i,  paying 
$11,000  cash  for  the  100  head.  This  was  one  of  the  most  notalile  ])rivale 
deals  in  registered  cattle  of  recent  years.  In  1901  they  bought  sixty-five  head 
of  registered  cattle  in  one  lot.  D.  L.  Dawdy  &  Co.  have  made  many  success- 
ful sales  I)oth  private  and  public.  In  1899  Mr.  Dawdy  came  to  .Atchison 
county,  Kansas,  and  took  charge  of  tlie  George  W.  Glick  farms,  near  Atchi- 
son, Kan.  This  ])osition  ga\'e  him  cliarge  of  a  herd  of  registered  Short- 
horns. In  1901  he  bought  the  farm  whicli  he  now  owns,  consisting  of  405 
acres,  lying  one-half  mile  north  of  Arrington,  Kan.  On  this  place  he  has 
devoted  himself  to  the  breeding  of  fine  cattle  and  has  made  that  his  principal 
work.  His  exhibits  have  taken  high  honors  at  the  stock  shows  in  Kansas 
City  and  Chica.go.  A  number  of  years  ago  he  bought  "Sunshine."  a  fine  cow 
in  the  herd  owned  b_\-  .Senator  W.  A.  Harris,  nas'ing  $223  for  her.     b'our  of 


8lO  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

her  calves  liave  brou.^ht  him  $1,365.     He  has  owned  tliree  cows  whicli  sold 
for  $800  each,  and  in  1902  he  sold  thirty  head  of  cattle  at  $266.66  each. 

On  May  15,  100 1,  Mr.  Dawdy  married  Xellie  B.  Prim,  who  was  born  on 
a  farm  near  Atchison.  Kan.,  April  3,  t88i.  Her  father,  Charles  S.  Prim, 
Avas  a  native  of  Tennessee,  while  the  mother.  Sophia  (Christian)  Prim,  came 
from  the  Isle  of  Man.  Both  parents  are  now  dead.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dawdy 
have  four  cliildren,  all  of  whom  are  living  at  home:  Ruth.  John,  Helen  and 
Glenn.  Two  died  in  infancy.  Mrs.  Dawdy  carries  her  husband's  hobbies 
into  the  domestic  end  of  the  farm.  She  makes  a  specialty  of  raising  fine 
turkeys,  raising  the  bronze  variety.  She  sells  eggs  from  her  turkeys  for 
fifty  cents  apiece,  and  often  gets  as  high  as  $7.50  for  a  turkey.  She  saved 
$150  from  tl^e  sale  of  eggs  and  bouglit  a  Shorthorn  calf  which  is  worth  S300 
today.  Air.  Dawdy  is  working  to  make  his  home  an  ideal  country  place. 
His  house  is  on  one  of  the  finest  locations  in  the  county.  By  installing  15,000 
feet  of  drainage,  at  a  cost  of  $1,200,  he  has  reclaimed  fifty-two  acres  of  soil, 
which  previous  owners  of  the  place  had  thought  to  be  too  wet  to  cultivate,  but 
since  installing  tlie  drainage  system  Mr.  Dawdy  has  raised  annually  fine 
crops  of  corn  and  wheat  on  it.  The  Delaware  has  a  haljit  of  overflowing 
and  Mr.  Dawdy  was  one  of  the  first  farmers  to  suggest  the  organization  of 
County  Drainage  District,  Number  One.  comprising  8,300  acres,  and  is  nine 
miles  in  length  as  the  crow  flies,  while  the  Delaware  river  course  is  at  present 
nineteen  and  one-half  miles,  and  the  drainage  system  shortens  the  run  seven 
and  one-half  miles.  doul)les  the  velocity  of  the  stream  and  increases  its  carry- 
ing capacity  four  and  one-half  times.  The  expense  or  total  cost  of  the  ditch 
will  be  $100,000  and  will  increase  land  \alues  tremendously.  Mr.  Dawdy 
is  one  of  the  directors  of  the  enterprise.  Mr.  Dawdy  owns  405H  acres  of 
land  which  has  a  fine  large  residence  on  it.  The  location  is  one  of  the  most 
beautiful  in  Atchison  county.  On  a  clear  day  Horton,  fifteen  miles  north, 
can  be  plainly  seen ;  Holton  looms  up  twelve  miles  west,  Muscotah.  seven 
miles  nnrtii.  Valley  Falls,  twelve  miles  southeast.  Larkin.  two  and  a  half  miles 
west,  and  Arrington,  one-half  mile  south.  Mr.  Dawdy  has  a  complete  set 
of  volumes  of  American  herd  books,  and  knows  the  pedigree  of  every  animal 
on  his  place.  He  is  a  memljer  of  the  American  Shorthorn  Breeders'  Asso- 
ciation of  Chicago,  and  knows  the  latest  facts  about  the  cattle  busine.ss.  His 
home  is  highly  improved  with  silos  and  drainage  facilities.  He  is  a  Demo- 
crat in  politics  and  a  member  of  the  district  school  board  and  tlie  drainage  dis- 
trict Xo.  ],  of  Atchison  county,  Kansas.  He  belongs  to  the  Ancient  b'ree  and 
Accepted  Masons,  of  Muscotah. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  8ll 

JOHN  M.  PRICE. 

John  M.  Price,  deputy  county  treasurer,  farmer  and  stockman,  of  Mt. 
Pleasant  township,  Atchison  county,  is  a  native  born  Kansan,  and  son  of  John 
M.  Price,  deceased,  who  was  one  of  the  most  distinguislied  memljers  of  the 
Kansas  bar,  and  who  practiced  his  profession  in  tlie  city  of  Atchison  for  forty 
years. 

John  M.  Price,  the  father,  was  born  in  Richmund,  Madison  county, 
Kentucky,  in  October,  1829,  a  son  of  Thomas  S.  and  Sarah  (Jarman)  Price. 
His  paternal  grandfather  was  Moses  M.  Price,  and  his  maternal  grandfather 
was  John  Jarman.  Moses  M.  married  Catherine  Broadus,  and  John  Jarman 
married  Elizabeth  Broadus,  the  two  women  being  dist:'.nt  relatives.  Moses 
M.  Price  and  wife  were  both  natives  of  Virginia,  and  removed  to  Madison 
county,  Kentucky,  in  the  early  part  of  the  nineteenth  century,  with  their  re- 
spective parents.  After  his  marriage  in  Kentucky,  Moses  M.  made  his  home 
in  Estill  county,  Kentucky.  Pie  was  the  father  of  ten  children,  tlie  fourth 
of  whom  was  Thomas  M.  Price,  father  of  Jolin  M.,  the  elder,  and  who  mar- 
ried Sarah  Jarman  in  1828.  Sarah  (Jarman)  Price  was  a  daughter  of  John 
and  Elizabeth  (Broadus)  Jarman.  This  marriage  was  blessed  with  three 
children:  Thomas  E..  John  M.,  and  Mary  W.  The  mother  died  in  1836.  and 
in  1838  Thomas  M.  Price  married  Miss  Elizabeth  Combs,  of  Clark  county, 
Kentucky,  and  the  following  fall  removed  to  a  home  in  Johnson  county,  Mis- 
souri. From  Johnson  county  he  removed  to  Pettis  county.  Missouri,  and 
farmed  there  until  1845,  after  which  he  returned  to  Estill  county,  Kentucky. 
In  1853  Thomas  S.  and  faniil\-  started  for  Texas,  where  he  resided  until 
his  demise  at  Mt.  Pleasant,  Titus  county,  in  1857. 

|ohn  M.  Price,  father  of  tlie  present  deputy  county  treasure)-,  returned 
from  Missouri  to  Kentucky  with  his  father,  and  remained  at  the  home  of  his 
uncle.  Morgan  i\I.  Price,  whom  he  assisted  in  his  farm  work,  and  also  at- 
tended school  at  Irvine,  the  county  seat  of  Estill  county.  In  1845  and  1846 
he  was  employed  in  a  drygoods  store  at  Irvine,  and  in  the  fall  of  1847  he 
accepted  a  home  with  Col.  Walter  Chiles,  a  prominent  lawyer  and  [Mlitician 
of  Mt.  Sterling.  Ky.,  who  had  married  Jane  Price,  an  aunt  of  John  M.  Price. 
After  attending  school  in  the  fall  and  winter.  Mr.  Price  became  a  clerk  in 
the  office  of  the  county  clerk  of  Montgomery  county,  Kentucky.  While  per- 
forming his  duties  in  the  county  clerk's  office  he  read  law  in  the  office  of 
Colonel  Chiles  and  was  admitted  to  the  practice  of  his  profession  in  March, 
1848.  He  first  opened  a  law  office  at  Ii-vine,  and  in  1851  was  elected  county 
attornev  of  Estill  county;  reelected   in    1855,  and  continued  to  serve  until 


8l2  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY 

July,  1858,  when  he  resigned  in  order  to  remove  to  Kansas.  He  determined 
on  Atchison  as  his  future  abiding  place,  and  accordingly,  located  in  tins  city 
September  i,  1858. 

Kansas  was  then  a  territory,  and  for  forty-one  years  of  the  development 
of  the  State,  Mr.  Price  was  an  important  factor  in  promoting  its  interests 
and  welfare.  He  soon  built  up  an  extensive  law  practice  in  the  growing  city 
of  the  great  bend  on  the  Missouri,  and  took  an  active  and  influential  part  in- 
political  affairs,  allying  himself  with  the  newly  formed  Republican  party.  He 
early  identified  himself  with  the  controlling  organization  of  his  party,  and 
for  twenty  years  prior  to  his  demise  he  was  a  delegate  to  every  Republican 
county  convention,  and  to  many  State  conventions.  In  1859,  when  Judge 
Otis  resigned  the  office  of  county  attorney,  Mr.  Price  was  appointed  to  fill 
the  vacancy  by  the  board  of  county  commissioners,  and  served  until  Kan- 
sas vras  admitted  into  the  Union,  when  he  was  nominated  and  elected  to  the 
office  at  the  first  general  election  under  the  State  constitution.  In  1861  he 
was  elected  police  judge  of  the  city  and  re-elected  in  1862  and  1863.  He 
was  elected  a  member  of  the  city  council  in  1864  and  served  for  three  years 
in  succession  as  a  member  of  that  body.  He  was  elected  maj^or  of  the  city 
without  opposition  in  1867.  In  the  fall  of  1866  he  was  elected  State  senator 
from  Atchisrin  cnunty  for  a  two-years'  term,  and  while  serving  as  State  sen.- 
ator  he  was  appointed  by  Governor  Crawford  as  one  of  the  commissioners  to 
revise  the  general  laws  of  the  State.  Mr.  Price  was  chairman  of  the  commis- 
sion, which  was  composed  of  himself,  Samuel  A.  Riggs,  of  Lawrence,  and 
James  McCahon,  of  Leavenworth.  The  revision  thus  made  was  adopted  by  the 
legislature  without  much  amendment,  and  the  general  statutes  of  1868  were 
printed  and  published  during  that  year  under  the  supervision  of  this  com- 
mission. In  the  same  year  Mr.  Price  was  made  chairman  of  the  judiciary 
committee  of  the  senate,  to  which  bodv  he  was  reelected  in  1870,  and  served 
during  the  sessions  of  187 1  and  1872,  and  on  the  organization  of  the  senate, 
he  was  chosen  president  of  the  body.  He  was  a  candidate  for  governor  of 
the  State  before  the  Republican  convention  in  the  fall  of  1872,  and  was  a  lead- 
ing candidate  until  the  tenth  and  last  ballot,  when  all  the  opposing  candidates 
threw  their  support  to  Thomas  A.  Osborne.  In  the  memorable  contest  for 
the  L'^nitcd  States  senatorship  in  1873,  Mr.  Price's  friends  presented  him  as 
a  candidate  before  the  anti-Pomeroy  caucus,  and  for  the  first  nineteen  liallots 
Mr.  Price  was  the  leading  candidate,  and  then  John  J.  Ingalls  was  chosen  by 
the  convention  on  a  unanimous  vote.  In  1892  he  was  again  elected  to  the 
State  senate  and  served  in  the  memorable  sessions  of  1893  and  1S95. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  813 

On  January  10,  1854,  Jolm  M.  Price  was  married  in  Irvine,  Ky.,  to 
Eliza  Jarman  Park,  the  only  daughter  of  Elihu  and  Mary  Park.  This  niar- 
riag'e  was  blessed  with  the  following  children:  Mollie  F.,  born  in  Irvine, 
October  12,  1854,  married  Charles  B.  Singleton,  of  Atchison,  for  twenty- 
seven  years  assistant  postmaster,  and  now  bookkeeper  for  the 'Exchange 
National  Bank;  Nannie  B.,  born  in  Irvine  August  28,  1856,  wife  of  F.  L, 
Vandergrift,  editor  of  the  Santa  Fe  publications,  Kansas  City,  Mo.;  John  M. 
died  in  Januaiy,  1875  ;  John  M.,  Jr.,  with  whom  this  review  is  directly  con- 
cerned, and  Eliza  P.  The  mother  of  these  children  was  born  in  Irvine.  Ky., 
August  22,  1832,  and  resides  at  present  in  Kansas  City,  Mo. 

John  M.  Price,  Sr..  died  October  19.  1898.  He  was  one  of  the  dis- 
tinguished Masons  of  Kansas.  He  sei-ved  as  the  grand  high  priest  of  the 
Grand  Royal  Arch  Chapter  of  Kansas,  and  was  secretary  of  that  body ;  he 
was  president  of  the  council  of  the  Holy  Order  of  High  Priesthood ;  grand 
treasurer  of  the  Grand  Council  of  Royal  and  Select  Masters  of  the  State; 
also  president  of  the  Kansas  Masons'  Protective  Association;  was  a  thirty- 
second  degree  Mason,  and  a  member  of  Medina  Temple,  No.  31,  of  the  Mystic 
Shrine,  and  was  also  a  member  of  Shiloh  Conclave.  No.  i.  Knights  of  the 
Red  Cross  of  Constantine,  Knights  of  the  Holy  Sepulchre,  and  Knights  of 
St.  John  the  Evangelist.  He  served  one  term  as  grand  master  of  the  most 
worthy  grand  lodge  of  the  Odd  Fellows,  and  was  twice  elected  a  grand  rep- 
resentative to  the  grand  lodge  of  the  E^nited  States.  He  sA'ved  one  term  as 
grand  chancellor  of  the  grand  lodge,  and  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias  was  the 
supreme  representative  to  the  supreme  lodge  of  the  world  for  four  years.  Pie 
was  the  grand  master  workman  of  the  grand  lodge  of  the  Ancient  Order  of 
United  Workmen  of  Kansas ;  was  a  member  of  the  grand  lodge  of  the 
Knights  of  Honor,  served  as  assistant  director,  and  as  president  of  the  Atch- 
ison lodge  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Mutual  Aid.  b"or  years  a  dis- 
tinguished and  able  member  of  the  legal  profession,  he  was  one  of  the  most 
respected  and  useful  citizens  of  Atchison  and  the  State  of  Kansas. 

John  M.  Price,  whose  career  naturally  follows  that  of  his  distinguished 
parent,  was  born  oVIarch  27.  1876.  in  Atchison.  He  was  educated  in  the  pub- 
lic schools,  and  graduated  from  Midland  College  in  1894.  After  complet- 
ing the  course  in  Midland  College,  he  entered  Wittenberg  University,  at 
Springfield,  Ohio,  and  was  graduated  from  that  institution  in  1897,  with  the 
degree  of  Master  of  Arts.  For  some  time  he  was  engaged  in  the  profession 
of  teaching,  and  was  assistant  professor  of  chemistrv  and  physics  at  Midland 
College  from  1894  until  1895.  For  two  years  he  filled  tlic  ])ost  of  buyer  at 
the  Kansas  State  penitentiary,  at  Lansing,  ami  ihrn  located  on  his  farm  in 


8l4  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

Mt.  Pleasant  township,  near  the  city  of  Atchison.  He  followed  farming  and 
stock  raising  with  success.  He  was  appointed  deputy  county  treasurer  under 
U.  B.  Sharpless  in  the  fall  of  1915,  and  is  now  filling  the  duties  of  his  office 
faithfully  and  conscientiously. 

Mr.  "Price  was  married  August  12,  1903,  to  Miss  Fan  Ballew.  who  has 
borne  him  one  child,  Jane  Ballew  Price,  born  June  2,  1911.  Airs.  Price  was 
born  in  Madison  county,  Kentucky,  March  19,  1885,  a  daughter  of  George 
W.  and  Jennie  (Francis)  Ballew,  both  of  whom  were  descended  from  old 
Kentucky  families.  It  is  a  matter  of  history  that  the  grandfather  of  Mrs. 
Price,  Francis,  by  name,  owned  the  slaves  which  escaped  from  the  Kentucky 
plantation  across  the  Ohio  river,  and  from  whom  the  character,  Eliza,  in 
"Uncle  Tom's  Cabin"  was  taken. 

Undoubtedly,  John  M.  Price  is  one  of  the  rising  young  men  of  Atchison 
county,  who  is  at  the  beginning  of  a  career  which  is  destined  to  reflect  credit 
upon  the  memory  of  his  illustrious  father.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Benevo- 
lent and  Protective  Order  of  Elks,  and  is  the  present  exalted  ruler  (jf  that  body, 
and  is  a  prominent  member  of  the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen,  and 
the  Fraternal  Aid  Union. 


BOYD  ROYER. 


Boyd  Royer,  farmer  and  stockman,  of  Kapioma  township,  Atchison 
county.  Kansas,  has  reason  to  be  proud  of  his  family  tree.  His  mother  was 
the  first  white  child  to  be  born  in  Kapioma  township,  Atchison  county.  She 
was  Emma  Hammond  before  her  marriage  to  George  Royer,  and  was  born  in 
1861  to  William  and  Lena  (Brutton)  Hammond,  who  came  over  from  Mis- 
souri and  settled  in  Kansas  a  short  time  before  her  birth.  Her  ancestors  were 
Kentuckians.  The  father  of  Boyd  Royer  was  a  PennsyKanian,  having  been 
born  in  Union  county,  that  State,  in  1859.  He  grew  up  with  the  common 
schooling  of  the  time  and  learned  the  blacksmith's  trade.  Coming  to  Kansas 
in  1879,  he  worked  by  the  month  near  Effingham  for  a  while  and  later  en- 
gaged in  farming  in  Kapioma  township,  where  he  rented  a  farm  until  his 
retirement  in  1910.  when  he  moved  to  Valley  Falls.  Kan. 

Boyd  Royer,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  born  May  13,  1881,  four 
miles  east  of  Arrington.  Kan.  He  was  the  oldest  child  of  four  children.  The 
other  children  are:  Walter,  with  the  J.  I.  Case  Company,  Kansas  City,  Mo.; 
Miles,  a   Government  employee,   Washington,   D.   C,   and   George,   Kansas 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  815 

City,  Mo.  The  mother  died  in  1905.  Boyd  Royer  gTevv  up  on  his  father's 
farm  and  attended  scliool  in  chstrict  No.  31  of  Kapioma  township.  In  1901 
he  rented  land  near  Arrin^ton.  Kan.,  and  in  1909  bouglit  160  acres,  and  buiU 
a  fine  barn,  36x36  feet,  on  tliis  place  and  has  a  large  eight-room  house  on 
the  place.  All  buildings  are  well  painted  and  kept  in  excellent  condition,  and 
everything  around  the  place  is  kept  in  neat  order. 

In  1905  Boyd  Royer  married  Mabel  Beyer,  who  was  Ixirn  June  _'0,  1882, 
in  Kapioma  township,  Atchison  county.  She  is  a  daugliter  of  Asa  and  Susan 
Beyer,  both  natives  of  Pennsylvania,  wlio  came  to  ^Vtchison  county  in  the 
early  days.  Mr.  Royer  is  a  Republican.  He  is  a  steward  in  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church.     Mr.  and  Mrs.  Royer  have  no  children. 


LEWIS  H.  HUBBARD. 


Lewis  H.  Hubbard,  farmer  and  stockman,  of  Kapioma  township,  Atch- 
ison county,  was  born  March  13,  1872,  in  Cass  County,  Missouri.  He  is  a 
son  of  Simeon  and  I\Iary  Ann  (Pence)  Hubbard,  who  were  the  parents  of 
the  following  children :  William,  Kapioma  township,  Atchison  county,  Kan- 
sas; Lillie  O'Conner,  widow,  Muscotah,  Kan.;  Cora  Routh,  Kapioma  town- 
ship: Lewis,  subject  of  this  sketch,  and  two  children  who  died  in  infancy.  The 
fatlier  of  Lewis  Hubbard  was  born  March  10,  1840.  in  Indiana,  and  grew 
up  as  a  farmer,  following  that  occupation  after  coming  to  Kansas  in  1874.  He 
settled  near  Muscotah  and  rented  land  for  a  period  of  four  years  and  during 
that  time  he  saved  his  money  carefully.  When  he  came  to  Kansas  he  was 
without  funds,  but  at  the  end  of  four  years  he  had  accumulated  enough  to 
enable  him  to  buy  a  fann.  In  addition  to  growing  his  crops  he  fed  stock  and 
did  a  hustling  business  in  that  line.  He  is  still  living  and  resides  at  Mus- 
cotah, Kan.  The  mother  of  Lewis  Hubbard  is  also  living.  Lewis  Hubbard 
went  to  school  in  the  Rose  Valley  district.  He  received  a  common  school  edu- 
cation and  worked  with  his  father  on  the  latter's  farm  until  1909,  when  he 
bought  a  farm  of  his  own  and  became  his  own  manager.  The  place  con- 
sisted of  160  acres  of  fine  tillable  soil  and  is  located  in  section  16,  southeast 
quarter  of  Muscotah  township.  Mr.  Hubbard  has  devoted  consideraljle  atten- 
tion to  improving  the  appearance  of  his  farm  and  has  constructed  a  fine  seven- 
room  cottage,  and  has  built  a  large  barn  to  provide  shelter  for  his  stock  and 
hay.     He  keeps  the  best  Jersey  cows  and  milks  eight  to  twelve  of  them  for 


8l6  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

the  dairy.     Mr.  Hubbard  is  a  stockholder  in  the  farmers'  grain  elevator  at 
Muscotah,  Kan. 

In  1897  Mr.  Hubbard  married  Anna  Hinkston,  who  was  born  May  5, 
1880,  in  Doniphan  county,  Kansas.  She  is  a  daughter  of  Frank  and  Dorinda 
(Tate)  Hinkston,  who  now  live  in  Jackson  county,  Kansas.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Hubbard  are  the  parents  of  two  children,  as  follows :  Ethel,  aged  sixteen,  who 
attends  the  Atchison  Countv  High  School  at  Effingham,  and  Leslie,  aged 
seven,  living  with  his  parents.  The  daughter  is  also  studying  music,  and  her 
father  hopes  to  give  her  a  thorough  education  in  that  subject.  Mr.  Hubbard 
is  a  Democrat  of  an  independent  stamp.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Adventist 
church  and  is  a  deacon  in  that  denomination.  If  there  is  one  thing  that  Mr. 
Hubbard  takes  pride  in  more  than  anotlicr  it  is  in  his  cliildren's  education 
He  realizes  the  value  of  an  education  and  desires  that  his  children  have  every 
advantage  of  education  that  he  can  give  them. 


ARTHUR  S.  SCHURMAN. 


:\tchison  countv  is  principally  an  agricultural  cimimunity.  and  wA  unlike 
most  sections  of  the  great  Middle  ^^^est,  the  general  wealth  and  standing  of 
the  ciimmunitv  is  commensurate  with  the  thrift,  enterprise  and  industry  of 
tlie  :ndi\i(lual  farmers.  He  whose  name  introduces  this  sketch  is  a  repre- 
sentative of  that  tv|)e  of  men  whose  efforts  have  i)Iaced  .\tchison  county 
in  the  foremost  rank  of  the  1 10  political  sulvdivisions  of  the  great  state  of 
of  Kansas. 

Arthur  S.  Schurman  is  one  of  the  substantia]  and  enterprising  agricul- 
turists in  Bcntrin  tuwuship.  and  has  lieen  a  resident  of  ilic  township  fur  the 
past  thirty  years.  He  is  the  owner  of  202  acres  of  well  improved  land,  which 
is  noted  for  its  excellent  yields  of  grain.  For  the  past  ten  years  Mr.  Schur- 
man has  been  one  of  the  most  successful  wheat  growers  in  Atchison  county, 
or  even  in  the  State.  He  has  produced  the  great  yield  of  2,330  bu.shels  of 
wheat  on  a  tract  of  eighty  acres.  A  handsome  farm  residence,  tastefully 
painted  a  clean  white,  presents  an  attractive  appearance  on  a  rise  of  land 
fronting  the  highway,  which  passes  ea.st  and  west  in  front  of  his  land.  This 
fine  home  was  ])uill  l)v  Mr.  Schunnan  in  i<;i  1.  and  comprises  eleven  rooms  in 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  817 

all.  with  a  heatinj^-  and  water  ])ressure  system,  which  cnniplctelv  modernizes 
the  home.  The  residence  is  nicely  situated  in  the  midst  of  a  fine  grove,  which 
affords  a  generous  shade  in  summer.  Mr.  Schurman  carries  on  diversified 
farming-  and  raises  a  consideral)Ie  amount  of  live  stock. 

Arthur  S.  Schurman  was  horn  January  it,  1864,  in  Prince  Edward 
Island,  Dominion  of  Canada,  and  is  a  son  of  Caleb  Schurman.  who  was  born 
December  8,  1829.  on  Prince  Edward  Island,  a  son  of  English  parents,  who 
left  their  native  land  and  settled  on  the  island  many  vears  ago.  The  great- 
grandfather of  Arthur  Schurman  was  a  German  by  birth,  who  established 
a  home  in  England.  The  mother  of  Arthur  S.  was  Sarah  Creswell  before 
her  marriage.  She  was  born  May  15,  1835,  and  died  on  the  home  place  in 
Benton  township,  November  15.  1889.  ^^d^en  but  a  child  she  went  from 
England  to  Prince  Edward  •Island  with  her  parents.  The  Schurman  family 
lived  on  their  native  island  until  1876,  and  then  immigrated  to  the  United 
States,  going  first  to  Des  Moines,  Iowa,  in  search  of  a  suitable  location. 
After  a  residence  of  eight  months  in  Des  Moines,  the  family  came  to  Atchi- 
son, Kan.,  where  Arthur  Schurman  was  employed  in  a  harness  shop  for 
three  years,  and  also  drove  a  coal  wagon  for  a  retail  coal  dealer  for  a  time. 
Caleb  Schurman  rented  a  fann  south  of  Atchison,  and  later  bought  the  farm 
now  owned  by  his  son,  Arthur.  Four  children  were  born  to  Caleb  and  Sarah 
Schurman,  namely:  ]\Irs.  J.  B.  O'Connell.  Denver,  Colo.:  Frederick  Robert, 
a  resident  of  Effingham.  Kan.;  Percy  Ernest,  who  died  in  September,  1896, 
and  Arthur  S.,  the  oldest  of  the  family. 

.\rthur  Schurman  was  twelve  years  of  age  when  the  family  came  to 
the  Cnited  States,  and  received  a  portion  of  his  schooling  in  his  nati\e  land. 
He  remained  with  his  father,  and  assi.sted  him  in  developing  his  Atchison 
county  farm,  purchasing  the  land  from  his  father  when  he  came  to  man's 
estate.  Caleb  Schurman  makes  his  home  with  his  son,  Arthur  S.,  who  mar- 
ried in  August  of  1890,  to  Emma  Pruitl,  of  Atchison,  Kan.,  a  daughter  of 
James  Pruitt.  This  marriage  has  been  blessed  with  the  following  children : 
Sadie  Mary,  born  October  5,  1892,  the  wife  of  Fred  Dooley,  of  Lancaster 
township;  Martha,  bom  April  3,  1893;  George  Herbert,  born  September  21, 
1895;  Arthur  Ernest,  born  June  3,  1899,  and  died  October  19,  1900;  Ralpli, 
born   March  25,   1902. 

Mr.  Schurman  is  a  Republican,  but  has  never  found  time  to  take  an 
active  part  in   political  affairs.      He  was   reared  in   the   Epi.scojialian   faitl:. 


8l8  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

but  the  members  of  his  family  attend  the  Christian  church  at  Effingham. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  lodge  and  the  Central  Protective  Association. 


C.  A.  LILLY,  M.  D. 


C.  A.  Lilly,  M.  D.,  a  well  known  member  of  the  medical  profession  of 
Atchison  county,  is  a  native  of  the  Buckeye  State.  He  was  born  at  Mans- 
field, Ohio,  and  is  a  son  of  S.  and  Clara  (Beard)  Lilly.  The  father  was  a 
lumberman.  Dr.  Lilly  was  reared  and  educated  in  Mansfield,  Ohio,  and 
Chicago,  111.,  and  after  obtaining  a  good  academic  and  classical  education,  he 
entered  the  Chicago  Medical  College  in  1897  and  was  graduated  in  the  class 
of  1901  with  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  I^Iedicine.  He  then  came  to  Kansas 
and  engaged  in  the  practice  of  his  profession  at  Seneca.  After  remaining 
there  about  one  year  and  a  half  he  returned  to  Chicago  and  took  a  post-grad- 
uate course  in  Rush  Medical  College,  and  did  considerable  hospital  work.  In 
1904  he  located  in  Atchison,  where  he  has  since  been  successfully  engaged  in 
the  practice  of  medicine  and  has  one  of  the  extensive  practices  of  Atchison 
county.  He  has  been  division  surgeon  for  the  Missouri  Pacific  railroad  since 
1911. 

Dr.  Lilly  was  united  in  marriage  in  1902  to  Miss  Isabel  Smith,  of  Hia- 
watha, Kan.  Dr.  Lilly  is  a  mem1)er  of  the  Northeastern  Kansas  and  the 
Missouri  Valley  Medical  associations  and  also  belongs  to  the  County,  State 
and  American  Medical  association. 


FRANK  J.  WATOWA. 


Frank  J.  W'atowa,  a  successful  farmer  of  Shannon  township,  Atchison 
county,  was  born  in  Jefferson  countj-,  Wisconsin,  October  3,  1854,  and  is 
a  son  of  Joseph  and  Catherine  Watowa,  natives  of  Austria,  who  emigrated 
from  their  native  land  to  \\'isconsin  where  they  resided  until  i860,  when  they 
came  to  Missouri,  locating  in  Buchanan  county,     .\bout  1870  the  family  came 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  819 

to  Atchison  and  located  on  a  farm  in  Shannon  township  where  his  son.  Joseph 
H.  Watowa.  now  resides.  Tlie  father  died  in  1895.  Frank  J.  Watowa  is 
one  of  a  family  of  seven  children,  born  to  Joseph  and  Catherine  Watowa.  as 
follows:  Man-.  Henry.  Joseph  H..  Mollie.  Earnest,  Paullina  and  Frank. 

Frank  J.  \\'atowa  was  married  in  1879  to  Miss  Anna  Falk.  who  died  in 
1885,  leaving  three  children,  as  follows:  Mary,  the  wife  of  Antone  Lutz,  of 
Lancaster  township:  Josepliine  resides  in  Colorado  Springs.  Colo.,  and  Anna, 
deceased.  On  June  24,  1892,  Mr.  Watowa  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Amanda  Smith,  and  four  cliildren  have  been  born  to  this  union,  as  follows : 
Sarah,  Frances,  Frank  and  Lawrence. 

Mr.  Watowa  is  one  of  the  extensive  farmers  of  Atchison  county.  He 
has  280  acres  of  land,  nicelj'  located  and  very  productive.  Li  1895  he  built 
a  handsome  stone  residence,  which  is  one  of  the  finest  farm  homes  to  be 
found  in  the  county.  Politically  he  is  a  Democrat,  and  he  and  his  family  are 
members  of  the  Catholic  church.  He  is  a  progressive  and  public  spirited 
citizen  and  one  of  the  substantial  men  of  Atchison  countv. 


LEWIS  BRADLEY. 


Lewis  Bradley,  farmer  and  stockman,  of  Kapioma  township,  x'Vtchison 
county,  w'as  born  February  24,  1857.  ''"^  Henderson  county,  Illinois,  and  is 
a  son  of  Hamilton  J.  and  Sarah  E.  (Pence)  Bradley.  The  father  was  bom 
in  Steuben  county,  New  York,  October  27,  1834.  He  folowed  the  stonemason's 
trade.  Coming  to  Atchison  county,  Kansas,  several  years  later,  in  1880,  bought 
the  farm  of  160  acres  which  his  son  now  owns.  He  came  to  Kansas  with 
very  little  capital,  but  was  able  to  save  enough  money  to  buy  160  acres  in 
Canadian  county,  Oklahoma.  His  death  occurred  May  24,  1914.  The  mother, 
who  died  March  8,  1908,  was  born  in  Lycoming  county,  Pennsylvania,  May 
14,  1837.  Lewis  Bradley,  the  subject  of  tin's  sketch,  spent  the  first  few  years 
of  his  life  in  Illinois,  Missouri  and  Iowa,  and  then  was  brought  to  Kansas  by 
his  parents  in  1874.  He  farmed  with  his  father  until  1898.  when  he  bought 
the  home  farm  and  built  a  fine  nine-room  house  on  the  place,  a  two-story 
dwelling.  In  1913  he  erected  a  large  barn,  48x60  feet,  and  keeps  the  best 
graded  stock.  Mr.  Bradley  was  married  September  5.  188 1,  to  Minnie 
Streeter,  who  was  born  in  Boone  county,  Illinois,  October  28,  1865.  She  is  a 
daughter  of  Rev.  W'illirun  H.  and  Hanna  (\'andicar)  Streeter.  both  natives 
of  Watertown,  N.  Y.   Mr.  Streeter  came  to  Kansas  in  1870.    He  was  a  Metli- 


820  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

odist  minister  and  established  churches  all  over  Kansas.  He  was  bom  Sep- 
tember i6,  1825,  and  died  Feliruary  28,  191 1.  Hanna,  his  wife,  was  born 
May  16,  1826,  and  died  July  29,  1879.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bradley  have  four 
children  as  follows :  Maud  married  Albert  \\'illiams,  railroad  contractor. 
Muscotah,  Kan.,  wlio  is  a  graduate  of  the  count\-  high  school  and  taught  for 
fourteen  years:  Bessie,  deceased;  Henry,  li\-ing  at  home,  graduate  of 
business  college  of  Kansas  City,  Mo. ;  Leslie  married  Miss  Mabel  Swisher,  and 
has  three  children,  Elberta,  Clarence  and  Bessie.  Mr.  Bradley  is  a  Republican, 
and  belongs  to  the  Modem  Woodmen  of  America  and  to  the  Mystic  Workers 
of  tlie  World.  He  and  his  wife  were  charter  members  of  the  Advent  Chris- 
tian church  at  Muscotah.  Mr.  Bradley  is  the  oldest  li\ing  of  a  family  of 
ele\en  cliildren:  the  others  living  are:  I.avelle  Cireen.  l.e\i.  Ellen  Sheets. 
Elmer,  May  Sommers,  and  Mary  Raasch. 


ALFRED  T.  HAMON. 


Alfred  J-  Hamon,  farmer,  stockman  and  Iniiider,  is  one  of  those  self- 
made  men  whose  careers  demonstrate  to  our  growing  youths  the  possibilities 
of  industry  and  .good  management.  Bnrn  wilii  no  imusual  gifts  and  of  ])ar- 
ents  who  were  only  in  moderate  circumstances,  he  has,  by  his  own  efforts, 
built  up  a  worthy  name  for  himself  in  the  community  in  which  he  lives.  Mr. 
Hamon  was  born  in  Kapioma  township,  Atchison  county,  Kansas,  J^dy  10, 
1863.  He  was  one  of  five  children  born  to  William  and  Leanah  (Brutton) 
Hamon.  Emma  Royer,  the  oldest  child,  is  dead ;  .'\lfred,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  is  the  second  in  order  of  birth.  The  otlicrs  are :  Xancy  Heimbach,  Ef- 
fingham, Kan.;  John,  Jefferson  county,  Kansas;  Samuel,  Kapioma  township. 
The  father  was  a  Kentuckian,  born  in  1835,  and  during  part  of  his  young 
manhood  he  farmed  in  his  native  State.  Coming  to  Kansas  in  the  early 
days,  he  homesteaded  160  acres  in  Kapioma  township,  Atciiison  county.  This 
land  was  covered  with  timber,  and  rather  tlian  attempt  to  clear  it,  he  traded 
it  for  prairie  land  which  composed  the  farm  on  which  he  lived  until  his 
death  in  1873,  and  his  widow  is  living  on  the  farm  in  Kapioina  township,  at 
the  age  of  seventy-six  years. 

Alfred  Hamon  grew  up  on  the  farm  and  attended  school  at  Cole  Creek 
district  a  few  months  each  year,  and  at  the  age  of  twenty-one  he  started  out 
for  himself,  renting  a  farm.     Three  years  later  he  bought  the  place  and  owned 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  82 1 

it  three  years.  He  then  worked  at  the  carpenters'  trade  in  Atchison  for  tiiree 
years  and  (hn^ing  this  time  he  worked  in  many  jilaces  around  Atciiis(jn  and 
helped  erect  some  of  the  more  important  buildings,  which  were  constructed 
during  that  time.  Another  two  years  was  spent  on  the  farm  in  Kapioma 
to^\'nship,  and  Mr.  Hamon  returned  again  to  Atchison  to  work  at  his  trade. 
Carpenter  work  appealed  to  him  more  than  farming  and  he  spent  twenty- 
three  Acars  handling  the  plane  and  the  saw.  For  thirteen  years  of  this  time 
he  did  contracting  and  su]:)ervised  the  erection  of  many  buildings.  Mean- 
while he  accumulated  considerable  property  in  Atchison,  and  in  1906,  the 
exacting  work  of  carpentry  became  tedious  to  Mr.  Hamon,  and  he  returned 
to  farming,  after  twenty-three  years  in  Atchison.  He  had  eighty  acres  of 
well  improved  land  in  Kapioma  township,  section  23.  He  built  a  fine  house 
and  barn,  utilizing  his  experience  in  construction  work  to  put  up  the  best 
buildings  that  the  money  would  afford.  His  improvements  cost  $4,000.  Mr. 
Hamon  was  a  real  farmer  as  well  as  a  carpenter.  In  191 1  he  won  first  prize 
with  an  exhibit  of  yellow  corn  at  the  Muscotah  fair. 

In  1884  he  married  Emma  Tull,  who  was  born  in  October,  1863,  in  Ka- 
pioma township,  Atchison  county.  She  is  a  daughter  of  John  and  Hanna  H. 
(Rust)  Tull,  Virginians,  who  settled  in  Atchison  county  at  an  early  date. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hamon  have  five  children  as  follows:  Effie,  deceased:  Edna 
Piper,  California:  Susan  Clark,  of  Kansas  City,  Kan.:  Roy  and  Ruth,  living 
at  home.  Mr.  Hamon  is  a  member  of  the  Christian  church.  He  is  a  Re- 
publican and  has  been  a  mcml)er  of  the  .school  Ijoard  in  bis  town.ship. 


JOHN  GRIFFIN. 


John  Griffin,  farmer  and  stockman,  of  Kapioma  township,  Atchison 
county,  Kansas,  is  a  native  of  Kansas,  having  been  bom  on  the  farm  where 
he  now  lives  March  25,  1882.  His  parents,  Lawrence  and  Ellen  Griffin,  lived 
on  the  farm  in  Kapioma  township.  John  Griffin  was  brought  up  on  the  farm 
and  when  a  small  bov  divitled  his  time  between  chr)res  and  school  at  flistrict 
No.  60,  Kapioma  township,  and  later  attended  St.  Benedict's  College  at  Atch- 
ison, Kan.  Considering  the  time  spent  in  school,  John  started  out  in  life 
remarkably  early,  making  his  first  venture  at  the  age  of  eighteen,  renting  a 
farm  from  his  father.  He  continues  to  work  the  farm  rented  from  his 
mother  at  the  present  time. 


S22  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

On  October  15,  1912,  John  Griffin  married  Christena  Hanson.  Mrs. 
Griffin  was  bom  November  12.  1885,  in  Doniphan  county,  Kansas.  Her  par- 
ents, Nels  and  Christena  (Henderson)  Hanson,  were  natives  of  Denmark, 
who  came  to  Doniphan  county,  Kansas,  about  1870,  where  they  engaged  in 
farming.  The  father  died  in  1892,  at  the  age  of  fifty."  The  mother  is  hving 
with  her  son,  Crist  Hanson,  in  Kapioma  township,  Atchison  county,  and  is 
si.xtv-three  years  old.  Mrs.  Griffin  attended  the  district  schools  in  Dunipluui 
county,  Kanas.  Mr.  Griffin  is  a  member  of  the  Catholic  church,  and  polit- 
ically, has  affiliated  himself  with  the  Democratic  party.  Mr.  Griffin  is  a 
conscientious  citizen  and  a  hard  worker. 


DAVID  BEYER. 


David  Beyer,  farmer  and  stockman  of  Kapioma  township,  Atchison 
county,  was  born  August  29,  1866,  in  Clearfield  county,  Pennsylvania.  He 
was  the  fourth  child  horn  to  Asa  and  Susan  Beyer,  who  were  the  parents  of 
eleven  children,  ten  of  whom  are  living,  as  follows:  Mar}-  Lewton,  Benton 
township;  Samuel,  Kapioma  township;  Christena  High.  Texas;  David,  the 
subject  of  this  sketch ;  Jane,  living  on  the  home  place ;  Clarissa,  deceased ; 
Manl'a  Scliitfhauer,  Sumner  county,  Kansas;  John,  banker,  .\rriiigton.  Kan.; 
Albert,  Caldwell,  Kan.;  Luctria  Dodson.  Kftpioma  township;  Mabel  B.  Royer, 
Kapioma  township,  Atchison  county. 

Asa  Beyer,  the  father  of  David,  was  a  carpenter  by  trade ;  he  was  born 
in  Pennsylvania  in  1835,  and  after  following  his  trade  in  his  young  manhood, 
came  to  Kansas  in  1868,  and  bought  an  eighty-acre  farm  in  Kapioma  town- 
sliip,  Atchison  county.  He  graduall\-  increased  his  holdings  to  340  acres, 
which  he  owned  at  the  time  of  his  death  in  189S.  The  mother  of  David 
Beyer  is  a  Pennsylvanian  also  and  is  now  living  on  the  home  place  in  Kapioma 
township.  David  attended  district  school  in  Pennsylvania  and  started  out  to 
shift  for  himself  at  the  age  of  twenty-one.  \^■hen  he  came  to  Kansas  and 
bought  tlie  eighty-acre  farm,  there  were  no  improvements  on  the  place.  In 
1892,  he  built  a  substantial  house  and  in  1907,  he  built  a  fine  two-story,  ten- 
room  house,  and  modern  in  every  respect.  In  191 1  he  built  a  large  barn, 
3(i.\;_'  feel.  Mr.  Rver  now  owns  -'58  acres  of  land  which  were  formerly 
owned  by  his  father. 

In  1897  Mr.  Beyer  married  Anna  Cawley,  wlio  was  bom  in  Atchison, 
Kan.,  June  30,   1862.     She  is  a  daughter  of  John  and  Margaret    (^^■elch) 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  823 

Cawley,  both  natives  of  Ireland.  'I'hey  were  early  settlers  in  Atchison,  hav- 
ing come  here  in  1858.  Later  they  came  to  Kapioma  township.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Beyer  are  the  parents  of  three  children,  as  follows :  Asa,  Marie  and 
Margaret,  all  living  at  home.  Mr.  Beyer  attends  church  regularly  though  he 
is  not  a  member  of  any  denomination.  He  belongs  to  the  Independent  Order 
of  Odd  Fellows.     He  is  a  Republican,  and  has  served  as  township  treasurer. 


GEORGE  W.  GIBSON. 


George  W.  Gibson,  farmer,  of  Kapioma  township,  Atchison  county,  was 
born  May  16,  1855,  in  Clearfield  county,  Pennsylvania.  He  is  a  son  of 
Jacob  and  Leah  (High)  Gibson,  who  were  the  parents  of  eleven  children,  eight 
of  whom  are  living.  The  father  was  born  in  Maryland,  and  the  mother  in 
Pennsylvania.  They  came  to  Kansas  in  187 1  and  .settled  in  Kapioma  town- 
ship, Atchison  county.  Here  the  father  bought  160  acres  of  land  and  erected 
a  small  house  on  it.  In  the  early  days  when  he  was  just  getting  on  his  feet 
financially,  he  had  to  economize  at  every  point  and  to  begin  with  built  a  straw 
barn.  Later,  he  improved  the  farm  until  it  was  a  modernly  equipped  place. 
Mr.  Gibson  lived  on  this  farm  until  his  dcatli  in  1900,  at  the  age  (>{  seventy- 
six  years.     The  mother  died  the  following  year  at  the  age  of  seventy. 

George  Gibson,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  attended  the  district  schools 
in  Pennsylvania,  Illinois  and  Kansas.  At  the  age  of  twenty-one  years  he 
started  out  to  farm  for  himself.  He  rented  land  for  a  year  when  he  engaged 
in  teaching  at  Larkinburg,  Jackson  county,  Kansas.  Later  he  taught  at  Ar- 
rington,  Atchison  county,  and,  altogether.  Mr.  Gibson  taught  sch'jol  for  three 
years.  He  then  bought  eighty  acres  of  unimproved  prairie  land,  which  he 
broke  and  improved.  Mr.  Gibson  used  good  judgment  in  his  investments  and 
was  successful  in  every  venture.  He  now  owns  840  acres  of  land  in  Kansas 
and  Texas.  The  farm  on  which  he  lives  is  modern  in  every  respect  and  he 
has  built  an  especially  fine  barn  on  it. 

In  1880  Mr.  Gibson  was  married  to  Elizabeth  Miller,  who  was  born 
May  9,  i860,  in  Atchison  county,  Kansas.  She  is  a  daughter  of  James  and 
Eliza  fRussell)  Miller.  The  father  was  born  in  Clay  county,  Missouri,  Au- 
gust 3,  183 1,  and  was  a  son  of  Moses  Miller,  a  Kentuckian.  James  Miller 
spent  his  early  days  in  the  West,  working  for  the  Government.  Later  he  became 
a  large  cattle  breeder  in  Atchison  county  and  came  tf)  be  known  as  the  "Cattle 
King"  because  of  his  extensive  activities  in  the  cattle  business.     He  died  at 


S24  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

Mscotah,  Kan.,  September  12,  1913,  and  the  mother  of  Mrs.  Gibson  died  in 
1879.  She  was  a  native  of  Iowa.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gibson  have  nine  children: 
Daisy  M.  Anderson,  of  ]\Iuskogee,  Okla.,  who  was  graduated  from  the  Kan- 
sas Western  Business  College,  and  later  taught  school  in  Kansas  and  Colo- 
rado; Dr.  Frank  C.  Gibson,  a  graduate  of  the  Physicians  and  Surgeons'  School 
of  Chicago,  now  practicing  in  Bovill,  Idaho,  where  he  is  surgeon  for  a  rail- 
road company  and  has  charge  of  a  hospital;  Charles  R.,  farmer.  Kapioma' 
township,  Atchison  county;  Lucy  M.  Irwin,  Dallas,  Texas;  Harry  L..  farmer 
on  the  home  place ;  Ruth,  attending  Kansas  University,  Lawrence ;  George 
W.,  Jr.,  John  and  William,  living  at  liome.  Mr.  Gibson  is  an  independent 
progressive  Republican.  He  has  held  the  township  offices  of  clerk,  treasurer 
and  trustee. 


FRANK  J.  HUNN. 


Frank  J.  Hunn  has  combined  the  activities  of  banker,  public  citizen, 
farmer,  and  stockman,  with  the  refinements  of  education,  and  lives  today  as 
an  example  of  an  all  around  man  of  influence.  ^Ir.  Hunn  is  a  native  Kansan, 
having  been  born  in  Garfield  township,  Jackson  county,  Kansas,  March  2, 
i860.  He  comes  of  parentage  of  the  sturdy  pioneer  type,  brave,  but  God- 
fearing. The  father,  Joseph  Hunn,  was  bom  in  181 5,  of  English  descent, 
being  a  son  of  a  London  minister.  He  was  a  native  of  Connecticut  and  lived 
there  until  he  was  of  middle  age.  Coming  to  Kansas  in  1857,  he  preempted  a 
claim  one  mile  east  and  a  mile  north  of  Arrington,  Atchison  county,  Kansas. 
Here  he  constructed  a  cabin  home  and  lived  in  the  rough  life  of  the  frontier. 
But  this  was  not  new  to  Joseph  Hunn,  for  he  had  been  one  of  that  vast  army 
of  adventurers  who  crossed  the  western  plains  in  "forty-nine,"  to  seek  gold 
in  California.  For  four  years  he  had  undergone  the  hardships  of  prospecting 
and  the  rigors  of  Kansas  winters  weighed  less  heavily  on  him  than  they  did 
on  many  settlers.  After  two  years  on  the  Atchison  county  place,  he  sold  out 
and  removed  to  Larkin,  Jackson  county,  Kansas,  living  there  until  1865, 
when  he  took  possession  of  the  farm  now  owned  by  his  son.  Frank  J.  The 
father  died  two  years  later,  leaving  his  wife,  Elizabeth,  with  two  children, 
Frank,  and  a  daughter,  Bessie,  since  married  to  Mr.  Kathrens,  a  merchant, 
of  Arrington,  Kan. 

Elizabeth  Hunn,  whose  maiden  name  was  Redman,  is  of  English  and  Ger- 
man descent,  coming  from  a  line  of  religious  ancestors,  all  of  her  family  being 
of  a  (!c\out   nature.     She  was  liorn  in  182^.  and  died  ilecember  i').  11712.  liav- 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  825 

ing  lived  a  long"  and  useful  career.  After  tlie  death  of  her  husband  slie  was 
occupied  with  the  management  of  the  farm.  Init  in  her  younger  days  she  led  a 
life  full  of  service  to  others.  Siie  worked  as  a  nurse  among  the  sick  in  the  early 
times,  when  medical  attention  was  expensive  and  hard  to  get,  and  lier  efforts 
saved  untold  suffering  and  expense  to  many  settlers.  She  was  a  school 
teacher  in  Iowa  for  some  time,  and  always  took  a  great  deal  of  interest  in  the 
affairs  of  the  church  and  Sunday  school.  Until  two  years  before  her  death 
Mrs.  Hunn  taught  a  Sunday  school  class  at  tlie  .Vrrington  Methodist  church, 
and,  although  she  was  eighty-five  years  old,  her  age  never  kept  her  away  from 
her  class.  She  was  always  on  time  and  in  her  place  and  .constantly  set  a  good 
example  for  younger  persons. 

With  such  persons  for  parents  it  is  to  be  expected  that  Frank  Hunn 
would  develop  into  a  good  citizen.  With  the  high  ideals  instilled  in  his  young 
mind,  Frank  when  a  boy  was  encouraged  to  study  hard  at  school,  and  when  he 
finished  the  graded  courses  at  the  Arrington  school,  he  went  to  Campbell 
College,  at  Holton,  Kan.  Here  he  spent  a  short  time,  and  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
two  years  began  farming  for  himself.  In  1893  he  bought  his  father's  old 
place  and  has  since  increased  it  to  250  acres.  But  his  activities  do  not  stop 
at  the  limits  of  his  farm.  He  has  broken  the  isolation  of  the  farmer  and  has 
taken  an  active  part  in  affairs  for  the  good  of  the  community.  He  is  recog- 
nized as  a  conservative,  shrewd  business  man,  and  now  is  president  of  the 
Arrington  Bank,  a  position  of  trust  and  responsibility.  The  fact  that  his 
fellow-shareholders  in  the  enterprise  were  willing  to  place  such  an  honor  upon 
him  is  proof  of  his  character  and  achievements.  He  takes  a  great  deal  of 
interest  in  Shorthorn  cattle  and  is  recognized  as  a  breeder  of  fine  strains.  He 
also  keeps  graded  horses  and  hogs. 

In  1894  Mr.  Hunn  was  married  to  Susie  Gibson.  (A  sketch  of  her 
brother,  George  W.  Gil)son,  ai)])ears  elsewhere  in  tin's  volume.)  Mrs.  Hunn 
was  bom  m  January,  i860,  in  Pennsylvania,  and  was  a  teacher  in  the  district 
school  of  Kapioma  township  before  her  marriage.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hunn 
are  the  parents  of  three  children,  the  oldest  of  whom  is  Frank,  a  graduate  of 
Effingham  high  school,  now  living  at  home;  Edna  and  Mildred,  the  other 
two  children,  also  live  with  their  parents.  Mr.  Hunn  attends  the  Methodist 
cinnch,  although  he  is  not  a  member.  He  is  an  independent  voter,  preferring 
to  cast  his  ballot  for  the  man  whom  he  thinks  will  make  the  best  official  regard- 
less of  party  affiliations.  He  has  held  the  office  of  township  clerk,  township 
trustee,  and  township  treasurer,  which  positions  he  filled  in  a  praiseworthy 
manner,  .^t  present  Mr.  liunn  is  a  member  of  tlic  schor)l  board  of  Kapioma 
township. 


826  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

AUGUST  J.  WOLF. 

August  J.  Wolf,  farmer  and  stockman,  of  Atchison  county,  was  born 
October  17.  1862.  in  Doniphan  county.  Kansas.  He  is  a  son  of  Gottlieb  and 
Joehanna  Wolf,  who  were  the  parents  of  fourteen  children,  seven  of  whom 
are  living.  The  parents  of  August  Wolf  were  born  in  Germany  and  both 
grew  up  there  and  were  married  in  the  capital  city.  In  i860  they  left  the 
Fatherland  with  their  five  children  and  came  to  Doniphan  county.  Kansas, 
where  they  engaged  in  farming.  In  1880,  they  came  to  Atchison  county, 
Kansas,  and  bought  the  farm  of  240  acres  which  is  now  owned  by  their  son, 
August,  the  subject  of  this  sketch.  Five  years  later  they  moved  to  Atchison, 
Kan.,  wlicre  the  father  died  in  1904,  at  the  age  of  eighty-five  years.  The 
mother  died  in  1914,  at  the  age  of  eighty-one.  August  Wolf  grew  up  on  his 
father's  farm  and  at  the  age  of  twenty-seven  started  out  to  shift  for  himself. 
He  rented  his  father's  farm,  and  also  helped  his  father  in  the  threshing  busi- 
ness. While  feeding  a  thresher  he  had  his  riglit  hand  torn  off.  This,  of 
course,  disabled  him  greatly,  but  he  kept  up  courage  and  after  his  injury  had 
healed  engaged  in  threshing  again.  In  1902  he  bought  his  father's  farm,  and 
kept  up  both  farming  and  threshing  until  1905,  when  he  gave  all  of  his  atten- 
tion to  farming.  Just  after  this  a  storm  destroyed  many  of  the  buildings  on 
his  place  and  lie  rebuilt  them  better  than  they  were  before  and  made  several 
additions.  He  now  owns  320  acres  of  land,  seventy  of  which  lie  plants  in 
corn  each  year.  In  1910  he  retired  from  active  work  on  the  farm,  and  his 
son-in-law,  Will  Graham,  now  has  actual  charge  of  the  place.  Mr.  \\'olf 
has  been  twice  married,  his  first  wife  being  Mary  Walsli,  a  native  of  Germany, 
to  whom  he  was  married  in  1890.  No  children  were  born  to  them  and  the 
wife  died  in  1912.  .Mr.  Wolf  later  married  Dorothea  Hoffman,  who  was  horn 
in  Atchison  county,  April  15.  1870,  and  is  the  daughter  of  Frederick  and 
Katharena  (Scheu)  Hoffman.  Her  parents  are  of  Cierman  birth,  both  hav- 
ing left  their  native  country  when  quite  young.  They  were  married  in  Illi- 
nois and  came  to  Kansas  about  i860,  where  nine  children  were  born  to  them. 
Three  had  been  born  to  them  while  they  were  living  in  Illinois.  The  father 
engaged  in  farming  in  Center  township  and  worked  the  place  which  Frank 
Hubbard  now  farms  and  was  also  a  blacksmitli  in  .Atchison,  Kan.,  for  a 
few  years.  He  died  in  July,  1887,  at  the  age  of  fifty-six  years.  No  children 
were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  \\'olf,  and  the  wife  died  in  July.  1913,  at  the  age 
of  seventy-six  years.  Mr.  Wolf  is  a  Republican.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Fraternal  Order  of  Eagles  and  belongs  to  the  Evangelical  church.  Mr.  Wolf 
has  striven  under  the  greatest  difficulties,  having  lost  his  right  hand  when  a 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  827 

young  man,  he  has  been  immeasurabl)-  handicapped  throug'h  the  greater  part 
of  his  Hfe.  This  is  especially  tnie  in  view  of  the  fact  that  he  followed  farming, 
where,  if  anywhere,  the  use  of  botli  hands  is  necessary.  Though  it  was  a 
great  disadvantage  that  Mr.  Wolf  was  placed  under,  he  made  a  success  of 
his  career  b}-  hard  work  and  gr)od  management. 


FRAXK  J.  WAGNER. 


Frank  J.  Wagner,  farmer  and  stockman,  of  Center  township,  Atchison 
county,  was  born  July  i6,  1864,  in  Austria.  He  is  a  son  of  Frank  J.  and 
Louise  fFrennar)  Wagner,  and  was  one  of  seven  children,  four  of  whom  are 
living.  The  parents  were  born  in  Austria  and  the  father  remained  there  un- 
til his  death  in  1870.  He  was  a  farmer  and  was  seventy-eight  years  old  when 
he  died.  In  1888  the  mother  left  Austria  and  came  to  Atchison,  Kan.,  where 
she  is  now  living.  She  was  marriec}  a  second  time  and  this  husband  is  also 
dead.  She  will  be  seventy-six  years  old  in  August,  1916.  Frank  J.  W^ag- 
ner,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  educated  in  his  native  land  and  after  at- 
tending the  Austrian  .schools  learned  the  trade  of  wagon  maker.  L'ntil  1884 
he  worked  at  this  trade  in  Austria.  Fie  then  immigrated  to  America  and 
came  to  Atchison,  Kan.,  where  he  worked  for  a  lumber  company  for  some 
time.  Three  years  later  he  went  to  work  on  a  farm,  and  after  five  years  he 
returned  to  Atchison  and  worked  two  years.  He  then  rented  land  in  Shan- 
non township,  Atchison  county,  and  in  1905  bought  160  acres  in  Center  town- 
ship. He  bought  this  place  just  in  time  to  have  his  buildings  torn  to  pieces 
by  the  storm  of  1905.  Most  of  the  buildings  were  blown  down  by  the  wind 
and  it  was  necessary  to  rebuild  practically  all  of  them.  In  doing  this  he 
made  some  $5,000  worth  of  improvements.  Mr.  W^agner  takes  a  great  deal 
of  interest  in  the  breeding  of  fine  Poland  China  hogs. 

He  was  married  to  Amelia  W^onder,  March  5,  1890.  She  is  a  daughter 
of  Wenzel  and  Amelia  Wonder,  and  was  born  in  Austria  in  August,  1873. 
She  came  to  America  with  her  mother  in  1888,  and  later  settled  in  Atchison 
county.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  \\'agner  are  the  parents  of  the  following  children: 
Frank,  farming  with  his  father:  Karl,  living  with  his  father;  Frances,  married 
to  M.  Mudice ;  Ada.  deceased  :  Jolui,  Albert  and  George,  living  at  home.  Mr. 
W^agner  is  an  independent  Democrat  in  politics.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Catholic  church  and  of  the  Fraternal  Order  of  Eagles. 


S28  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

WILLIAM  WEHKING. 

William  Wehking,  farmer  and  stockman,  of  Center  township,  Atchison 
county,  was  born  in  Westphalia,  Germany,  November  26,  1866.  He  is  a  son 
of  Christian  and  Christena  (Ruhe)  Wehking,  who  were  the  parents  of  seven 
children,  one  of  whom  is  dead.  The  parents  both  died  in  their  native  land. 
WiUiam  Wehking  worked  in  a  flour-mill  in  Germany  until  1886,  when  he 
immigrated  to  America.  He  thought  that  the  West  offered  the  best  oppor- 
tunity to  a  poor  boy,  and  came  to  Kansas,  settling  in  Cummings,  Atchison 
county.  He  began  working  on  a  fami  at  thirteen  dollars  a  month.  Eight 
years  later  he  rented  land  near  Nortonville,  Kan.  In  1894  he  bought  eighty 
acres  in  Jefferson  county,  Kansas,  where  he  farmed  eight  years.  Later,  he 
sold  this  place  and  bought  the  farm  of  150  acres  which  he  now  owns.  He 
erected  a  fine  silo  on  this  place  and  is  especially  prepared  to  raise  fine  stock. 
He  has  since  increased  his  holdings  to  190  acres  and  has  ventured  into  the 
dairy  buiness.  He  owns  fine  Durham  cattle  and  Poland  China  hogs  in  which 
he  takes  great  pride.  Mr.  Wehking  is  a  stockholder  in  a  mercantile  enter- 
prise in  Nortonville,  Kan. 

In  1895  Mr.  ^Vehking  married  ^linnie  (Giesking),  who  was  born  in 
Germany  August  31,  1876.  When  sixteen  years  old  she  came  to  America 
and  settled  at  Lancaster,  Kan.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  ^^'ehking  have  eight  children: 
Martha.  Edward,  Clara.  William.  Alma.  Ernst,  Frederick  and  Henry,  all  living 
at  home.  Mr.  \\'ehking  is  an  independent  voter  and  is  a  member  of  the  Luth- 
eran church.  Me  is  a  shrewd  Imsiness  man  and  has  been  successful  primarily 
because  of  his  conscr\ative  judgment  in  handling  his  Inisiness  \'entures. 


WILLIAM  HARTMAN. 


William  Hartman,  prosperous  farmer,  of  Mt.  Pleasant  township,  Atchi- 
son county,  was  born  in  Platte  county,  Missouri,  in  1851,  a  son  of  Jonathan 
and  Christina  (Wolking)  Hartman,  the  latter  a  native  of  Hanover,  Germany, 
and  emigrated  from  her  native  land  with  her  parents  when  ten  years  of  age, 
locating  in  Cincinnati.  Ohio.  Jonathan  Hartman  was  born  in  182 1.  at  Brook- 
ville,  Franklin  county,  Indiana,  and  was  a  son  of  Henry  Hartman,  who  was 
bom  in  Pennsylvania,  and  was  among  the  first  settlers  of  Franklin  county, 
Indiana.     In  1842  Henry  left  Indiana  and  settled  in  Platte  county,  Missouri. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY  829 

and  was  among  the  early  pioneers  of  that  county.  He  died  on  his  farm  in 
Missouri  in  i860.  Jonathan,  the  father  of  WilHam,  was  reared  to  young  man- 
hood in  Indiana  and  was  married  there.  In  1847,  he  with  his  wife  and  two 
children  followed  his  father  to  Platte  county,  Missouri,  and  there  followed  his 
trade  of  millwright  in  I'latte  City  until  1849.  when  he  made  the  overland 
trip  to  California  with  ox  teams,  remaining  on  the  coast  for  two. years.  He 
made  some  money  while  in  the  gold  fields  and  returned  home  by  way  of  Cape 
Horn,  paying  $500  for  his  passage.  Captain  Fulger  was  in  command  of  the 
ship  and  he  lost  his  vessel  on  the  coast  of  Central  America,  the  vessel  striking 
the  rocks  and  breaking  in  pieces.  All  aboard  were  rescued  except  the  first 
mate.  There  were  500  passengers  on  this  vessel  who  were  coinpelled  to  wait 
on  the  west  coast  for  five  weeks  before  an  opportunity  presented  itself  to  cross 
the  mountains  to  the  eastern  shore.  They  were  eventually  taken  across  the 
mountains,  but  several  died  from  the  hardships  they  endured  during  the  trip. 
Mr.  Hartman  secured  passage  to  New  Orleans,  and  from  that  city  came  up 
the  Mississippi  river  to  St.  Louis,  arriving  there  in  December  of  1850.  From 
St.  Louis  the  returned  argonaut  went  to  his  home  at  Platte  City.  Three  years 
later  he  set  out  with  five  wagons  in  partnership  with  his  brother-in-law.  R.  D. 
Johnson,  en  route  to  Salt  Lake  City,  L^tah.  The  wagons  were  heavilv  loaded 
with  provisions,  drygoods  and  liquor.  When  the  expedition  arrived  at  the 
south  fork  of  Green  river  they  left  tin-ee  wagonloads  at  that  point  and  pressed 
onward  to  their  destination  to  the  north  fork  of  the  river.  They  traded  with 
the  Indians  and  Mormons  and  made  considerable  money.  Prices  were  falnilous 
in  the  far  West  in  those  clays,  flnur  bringing-  $100  per  hundred  weight;  com- 
mon work  shirts  sold  for  five  dollars  each,  whiskey  brought  five  dollars  per 
pint,  and  the  prices  of  other  commodities  were  in  proportion.  Returning  home 
from  this  trip  Mr.  Hartman  lived  in  Platte  City  until  1854,  and  then  came 
to  Kansas  with  the  first  steam  sawmill  ever  erected  in  Atchison  county,  and 
one  of  the  first  to  be  placed  in  operation  in  Kansas.  He  established  his  mill 
at  old -Port  William  and  operated  it  successfully  until  1857.  He  then  came 
to  Mt.  Pleasant  township  and  preempted  a  claim  now  known  as  the  Howe 
farm  which  he  sold  for  fifty  dollars.  He  traded  his  sawmill  fi)r  a  farn^  nca- 
Parnell,  Kan.,  now  owned  by  Robert  Volk.  Jonathan  was  personallv 
acquainted  with  Pardee  Butler,  and  met  and  conversed  with  Butler  after  he 
had  been  set  adrift  on  a  raft  <>n  the  Missouri  ri\cr  by  ])ro-slnverv  men.  He 
took  Butler  to  his  home  and  gave  him  his  supper.  He  hid  the  refugee  at  the 
home  of  a  neighbor  until  the  next  day  and  then  accompanied  him  to  Weston, 
from  which  point  Mr.  Butler  made  his  way  to  his  old  home  in  Ohio,  where 


830  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

he  remained  in  safety  for  nine  months  before  he  returned  to  Kansas.  Jon- 
athan Hartman  was  a  Free  State  man  and  a  Repubhcan  in  pohtics,  who  took 
a  prominent  and  influential  part  in  the  affairs  of  his  locality.  He  was  ap- 
pointed gxiardian  for  the  war  widows  and  was  selected  by  the  Civil  war  vet- 
erans of  the  county  to  distribute  the  money  apportioned  to  the  war  widows. 
On  account  of  defective  hearing,  contracted  as  a  result  of  an  attack  of  moun- 
tain fever,  he  was  not  eligible  for  service  in  the  Union  army,  but  lent  his 
moral  support  to  the  Union.  He  died  on  the  farm  January  24,  1897.  He  was 
the  father  of  nine  children,  three  of  whom  are  living,  as  follows :  R.  D. 
Hartman,  bom  in  Missouri  in  1847;  William  Hartman,  the  subject  of  this 
review;  and  Henry  Hartman,  born  in  Indiana;  Frederick  Hartman,  former 
sheriff  of  the  county;  Elijah  Hartman,  bom  in  Atchison  count}-,  Kansas,  in 
1856,  and  died  in  1890;  Alice,  wife  of  E.  N.  Eshom,  of  Atchison  county. 

William  Hartman  grew  up  on  his  father's  farm  and  was  educated  in  the 
district  school  of  his  neighborhood.  He  was  married  in  1883  to  Florence  A. 
Good,  a  daughter  of  Daniel  Good,  an  early  settler  of  Atchison  county,  and 
originally  from  New  York  State.  Mr.  Hartman  is  the  owner  of  140  acres 
of  very  fine  and  productive  land  near  old  Parnell.  The  children  of  William 
and  Florence  Hartman  are  as  follows :  Morris,  Jonathan  H.,  Nelson,  Mari- 
willie,  wife  of  H.  W.  Gilbert,  of  Horton.  Kan. :  and  Flossie,  wife  of  J.  C.  Cart- 
mille,  of  Atchison  county:  \\'arren.  the  youngest  of  the  family,  was  born 
November  11,  1901. 

Mr.  Hartman  is  a  stanch  Republican  in  politics,  is  a  member  of  the  Chris- 
tian church,  and  is  affiliated  with  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows. 


ROYAL  BALDWIN. 


Near  the  old  village  of  Kennekuk.  in  tlie  northeast  corner  of  Grasshopper 
township,  Atchison  county,  Kansas,  stands  the  old  home  of  Maj.  Royal  Bald- 
win, Indian  agent.  This  home  was  built  sixty  years  ago  by  Major  Baldwin 
and  is  at  present  the  home  of  Mrs.  Jennie  L.  Dollinds,  the  last  of  the  race  of 
Baldwins  in  Atchison  county.  This  narrative,  therefore,  will  deal  principally 
with  the  life  career  of  Royal  Baldwin,  United  States  Indian  agent,  who  was 
widely  known  in  all  of  northeast  Kansas  as  Major  Baldwin. 

Royal  Baldwin  was  born  in  Litchfield.  Conn..  June  22,  1817,  and  was  a 
descendant  of  ancestors  who  came  over  from  England  in  the  Mayflower. 
Three  brothers,  Ira,  Julius,  and  Thomas,  landed  at  Plymouth  Rock  with  the 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  83I 

party  of  Pilgrims  who  sought  homes  in  the  forbidding  wilderness  of  New 
England  in  1620.  Julius  Baldwin  was  the  founder  of  the  family  of  which 
Royal  Baldwin  descended,  and  he  finally  settled  in  Connecticut,  where  Royal 
was  born  and  reared  to  young  manhood.  Royal  Baldwin  received  a  good 
education  in  the  public  schools  and  academy  of  his  neighborhood  in  Con- 
necticut, and  when  fifteen  years  of  age  he  began  teaching  school.  Later,  the 
spirit  of  adventure  moved  him  and  he  went  to  Ohio,  where  he  became  a  boat- 
man on  the  Muskingum  river.  While  living  in  Ohio  he  married  Miss  Ann 
Campbell,  who  was  born  February  15,  1820,  in  Belmont  county,  Ohio,  and 
died  July  16,  1894.  She  was  a  daughter  of  Joseph  Campbell,  of  Scotch 
parents,  and  who  married  a  lady  of  Welsh  parentage.  After  his  marriage 
Royal  Baldwin  settled  in  Meigs  county,  Ohio,  where  their  three  children  were 
born.  In  1856  Mr.  Baldwin  was  appointed  Indian  agent  by  the  United 
States  Government  and  sent  to  northeast  Kansas  to  take  charge  of  the  moving 
of  the  four  tribes,  the  Kicakpoos,  Sacs,  Foxes  and  Pottawalomies  to  their 
Kansas  reservations.  When  he  received  his  appointment  he  removed  with  his 
family  overland  to  St.  Joseph,  Mo.,  and  immediately  began  his  duties  of  set- 
tling the  Indians  on  their  reservations.  He  remained  as  Indian  agent  for 
twelve  years  and  then  resigned  his  position  on  account  of  poor  health,  but 
was  again  appointed  and  held  the  office  for  three  years,  after  which  he 
resigned,  but  was  re-appointed  by  the  Government,  and  died  October  3,  1878, 
soon  after  the  acceptance  papers  were  sent  back  to  Washington.  Major 
Baldwin  also  conducted  the  Indian  trading  post  at  old  Kennekuk  in  Grass- 
hopper township.  During  the  border  ruffian  days  a  party  of  Jayhawkers 
called  at  the  home  of  the  Baldwins  one  night  when  the  major  was  absent, 
and,  knocking  loudly  upon  the  door,  gave  the  information  that  Government 
authorities  had  sent  them  to  get  arms  and  ammunition  from  the  stores  with 
which  to  fight  against  General  Price's  army,  which  was  about  to  invade  Kan- 
sas. Jennie  L.  Baldwin  was  then  a  young  girl  of  sixteen  years.  Mrs.  Bald- 
win met  the  men  at  the  door,  and  by  the  exercise  of  tact  and  diplomacy 
induced  them  to  move  on  and  let  them  alone.  During  his  career  as  Indian 
agent  Major  Baldwin  accumulated  several  hundred  acres  of  land.  He  was  a 
shrewd  trader,  and  during  the  early  days  before  the  building  of  the  trans- 
continental railroads  he  became  interested  in  the  freighting  of  goods  across 
the  plains  to  Denver  and  western  points.  He  was  a  brilliant  success  as  an 
Indian  agent  and  never  had  trouble  with  his  proteges.  His  first  interpreter 
was  Peter  Kadgue,  and  his  second  interpreter  was  John  Chawkickey.  The 
old  Indian  mission  was  also  built  by  Major  Baldwin,  and  the  old  Baldwin 


832  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON   COUNTY 

home  which  he  erected  in  1856  is  still  standing.  His  duties  as  Indian  agent 
were  arduous  and  exacting,  but  he  was  equal  to  the  emergencies  which  arose. 
He  was  a  small,  wiry  man  of  slight  build,  blue-eyed  and  had  light  hair.  Three 
children  were  torn  to  Royal  Baldwin  and  wife,  of  whom  two  died  in  infancy. 
Jennie  L.,  widow  of  John  S.  DoUinds,  was  born  January  9,  1851,  in  Meigs 
county,  Ohio,  and  was  married  in  1883  to  Mr.  Dollinds. 

John  S.  Dollinds  was  born  in  New  Orleans  January  i,  1832,  of  French- 
Spanish  parents.  When  he  was  a  small  boy  his  parents  removed  to  Pittsburgh, 
Pa.,  where  he  was  reared  to  young  manhood.  At  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil 
war  he  enlisted  in  Company  A  of  the  Si.xty-second  regiment,  Penns}l- 
vania  infantry,  serving  in  the  Fifth  army  corps  and  participated  in  many 
hard-fought  battles,  among  them  being  the  battles  of  the  Wilderness  and 
Gettysburg.  He  was  wounded  at  the  battle  of  Antietam,  but  remained  in 
the  service  until  the  close  of  the  war,  after  recovering  from  his  wound.  After 
the  war  closed  Mr.  Dollinds  became  a  river  boatman  on  the  Ohio  and  Missis- 
sippi rivers  for  sixteen  years,  plying  between  Pittsburgh  and  New  Orleans. 
He  then  came  to  Kansas  and  settled  in  Pottawatomie  county.  He  invested  in 
land,  but  never  actively  farmed  to  any  extent.  He  was  a  gifted  individual 
of  great  versatility  of  mind  and  was  a  photographer  of  more  than  ordinary 
ability.  He  died  June  i,  1914.  Mr.  Dollinds  was  a  member  of  the  Odd 
Fellows,  and  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  Black  Eagle  Post,  Horton, 
Kan. 

Mrs.  Dollinds  was  formerly  a  member  of  the  ladies'  aid  auxiliary  nf  the 
grand  army  post  at  Horton,  and  was  invited  by  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Re- 
public to  attend  the  National  grand  encampment  at  Washington.  She  is  an 
honorary  member  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  and  had  served  as  a 
delegate  to  the  grand  encampment  held  at  Pittsburgh,  Pa. 


DAVIS  W.  COLLINS. 


Davis  W.  Collins,  M.  D..  a  prominent  physician,  of  Arrington,  Atchison 
county,  Kansas  is  one  of  the  leading  professional  men  of  his  town.  He  is  a 
Pennsylvanian,  having  lieen  born  in  Fayette  county,  Pennsylvania,  March  9, 
1875.  His  parents,  James  C.  and  Phoebe  (Woodward)  Collins,  were  the 
parents  of  four  children,  as  follows :  Eliza  Rowland,  Lane,  Kan. ;  Effie 
Mocherman,  Wellsville.  Kan. ;  Davis,  the  subject  of  this  sketch ;  Roy,  operator, 
Yale,,  Okla.     The  father  was  born  in  Ohio  and  spent  his  early  years  on  the 


HISTORY  OF  ATCTIISON   CUUiNTY  833 

farm.  In  1878  he  came  to  Kansas  and  settled  in  Franklin  county,  where  he 
is  now  engaged  in  farming  at  the  advanced  age  of  seventy,  an  example  of  good 
health  tlirough  right  living.  The  mother  was  born  in  Pennsylvania  and  lives 
with  her  husband  on  the  farm. 

Dr.  Collins  grew  up  on  his  father's  farm  in  Kansas  and  attended  the 
district  school  near  the  home  place.  Later,  he  attended  the  high  school  at 
Wellsville,  Kan.,  and  then  took  a  business  course  at  Dixon,  111.  In  1894  he 
entered  the  Kansas  City  Medical  College  and  was  graduated  from  that  institu- 
tion with  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Medicine  in  1898.  He  was  at  Baldwin, 
Kan.,  a  short  time  and  then  came  to  Arrington,  where  he  has  built  up  a  large 
practice  by  his  excellent  skill  and  higli  ethical  standards.  He  owns  stock  in 
the  Arrington  bank  and  holds  considerable  property  in  the  vicinity  of  Arring- 
ton. 

In  1900  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Minnie  Case,  who  was  bom 
November  20,  1880,  in  Atchison  county,  Kansas.  She  is  the  daughter  of 
Frank  and  Anna  (High)  Case,  early  settlers  of  Kansas.  The  father  was  a 
mercliant  in  Arrington.  Both  j^arents  are  now  dead.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Collins 
have  two  children :  Claire  and  Camien,  both  living  at  home.  Mr.  Collins  is  a 
Republican  and  belongs  to  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and  Modern 
Woodmen  of  America.  Although  he  is  not  a  church  member,  he  is  a  regular 
attendant  at  church  and  contributes  liberally  to  the  support  of  religious 
activities. 


GEORGE  GOODWIN. 


George  Goodwin,  one  of  the  pioneer  settlers  of  Atchison  county,  and 
farmer  of  Grasshopper  township,  was  born  in  1857,  in  Illinois,  a  son  of  Thomas 
and  Ilelcn  (Bevens)  Goodwin,  loth  n{  wlmni  were  liorn  at  (iravesend,  Eng- 
land, about  thirty  miles  from  the  city  of  London  on  the  Thames  river.  They 
were  reared  to  maturity  in  England,  there  married  and  immigrated  to  Amer- 
ica, first  settling  in  New  York,  where  they  resided  for  a  short  time,  and  then 
made  a  home  in  Illinois.  In  i860  the  parents  of  George,  with  the  family, 
came  to  Kansas.  For  a  short  time  they  lived  at  Ft.  Leavenworth,  and  then 
came  to  the  cit)'  of  Atchison,  where  Thomas  Goodwin  became  a  manufacturer 
of  brick  in  partnership  with  Henry  Bevens,  his  brother-in-law.  They  made 
the  first  kiln  of  brick  ever  burned  in  Atchison  county,  and  soon  afterward 
sold  the  brick  kiln  and  moved  onto  a  farm  owned  by  Jolm  Russell,  the  banker. 


834  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

After  working  for  Mr.  Russell  for  a  few  years,  Thomas  moved  on  to  a  farm 
of  his  own,  where  he  spent  the  remainder  of  his  days.  He  became  quite 
prominent  among  the  early  pioneers  of  the  county,  was  a  Republican  in  poli- 
tics, and  was  an  Odd  Fellow.  Seven  children  were  born  to  this  pioneer 
couple,  of  whom  George,  the  subject  of  this  review,  was  the  youngest. 

George  Goodwin  was  eighteen  months  of  age  when  the  family  came  to 
Kansas,  and  he  was  reared  in  the  city  of  Atchison  and  on  the  farm  where 
his  parents  settled.  He  received  his  education  in  the  public  schools,  and  is 
residing  on  his  eighty  acre  farm  in  Grasshopper  township.  When  he  became 
of  age  he  married  Hester  Adams,  to  this  union  have  been  born  two  children, 
namely:  Thomas  N.  Goodwin,  who  is  cultivating  the  old  Goodwin  home- 
stead, and  Edmund  E.  died  at  the  age  of  eight  years.  The  mother  of  these 
children  was  born  in  Iowa,  a  daughter  of  Nathan  Adams,  a  native  of  New 
York  State,  and  an  early  settler  of  Iowa.  He  was  of  English  parentage,  and 
his  wife  was  a  daughter  of  French-Canadian  parents. 

While  Mr.  Goodwin  is  allied  with  the  Republican  party,  he  prefers  to 
vote  independent  of  party  dictation  and  makes  up  his  own  mind  concerning 
the  qualifications  of  respective  candidates  regardless  of  their  political  quali- 
fications.   He  is  a  member  of  the  Knights  and  Ladies  of  Security. 


RICHARD  B.  CLEVELAND. 


Richard  B.  Cleveland,  rctiretl  farmer  and  old  settler,  of  Muscotah,  Kan., 
was  born  December  29,  1830,  in  New  York  State.  He  was  a  son  of  Richard 
and  Elizabeth  (Mead)  Cleveland,  who  left  New  York  when  Richard  was  a 
small  boy  and  settled  in  Illinois.  The  Cleveland  family  are  of  English  descent 
and  can  trace  their  ancestry  back  to  the  settlement  and  colonial  days  of  New 
England.  Richard,  the  father,  was  a  successful  merchant  in  New  York,  who 
suffered  considerable  losses  on  account  of  an  absconding  partner,  who  left 
after  looting  the  business.  Richard  then  decided  to  make  a  new  start  in  the 
West,  and  again  succeeded  in  rehal:)ilitating  his  fortunes  on  the  rich  fann 
lands  of  Illinois  in  Cook  county.  When  he  first  went  to  Illinois  he  was  too 
poor  to  do  otherwise  than  to  rent  land,  but  as  time  went  on  he  gradually 
got  on  his  feet  and  became  a  prosperous  land  owner. 

Richard  B.  Cleveland  was  reared  to  young  manhood  in  Cook  county. 
Illinois,  and  was  married  there.     In  1862  he  left  Illinois  and  came  to  Kansas 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  835 

with  his  wife  and  family,  first  living  for  a  few  years  on  a  farm  in  Jackson 
county,  north  of  Holton.  He  then  bought  i6o  acres  of  land  in  Grasshopper 
township  which  was  unimproved.  Before  he  built  his  home  on  this  tract  he 
lived  for  a  time  at  New  Eureka  on  the  old  Salt  Lake  trail  and  operated  a 
small  grocery  store.  All  of  Mr.  Cleveland's  worldly  goods  when  he  came 
to  Kansas  in  company  with  Isaac  Gordon,  an  old  Englishman,  consisted  of  a 
teamteam  and  wagon  and  a  few  household  goods.  He  Ijought  i6o  acres  of 
un-improved  land,  his  mother's  watch  being  applied  on  this  deal.  In  1863  he 
enlisted  in  the  Second  regiment,  Nebraska  infantry,  and  was  engaged  in  fight- 
ing the  Sioux  Indians  on  the  liorder  for  over  nine  months.  He  was  mustered 
out  of  the  service  at  Falls  City,  Neb.,  late  in  the  winter  of  1864.  at  a  time  wh.en 
a  deep  snow  covered  the  ground  and  he  had  difficulty  in  reaching  his  home 
after  his  long  absence.  He  then  took  a  job  of  carrying  the  mail  for  a  Govern- 
ment contractor  named  Darlington.  The  rovite  which  he  tra\eled  extended 
from  Falls  City,  Neb.,  to  Indianola  and  Mr.  Cle\-eland  received  the  munificent 
salary  of  twelve  dollars  per  month  for  carrying  the  mail  on  horseback  between 
these  two  cities  and  furnished  his  own  horse.  The  farm  which  be  purchased 
near  Eureka  was  located  on  Straight  creek,  and  there  was  plenty  of  timber 
growing  on  the  banks  of  this  stream  which  was  a  favorite  camping  ground 
of  the  Indians  of  the  Pottawatomie  tribe.  Sometimes  a  large  band  of  over 
100  would  camp  in  the  timber  along  the  stream.  An  incident  which  occurred 
is  well  worth  recording.  Mrs.  Cleveland  had  a  fine  flock  of  turkeys  which 
were  running  in  the  woods*  and  prairies.  One  day  she  heard  the  sound  of  a 
,gun,  and  looking  out  of  the  doorway  of  the  cabin  she  saw  an  Indian  buck 
going  toward  one  of  her  turkeys  which  he  had  shot.  This  incensed  her  and 
she  ran  toward  the  Indian.  A  neighbor  woman  also  started  toward  the 
Indian  with  a  gun  in  her  hands,  read}-  to  shoot  him  if  it  became  necessary.  She 
shook  her  fist  at  the  buck,  who  said  in  explanation  :  "Me  thought  prairie 
chicken."  Mrs.  Cleveland  replied:  "You  thieving  rascal,  that  was  niv  turkey, 
now  you  get."  The  Indian  sulkily  moved  on  and  the  Cleveland  familv  feasted 
on  turkey  the  next  day.  In  the  spring  of  1864  the  soldier  returned  to  his 
family  and  l)egan  l)uilding  u])  his  farm,  settling  down  to  farm  life  and  endea- 
voring to  make  good.  He  succeeded  and  is  the  owner  of  a  fine  farm  of  rich 
land.  By  the  exercise  of  thrift  and  industry  he  accumulated  a  competence  and 
reared  a  fine  family.  Like  the  other  farmers  of  his  neighborhood  he  had  to 
go  through  the  experience  of  the  "grasshopper"  years,  and  it  is  recalled  that 
he  was  very  skeptical  of  the  news  of  the  coming  of  the  "hoppers"  when  trav- 
elers and  grrt'jshopper  victims  came  through  his  country.     He  "pooh-hooed" 


836  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COLXTY 

the  idea  that  the  "hoppers'"  were  coming  in  vast  clouds  and  would  not  believe 
it,  but  he  soon  had  serious  reason  -to  change  his  mind  when  they  came  in 
vast  swarms  and  ate  up  his  crops.  Mr.  Cleveland  was  married  in  Locls]5ort, 
111.,  to  Rhoda  A.  Perrin,  who  was  born  November  21.  1832,  and  departed 
this  life  July  11,  1907.  Three  children  were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cleve- 
land, as  follows :  Orrin  .\lmeron,  a  fanner  of  .\tchison  county ;  Mead  Cleve- 
land, a  farmer  in  Oklahoma,  and  Hattie,  at  home  with  her  father. 

In  politics,  Mr.  Cleveland  has  always  been  a  Republican  of  the  stalwart 
variety.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Congregational  church  of  Muscotah,  and  is 
one  of  the  higlily  respected  citizens  of  his  township  and  city,  and  is  one  of  the 
last  of  the  old-time  Indian  fighters  and  pioneers  who  paved  the  way  in  the 
wilderness  for  the  thousands  of  settlers  who  have  come  to  this  great  land  after 
him  and  his  fellows  had  endured  the  hardships  necessary  for  the  redemption 
of  the  unpeopled  prairie.  It  is  to  such  men  as  he  that  this  volume  of  historical 
annals  is  respectfully  dedicated. 


GEORGE  V.  ANDERSON. 


George  V.  Anderson,  farmer  and  stockman,  of  Arrington,  Kapioma 
township,  Atchison  county,  Kansas,  was  born  Februaiy  3,  1876,  on  a  farm 
in  Platte  county,  Missouri,  son  of  Vincent  and  Mathekla  (Pitts)  Anderson. 
Vincent  Anderson  was  a  native  of  Tennessee,  farmer  by  vocation,  immigrated 
from  Tennessee  to  Missouri,  where  he  became  the  owner  of  a  farm,  and 
during  the  late  fifties  was  a  shipper  and  freighter  across  the  plains.  \Mncent 
Anderson  was  married  to  Mathekla  Pitts,  and  the  following  children  were 
born  to  this  marriage:  Mrs.  Mary  Dyer,  deceased;  EHot,  deceased;  and 
George  V.,  the  subject  of  this  sketch.  The  mother  of  these  children  was  born 
April  17,  1845,  in  Fleming  county,  Kentucky,  a  daughter  of  James  and  Anna 
(Eliot)  Pitts.  James  Pitts  was  a  native-born  Kentuckian  who  immigrated 
to  Missouri,  and  died  at  the  age  of  seventy-four  years.  He  became  an  exten- 
sive land  owner  in  Missouri.  A  few  years  after  the  death  of  Vincent  Ander- 
son his  widow  married  John  H.  Calvert,'  who  is  also  deceased.  Mrs.  Calvert, 
the  mother  of  George  V.  Anderson,  still  resides  in  Kapioma  township. 

George  V.  Anderson  a\ as  reared  on  a  farm  and  when  twenty  jears  of  age 
started  to  work  at  twenty-two  dollars  a  month.'  His  stepfather,  John  Calvert, 
migrated  from  Platte  countv.  Missouri,  to  Kansas  in  1883  and  settled  on  a 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  .  837 

farm  near  ]Muscotah,  where  he  rented  land  for  a  few  years,  and  in  1892  bought 
an  eighty-acre  farm  in  Kapioma  township.  He  improved  this  farm  and 
erected  a  six-room  residence  which  presents  a  good  appearance.  He  died  June 
24,  1913.  In  1897  George  V.  Anderson  rented  a  tract  of  land  which  he  cul- 
tivated for  three  years,  saved  his  money  in  the  meantime,  and  made  his  first 
investment  in  eiglity  acres  of  land  in  Jackson  county,  Kansas.  He  improved 
this  tract  and  sold  it  at  a  good  profit  in  1902.  A  few  years  later  he  purchased 
160  acres  of  land  in  Kapioma  township.  This  tract  he  at  once  began  to  im- 
prove, built  a  house  and  erected  a  nice  barn.  Mr.  Anderson  has  added  to  his 
acreage  from  time  to  time  until  he  now  owns  252  acres  of  well  improved  land. 
He  keeps  sufficient  graded  stock  on  his  place  to  consume  the  grain  which  is 
raised,  enabling  him  to  market  his  farm  products  in  a  convenient  manner  and 
keep  up  the  fertility  of  the  land. 

Mr.  Anderson  was  married  in  1892  to  Frances  Brosig,  and  to  this  union 
have  been  born  four  children :  Carl,  Minnie,  Vernon,  and  Scott,  all  of  whom 
are  at  home  with  their  parents.  Mrs.  Anderson  was  born  August  13,  1865,  in 
Germany.  She  is  a  daughter  of  Carl  and  Theresa  Anderson,  who  immigrated 
to  America  when  Frances  was  a  child  and  settled  in  Kansas.  Mr.  Anderson 
is  a  Democrat  in  politics,  a  member  of  the  Christian  church,  and  affiliated  with 
the  Modern  Woodmen  lodge. 


GEORGE  L.  BRO\\N.. 


George  L.  Brown,  one  of  the  younger  members  of  the  Atchison  county 
bar  and  an  able  attorney,  is  a  native  of  Chattanooga.  Tenn.  He  was  born 
March  25,  1890,  and  is  a  son  of  George  T.  and  Mary  E.  (Scott)'  Brown.  The 
father  was  a  native  of  Washington.  D.  C,  born  in  i860.  He  was  reared  to 
manhood  in  the  \icinit\-  of  Washington  and  studied  ci\il  engineering  in  Marv- 
land.  He  came  to  Kansas  in  the  capacity  of  civil  engineer  on  the  construc- 
tion of  the  Rock  Island  railroad  in  the  eighties  and  while  there  met  and 
married  Mary  E.  Scott.  She  is  a  native  of  Doniphan  county,  Kansas,  and  is 
a  daughter  of  Benjamin  and  Frances  (Helm)  Scott;  the  former  is  now  de- 
ceased and  the  latter  resides  in  .A^tchison  with  her  daughter.  The  Scott  fam- 
ily were  early  settlers  in  Kansas,  locating  in  Doniphan  county  in  1857. 

After  their  marriage  George  T.  Brown  and  his  wife  located  in  Chatta- 
nooga. Tenn..  where  he  was  engaged  in  business  for  a  time  when  he  removed 


838  •  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

to  St.  Lx)uis  and  was  engaged  in  business  there  until  the  time  of  his  death 
which  occurred  in  November,  1900.  After  the  death  of  her  husband  Mrs. 
Brown  returned  to  Kansas  with  her  two  children,  George  L.,  the  subject  of 
this  sketch,  and  Donald  Scott,  now  aged  fifteen  years.  !Mrs.  Brown  located 
in  Atchison  and  engaged  in  teaching  which  had  been  her  profession  prior  to 
her  marriage.  She  is  one  of  the  most  successful  teachers  of  Atchison  county 
and  is  now  engaged  in  her  work  in  the  Ingalls  school,  Atchison. 

George  L.  attended  the  public  schools  of  Atchison  and  was  graduated 
from  the  Atchison  High  School  in  the  class  of  1909.  He  then  entered  the  law 
department  of  Kansas  University,  Lawrence,  Kan.,  and  was  graduated  in  the 
class  of  1914  with  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Laws.  Mr.  Brown  did  not  attend 
the  university  continuously  from  the  time  that  he  entered  until  his  graduation. 
He  was  employed  for  a  year  in  the  meantime  as  clerk  in  the  offices  of  the 
Missouri  Pacific  shops  at  Atchison  and  in  this  way  helped  pay  his  way  through 
the  university.  He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  June,  1914,  and  immediately 
engaged  in  the  practice  of  his  profession  with  offices  at  304  Simpson  build- 
ing. He  has  a  very  satisfactory  practice  for  the  short  time  tliat  he  has  been 
engaged  in  his  professional  work  and  is  recognized  as  a  young  man  with  con- 
siderable more  than  ordinar}-  ability  who  gives  close  attention  to  his  pro- 
fession. Politically,  he  is  a  Democrat  and  comes  from  a  long  line  of  Dem- 
ocratic ancestors.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church  and  his  fra- 
ternal affiliations  are  with  the  Phi  Alpha  Delta  law  fraternity,  and  the  Loyal 
Order  of  Moose. 


JOHN  A.   REYNOLDS. 


Time  and  experience  have  demonstrated  that  if  an  individual  remain  for 
a  number  of  years  in  an  avocation  and  devote  his  energies  and  mind  to  becom- 
ing proficient  in  his  particular  profession  he  is  certain  to  become  a  valued 
citizen  of  his  community  and  amass  a  competence.  John  A.  Reynolds,  rail- 
road engineer,  is  a  citizen  of  this  tyi)e,  wlio  for  forty  years  has  been  in  the 
employ  of  the  Missouri  Pacific  railroad,  and  has  arisen  to  become  one  of  the 
substantial  and  well  respected  citizens  of  Atchison.  Mr.  Reynolds  is  a  direc- 
tor of  two  of  the  most  important  banking  concerns  of  northeast  Kansas  and 
has  taken  a  leading  part  in  city  affairs  for  many  years. 

Speaking  in  a  biographical  sense,  Mr.  Reynolds  was  born  in  the  city  of 
St.  Louis,  Mo.,  June  7,  1858,  a  son  of  Thomas  and  Bridget  (Glancy)  Rey- 
nolds, both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Roscommmon  countv,  Ireland.    Thomas 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  839 

Reynolds,  after  his  immig^ration  to  America  became  wharf  clerk  for  a  na\i- 
gation  company  at  St.  Louis,  where  he  resided  until  July  28,  1861,  at  which 
time  he  came  to  Atchison,  Kan.,  and  entered  the  employ  of  Theodore  Barkow 
as  bookkeeper.  He  remained  in  this  position  until  his  demise,  on  .A^pril  i, 
1870.  The  mother  of  John  A.  Reynolds  died  February  25,  191 5.  at  the  great 
age  of  ninety-six  years.  It  is  to  the  everlasting  credit  of  John  that  when  his 
father  died  he  at  once  began  doing  his  share  of  supporting  the  family  and 
cared  tenderly  for  his  mother  until  her  death.  Mrs.  Reynolds,  the  widow, 
was  left  with  very  few  resources,  and  John  was  but  twelve  years  of  age  at 
the  time.  Seven  children  were  born  to  Thomas  Reynolds  and  wife,  of  whom 
John  was  the  only  survivor  at  the  time  of  his  father's  death. 

John  A.  Reynolds  received  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Atchi- 
son, attended  a  private  school,  and  also  studied  in  St.  Benedict's  College. 
At  the  age  of  sixteen  years  he  entered  the  employ  of  the  Alissouri  Pacific 
Railway  Company  as  a  fireman  and  brakcman  and  remained  with  the  railroad 
at  Atchison  until  January  i,  1881,  when  he  entered  the  service  of  the  Mis- 
souri Pacific  at  Sedalia,  Mo.,  as  engineer  of  a  freight  run  for  a  period  of 
five  years.  He  was  then  (1886)  promoted  to  tlie  passenger  service,  in  which 
department  he  has  since  been  employed  as  one  of  the  most  trusted  and  reliable 
engineers  of  the  system.  Mr.  Reynolds'  first  experience  as  an  engineer,  how- 
ever, was  in  the  passenger  service  of  the  road,  and  it  came  about  in  this  wise : 
The  engineer  for  whom  he  was  firing  (George  W.  Slade)  had  been  promised 
a  vacation  and  a  trip  to  New  York  State.  This  promise  had  been  made  to 
Mr.  Slade  time  and  time  again,  and  at  his  suggestion  the  master  mechanic 
of  the  yards  placed  young  Reynolds,  then  twent_\--two  years  old,  in  chai-ge 
of  the  engine  on  the  run  between  Kansas  City  and  .\tchison,  Kan.  Mr.  Slade 
took  the  responsibility  of  any  errors  or  mistakes  that  Reynolds  would  make, 
but  the  young  engineer  ran  his  train  successfully  without  mishap  for  a  period 
of  six  weeks  and  was  then  promoted  to  the  post  of  locomotive  engineer  on 
the  freight  run  as  stated  above.  Mr.  Reynolds  at  this  time  is  in  charge  of 
the  through  passenger  run  between  Atchison  and  Downs,  Kan. 

Mr.  Reynolds  was  married  in  1898  to  Kathrine  Horan,  and  the  follow- 
ing children  have  blessed  this  happy  marriage :  Mary  Anna,  John,  Kathrine, 
Ruth,  Ellen,  Marselene,  all  of  whom  are  at  home  with  their  parents.  The 
mother  of  these  children  is  a  daughter  of  Michael  and  .\nna  (Dean)  Horan, 
both  of  whom  were  born  in  Tipperary,  Ireland.  (See  biography  of  M.  J. 
Horan.) 

Mr.  Reynolds  is  a  member  of  the  Locomotive  Engineers'  Union,  the 
Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen,  the  Elks  lodge,  the  Fraternal  Order  of 


840  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

Eagles,  and  is  affiliated  with  tlie  Democratic  party  in  politics.  For  the  past 
six  years  Mr.  Reynolds  has  been  connected  with  tlie  Atchison  Savings  Bank 
and  is  a  director  of  this  financial  concern,  as  well  as  being  a  stockholdei'  of 
the  First  National  Bank  of  Atchison.  One  of  the  finest  things  which  can  be 
said  of  Mr.  Reynolds  concerning  his  career  as  a  railway  engineer  is  that  dur- 
ing all  his  long  experience  and  constant  work  he  has  never  had  a  serious  acci- 
dent, and  no  passengers  have  been  killed  or  injured  who  were  intrusted  to  his 
charge,  and  he  has  had  but  two  trifling  rear-end  collisions  to  account  for. 
which  did  \ery  little  damage  and  resulted  in  no  injuries  to  persons.  This 
record  is  a  remarkalile  one  and  is  in  keeping  with  the  character  of  the  man 
himself,  who  from  liis  earliest  boyhood  has  known  what  it  is  to  shift  for  him- 
self and  learned  the  art  of  being  self-reliant  and  cool-headed  in  any  emergency. 
A  brother  of  Mr.  Reynolds,  Andrew  by  name,  was  a  Union  soldier  who  served 
in  the  cavalry  and  was  wounded,  later  dying  at  home  from  the  effects  of  his 
wound.       Another  brother,     James,     was  also  a  soldier  in  the  Union  army. 


WILLIAM  SUTTER. 


William  Sutter  resides  on  the  old  home  place  of  the  Sutter  family  in 
Benton'  township,  about  two  miles  west  of  Effingham.  This  farm  is  one  of 
the  finest  and  best  cultivated  farms  in  Atchison  county,  and  the  residence 
grounds  and  farm  buildings  are  among  the  most  attractive  and  best  kept  in 
the  State  of  Kansas.  The  farm  is  w^idely  known  as  the  "Maple  Lawn  Stock 
Farm."  and  is  noted  for  its  production  of  fine  live  stock.  Mr.  Sutter  is  an 
able  farmer,  liaxing  Ijcen  well  schooled  in  the  art  of  agriculture  b\-  his  capal)le 
father.  The  Sutter  family  erected  the  handsome  farm  residence  of  seven 
rooms  in  1892.  all  modernized  with  hot  and  cold  running  water  and  electric 
lights.  The  barn  is  an  immense  affair  and  well  built,  in  dimensions,  60x70 
feet  and  erected  with  an  eye  to  appearance  as  well  as  convenience.  Mr.  Sut- 
'er  has  long  been  a  breeder  of  Perchcron  horses  and  keeps  ])ure  bred  stock  of 
this  variety.  He  generally  has  about  thirty  head  of  horses  and  mules  on 
the  farm  and  aims  to  feed  all  of  the  grain  which  he  produces  to  live  stock  on 
the  place.  He  keeps  only  full  bred  Poland  China  hogs  and  good  grades  of 
cattle.  When  the  Sutter  estate  was  apportioned  among  the  children  of  the 
late  Frederick  Sutler,  William  received  160  acres,  the  home  place,  as  his  share, 
and  afterwards  bought  an  additicmal  (|uarter  section,  making  320  acres  in  all. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  84 1 

which  he  owns.  He  formerly  owned  i6o  acres  south  of  the  home  place,  but 
sold  it. 

William  Sutter  was  bom  Octolier  i8,  1856,  on  a  farm  in  Walnut  town- 
ship, a  son  of  Frederick  and  Fredericka  Sutter,  natives  of  Germany,  and  pio- 
neer settlers  in  the  town  of  old  Sumner.  (See  biography  of  Fred  Sutter  for 
further  details.)  William  Sutter  accompanied  his  ]>arents  to  Benton  town- 
ship in  1880,  and  assisted  his  father  in  the  accumulation  of  his  large  estate  and 
cared  for  his  parents  until  their  deaths.  After  his  father's  death  he  continued 
to  reside  on  the  old  home  place  and  tilled  the  farm  of  which  he  is  now  the 
sole  owner. 

He  was  married  October  18,  191 5,  to  Miss  Dorothy  Xickle,  of  Muscotali, 
Atchison  county,  a  daughter  of  WilHam  Nickle,  an  old  resident  of  Atchison 
county.  After  a  honeymoon  trip  to  the  Panama-Pacific  Exposition  and  Pa- 
cific coast  points  extending  into  old  Mexico,  covering  a  period  of  nearly  two 
months,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sutter  returned  to  tiie  home  farm,  near  Effingham. 

Mr.  Sutter  is  a  Republican  in  politics,  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian 
church  and  is  affiliated  with  the  Central  Protective  Association  and  the  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Odd  Fellows.  He  is  truly  a  product  of  the  pioneer  days  in 
Atchison  county,  and  in  his  youth  knew  what  real  hardships  were  and  assisted 
in  the  struggle  to  achieve  a  comfortable  competence  for  the  Sutter  family  in 
common,  and  has  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  the  family  fortunes  increase 
as  the  years  ha\-e  passed,  and  seein.g  his  home  count}-  improve  with  age  and 
gain  in  prestige  and  wealth.  He  is  a  genial,  popular  gentleman,  who  has  a 
deep  and  abiding  love  for  the  county  which  he  has  helped  to  develop  and  is 
proud  of  the  fact  that  he  was  one  of  those  who  assisted  in  its  upbuilding. 


JAMES  ISHAM  HOLMES. 

James  Isham  Holmes,  of  Shannon  township,  Atchison  county,  is  a  pioneer 
of  eastern  Kansas  and  vv'cstern  Missouri,  and  for  seventy-three  years  has  lived 
within  a  radius  of  twelve  miles  from  Atchison.  Fie  is  a  native  of  Indiana 
and  was  born  in  Putnam  county  March  22,  1841.  He  is  a  son  of  William  and 
Nancy  (Hartsock)  Holmes,  the  former  a  native  of  England,  born  in  1812, 
and  the  latter  a  native  of  Germany.  William  Holmes,  the  father,  immigrated 
from  England  with  his  parents  when  he  was  a  small  boy.  The  family  located 
in  Kentucky,  where  they  remained  but  a  short  time  when  the\-  removed  to 


842  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

Indiana,  and  in  1842  they  removed  to  Buchanan  county,  Missouri,  and  located 
near  St.  Joseph.  The  father  was  a  cooper  and  worked  at  his  trade  for  a  short 
time  at  Rushville,  Mo.,  and  in  the  spring  of  1843  ^^  settled  one  mile  south 
of  Dekalb,  where  he  conducted  a  cooper  shop  for  eight  years.  He  then  bought 
a  farm  three  miles  north  of  Dekalb,  where  he  followed  farming  for  twelve 
years,  or  until  1863,  when  he  traded  his  place  for  a  farm  in  Doniphan  county, 
Kansas.  Three  years  later  he  sold  his  Doniphan  count}^  farm  and  removed  to 
Atchison,  where  he  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life  in  retirement. 

William  and  Nancy  (Hartsock)  Holmes  were  the  parents  of  the  follow- 
ing children :  John  William,  Eliza  Ann,  Peter,  Alfred ;  James  Isham,  the 
subject  of  tliis  sketch ;  John.  Francis.  [Marion,  Loma,  Ann.  Perry,  PraeU'r  B., 
Isaac,  Susan  Ann,  Lethia  Maria,  Joseph,  and  Henry. 

James  Isham  Holmes  was  reared  amid  the  pioneer  surroundings  of  the 
times  and  received  such  education  as  was  available  under  the  conditions,  and 
when  twenty-two  years  old  went  to  Doniphan  county,  Kansas,  where  he  worked 
in  a  flouring  mill  one  year.  He  was  then  engaged  in  various  vocations,  includ- 
ing farming,  cutting  cordwood,  railroading  and  lumbering,  when  he  engaged 
in  breaking  prairie  in  the  vicinity  of  Atchison.  He  followed  that  vocation  for 
some  time  when  he  engaged  in  farming  in  Atchison  county.  He  sold  his  farm  in 
1868  and  shortly  afterwards  bought  another  place  of  eighty  acres,  and  bought 
more  land  as  the  opportunity  offered,  and  now  owns  a  fine  farm  of  240 
acres,  where  he  has  resided  for  the  past  forty  years.  He  is  one  of  tlie  suc- 
cessful farmers  of  Atchison  county  and  has  prospered. 

Mr.  Holmes  has  been  twice  married.  His  first  wife  was  Rose  Ann  Wood, 
to  whom  he  was  married  in  1861.  She  died  February  9,  1862,  leaving  one 
child,  William  H..  who  resides  in  Atcliison.  His  second  marriage  took  place 
September  17,  1863,  to  Jemima  E.  Pruitt,  a  Missouri  girl,  born  in  1844.  Tliree 
children  were  born  to  this  union :  Perry,  a  railroad  man,  residing  in  Salt  Lake 
City,  Utah ;  Nancy  Emily,  now  deceased :  Minnie  married  Mr.  Bisel,  and  is 
now  deceased.  She  was  the  mother  of  three  children,  Lawrence,  Milburn, 
and  Othello. 

Mr.  Holmes  has  been  a  student  of  men  and  affairs  all  his  life.  He  has 
read  extensively  during  his  entire  life  and  is  one  of  the  best  posted  men  on 
general  topics  in  Atchison  county.  He  is  a  typical  representative  of  the  Amer- 
ican pioneer  who  courageously  conquered  the  wild  and  unbroken  West  and 
made  of  it  the  great  agricultural  and  commercial  empire  that  it  is.  He  and 
his  accomplished  wife,  who  has  been  his  helpmate  and  companion  for  more 
than  a  half  century,  are  now  spending  the  sunset  of  their  lives  in  peace  and 
comfort  in  their  beautiful  home  which  their  industry  has  provided. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  843 

EDWIN  TAYLOR  SHELLY,  M.  D. 

For  thirty-five  years  Dr.  Edwin  Taylor  Slielly  has  been  a  successful 
medical  practitioner  in  the  city  of  Atchison.  Dr.  Shelly  was  born  in  Quaker- 
town.  Pa.,  February  6,  1859,  and  is  a  son  of  William  N.  and  Anna  (Taylor) 
Shelly,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Bucks  county,  Pennsylvania.  Rev. 
William  N.  Shelly,  the  father,  was  a  United  Brethren  minister,  whose  ances- 
tors came  originally  from  Saxony,  Germany,  in  1765  and  settled  in  Mont- 
gomery county,  Pennsylvania.  He  departed  this  life  in  1893,  at  the  age  of 
seventy-nine  years.  Mrs.  Anna  (Taylor)  Shelly  died  in  1S81,  at  the  age  of 
sixty-four  years. 

Edwin  Taylor  Shelly  was  the  only  child  h\  the  second  marriage  of  Rev. 
William  N.  Shelly.  He  received  his  early  education  in  the  Ouakertown  high 
school  and  then  taught  school  for  two  years.  He  began  the  study  of  med- 
icine in  the  medical  department  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  in  1878, 
graduating  therefrom  in  1881.  After  practicing  his  profession  for  a  few 
months  in  his  home  county  Dr.  Shelly  removed  to  Eden,  Kan.,  where  he  prac- 
ticed for  three  years.  He  then  moved  to  Huron,  Kan.,  where  he  remained 
for  two  years,  previous  to  locating  in  Atchison  in  May,  1886,  where  he  has 
since  maintained  offices. 

Dr.  Shelly  is  a  member  of  the  Missouri  Valley  Medical  Society,  the  Atch- 
ison County  Medican  Society,  the  Kansas  State,  and  the  American  Medical 
associations,  and  is  a  member  of  the  Kansas  Academy  of  Science  and  the 
American  Association  for  the  Advancement  of  Science.  He  has  twice  served 
as  president  of  the  Northeastern  Kansas  Medical  Association.  He  has  en- 
deavored to  keep  pace  with  the  progress  made  in  his  life  profession  and  has 
pursued  post-graduate  courses  in  the  University  of  Pennsyhania,  the  Post- 
Graduate  School  of  Chicago,  and  the  Sloan  Maternity  Hospital  of  New  York 
City.  Dr.  Shelly  has  been  an  occasional  contributor  to  the  various  medical 
journals,  and  articles  from  his  pen  have  appeared  in  the  Journal  of  the  Ameri- 
can Medical  Association,  the  New  York  Medical  Record,  and  other  medical 
publications.  He  has  always  devoted  himself  exclusively  to  the  practice  of 
his  profession.  In  politics,  the  Doctor  is  an  independent  Democrat,  and  has 
always  taken  a  great  deal  of  interest  in  civic  and  economic  questions. 

Dr.  Shelly  has  been  twice  married,  his  first  marriage  occurring  in  1885 
with  Miss  Mary  A.  Schletzbaum,  of  Eden,  who  died  in  1897,  leaving  two  sons, 
namely:  William  L.,  a  farmer,  residing  on  rural  route  No.  i,  south  of  Atch- 
ison, and  who  is  a  graduate  of  the  Manhattan  Agricultural  College;  Ralph 
A.,  a  graduate  of  the  engineering  department  of  Manhattan  College,  and  now 


844  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

employed  in  the  Buick  automobile  factory  at  Flint,  Mich.  His  second  mar- 
riage was  with  Miss  L'llie  E.  Allen,  of  Atchison,  in  1899.  To  this  union 
have  been  born  two  children,  Esther,  aged  thirteen  years,  and  Allen  Parker, 
seven  years  old. 


EDGAR  WATSON  HOWE. 


Edgar  Watson  Howe,  journalist  and  author,  was  born  at  Treaty.  \\'a- 
bash  county,  Indiana,  May  3,  1854,  a  son  of  Henry  and  Elizabeth  ( Irwin) 
Howe.  In  1857  the  Howe  family  moved  to  Harrison  county,  Missouri,  where 
Edgar  was  educated  in  the  common  schools  until  twelve  years  of  age,  when 
he  began  working  in  liis  father's  printing  office.  Henry  Howe,  a  Methodist 
minister,  was  described  as  a  "fierce  abolitionist,"  and  published  a  paper  at 
Bethany,  Mo.  At  the  age  of  fourteen  the  strict  discipline  of  his  erratic  father 
became  too  much  for  the  spirit  of  the  boy  and  he  left  home.  E.  W.  Howe 
is  next  heard  of  in  Golden,  Colo.,  as  editor  and  publisher  of  the  Weekly  Globe, 
at  the  age  of  eighteen.  A  year  or  so  afterward  he  was  connected  with  a 
paper  at  Falls  City,  Neb.,  where  in  1875  he  married  Miss  Clara  L.  Frank. 
Five  children  were  born  to  tliis  union,  rmd  three  are  living.  In  1877  Mr. 
Howe  came  to  Atchison,  Kan.,  where  he  established  the  Atchison  Globe. 
This  paper  was  not  long  in  finding  its  way  to  recognition  among  the  news- 
papers of  Kansas  on  account  of  the  personality  injected  into  it  by  its  editor, 
and  for  more  than  thirty  years  it  has  been  one  of  the  most  widely  quoted 
publications  in  the  whole  country.  The  recent  edition  of  the  luncyclopedia 
Brittanica  refers  to  it.  Mr.  Howe  has  tlie  happy  faculty  of  being  personal 
in  his  comments  without  giving  offense.  The  informal  way  of  dealing  with 
matters  in  his  paper  has  alwa3^s  been  relished  by  Kansans  and  has  attracted 
fa\orable  comment  in  the  more  conventional  parts  of  the  country.  The  mag- 
azines, in  reproducing  some  of  liis  refreshing  paragraphs,  liave  referred  to 
"Ed"  Howe  as  the  best  country-town  newspaper  reporter  in  America.  He 
has  the  faculty  of  seeking  the  points  overlooked  by  the  majority  and  of 
working  them  up  into  paragraphs  having  a  combination  of  sarcasm  and  good 
liumor  that  is  irresistible. 

Mr.  Howe's  first  work  of  fiction  was  "The  Stoiy  of  a  Country  Town," 
pul)lished  in  1882,  which  has  lieen  for  more  llnan  a  quarter  of  a  century  among 
tlie  standard  books  of  .America.  It  has  been  classed  by  such  eminent  critics 
as  William  Dean  Howells  as  one  of  the  ten  best  American  novels.  This 
book  did  not  run  its  course  as  the  average  popular  novel  does;  its  human  inter- 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  845 

est  has  taken  lasting  hold  un  the  puhlic.  Other  works  of  fiction  wliich  Mr. 
Howe  has  since  written  are :  "The  Moonhght  Boy,''  "The  Mystery  of  the 
Locks,"  "An  Ante-mortem  Statement,"  "The  Confession  of  John  W'hitlock." 
His  "Lay  Sermons"  contain  a  great  deal  of  good,  sound  philosophy  of  life, 
and  from  the  pages  of  this  book  may  be  deducted  a  very  practical  code  of 
ethics.  Li  1900,  at  the  time  Dr.  Sheldon  edited  the  Daily  Capital  in  Topeka 
for  a  week  in  the  way  he  thought  Christ  would  do,  Mr.  Howe  added  to  the 
gayety  of  Nations  by  accepting  an  invitation  from  the  Topeka  Stale  Journal 
and  running  it  for  a  week  the  way  he  thought  the  dexil  would  run  a  news- 
paper. 

In  igo6  Mr.  Howe  made  a  long  trip  abroad,  which  resulted  in  "Daily 
Notes  of  a  Trip  Around  the  World,"  in  two  volumes,  which  has  been  praised 
as  highly  as  any  book  of  travels  in  recent  years.  Two  years  later  he  wrote 
"The  Trip  to  the  West  Lidies."  as  a  result  of  a  winter  cruise.  His  latest 
book  is  "Country  Town  Sayings,"  a  collection  of  his  paragraphs  in  the 
Atchison  Globe. 

Mr.  Howe's  country  home  at  Atchison  is  one  of  the  most  carefully  and 
artistically  arranged  homes  in  the  State.  It  is  a  bungalow,  overlooking  what 
is  said  to  be  one  of  the  three  finest  views  in  Kansas.  It  was  built  by  its  owner 
as  a  place  to  retire  vihen  he  became  old,  as  he  believes  that  too  many  people 
stand  around  in  other  people's  way.  True  to  his  instinct  of  the  unusual  he 
named  it  "Potato  Hill."  At  the  age  of  fifty-six  years  he  retired  from  active 
management  of  the  Globe.  It  was  ]^redicted  by  those  familiar  with  his  tireless 
energy  as  a  newspaper  man  that  he  would  soon  be  back  at  his  desk  in  the 
Globe  office,  but  such  was  not  the  case.  After  revising  the  "Story  of  a  Coun- 
try Town"  for  the  stage  he  began  the  publication  of  Hozi'e's  Monthly,  which, 
within  a  few  months  became  the  western  rival  of  the  Phillistine,  published  at 
East  .\urora,  N.  Y.,  and  is  considered  by  many  to  have  out-classed  Elbert 
Hubbard's  magazine.  The  Edward  Howe  paragraphs  ha\e  been  syndicated, 
and  appear  in  the  leading  dailies  of  the  country.  In  an  attempt  to  account 
for  the  popularity  of  these  paragraphs  and  the  other  writings  of  Mr.  Howe, 
Walt  Mason  in  the  American  Magazine,  says:  "There  is  always,  in  even'- 
thing  Ed.  Howe  writes,  the  element  of  the  unexpected.  It  is  present  in  all  his 
books — one  of  which  ranks  with  the  best  in  American  fiction — and  it  is  in 
his  briefest  paragraphs,  and  that  is  why  he  is  inimitable.  Others  may  adopt 
his  style  and  mannerisms,  but  they  can't  borrow  the  strange,  original  intelli- 
gence that  eternally  ignores  the  obvious  and  seizes  upon  the  liizarre,  showing 
how  much  of  the  bizarre  there  is  in  every-day  commonplace  life." 


846  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

The  personality  of  Mr.  Howe  as  described  by  those  who  i<now  him  best, 
is  that  of  a  quiet)  courteous  gentleman,  amiable  and  kind  to  all.  His  patience 
in  teaching  the  young  reporter  and  his  indulgent  ignoring  of  the  mistakes  of 
his  office  force,  have  been  frequently  remarked  upon.  It  is  said  that  he  never 
discharged  anyone,  but  always  assisted  them  to  make  good.  To  those  who 
have  been  associated  with  him  he  is  a  greater  man  than  he  is  to  those  who 
only  know  him  through  the  printed  page,  and  the  longer  and  closer  the 
acquaintance,  the  more  remarkable  seems  his  genius. 


WILLIAM  F.  SPEER. 


William  F.  Speer  showed  his  good  judgment  in  coming  to  Kansas. 
It  was  not  his  fault  that  he  was  not  bom  in  the  great  Sunflower  State,  but  he 
immediately  recognized  that  the  next  best  thing  to  being  a  native  born  "Jay- 
hawker"  was  to  spend  as  many  years  as  possible  in  the  prosperous  State,  and 
although  he  was  only  three  months  old  at  the  time  he  has  never  had  occasion 
to  reverse  his  judgment.  In  fact,  he  likes  it  better  every  year,  and  in  all  the 
fifty-five  years  he  has  lived  in  Kansas  he  has  always  held  to  his  first  prefer- 
ence for  Kansas  territory. 

William  F.  Speer  was  born  January  8,  i860,  but  when  spring  came  his 
parents,  Joseph  and  Mary  (Fountain)  Speer,  whose  history  is  written  under 
the  name  of  Anna  D.  Speer,  a  sister,  came  to  Atchison  county,  Kansas,  from 
their  former  home  in  Madison  county,  Iowa.  The  parents  settled  on  the 
farm  which  William  Speer  now  owns  and  brought  him  up  in  the  way  he 
should  go,  including  some  schooling  at  the  district  school  house.  His  meagre 
time  in  school  was  only  a  breathing  spell  for  the  heavier  duties  which  awaited 
him  on  his  father's  farm,  and  William  was  early  drafted  for  service  and  had 
to  help  along  with  his  eight  brothers  and  sisters.  When  the  father's  estate 
was  divided  he  bought  the  home  place  of  160  acres,  which  he  has  improved  a 
great  deal  since  that  time. 

In  1889  Mr.  Speer  married  Cora  Spangler.  who  was  born  March  6, 
1866,  in  Maiden,  111.  She  was  the  daughter  of  LeRoy  and  Lucendia  (Smith) 
Spangler.  both  natives  of  Ohio,  who  came  to  Brown  county,  Kansas  in  1870, 
where  they  remained  until  1876.  when  they  moved  to  Grasshopper  town- 
ship, Atchison  county.  They  moved  to  Edmond,  Okla.,  in  1900.  The  father 
died  in  19 13,  at  the  age  of  seventy- four  years,  and  the  mother  passed  away  in 
1906,  at  the  age  of  sixty-seven  years.     Mr.  and  Mrs.  Spangler  had  six  chil- 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  •  847 

dren,  as  follows :  Alfred,  of  Marion  county,  Kansas ;  George,  of  Edmond, 
Okla. ;  Cora,  the  wife  of  William  Speer ;  Joseph,  deceased;  Curtis  and  Irvin, 
of  Kansas  City,  Mo.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Speer  have  seven  children,  all  of  whom 
are  living  at  home,  with  the  exception  of  Ralph,  who  is  manager  of  the 
Muscotah  farmers'  elevator.  The  children  living  at  home  are :  Lela,  LeRoy, 
Lucy,  Anna  Belle.  Frank,  and  Marjorie. 


EDMUND  BULLOCK. 


Edmund  Bullock,  late  of  JMuscotah,  Kan.,  was  born  in  Januaiw,  1S3S,  at 
Cornwall,  England,  and  departed  this  life  July  27.  1892.  He  was  a  son  of 
Frank  Bullock,  who  with  his  family  immigrated  to  Canada  in  1846,  and 
crossed  the  border  to  become  a  resident  of  the  United  States  in  1853,  finallv 
settling  in  Wisconsin.  Edmund  was  reared  to  young  manhood  in  Wiscon- 
sin, and  married  there  in  i86g.  Three  years  later,  in  1872,  he  and  his  young 
wife  came  to  Kansas,  settling  in  Muscotah,  Atchison  county.  Edmund  Bul- 
lock was  a  skilled  tinsmith,  and  his  first  work  in  Muscotah  was  the  opening 
of  a  small  shop  which  served  as  a  place  to  ply  his  trade,  and  also  as  their 
home  for  some  time.  He  prosi>ered  as  time  went  on  and  added  a  stock  ot 
stoves  and  tinware,  and  later  established  a  larger  store  and  carried  hardware 
of  all  kinds  in  stock.  For  several  years  after  coming  to  Muscotah  he  made 
all  of  the  tinware  sold  from  his  shop.  For  the  first  five  years  of  their  resi- 
dence in  Muscotah  the  tin  shop  was  divided  and  half  of  it  served  as  a  resi- 
dence for  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bullock.  A  sister  of  Mrs.  Bullock  lived  witli  them 
and  conducted  a  millinery  store  in  the  living  room.  Mv.  Bullock  first  worked 
in  Greenleaf,  Kan.,  when  he  came  west,  and  Mrs.  Bullock  stayed  with  friend.s 
in  Frankfort.     He  heard  of  Muscotah  and  decided  to  locate  here. 

Mr.  Bullock  was  married  in  1869  to  Miss  Emma  Graham,  a  native  of 
Wisconsin,  and  a  tlaughter  of  fhistavus  and  Sarah  Maria  Graliam,  who  were 
both  born  in  New  York  State,  h'or  fifteen  years  previous  to  her  demise  Mrs. 
Bullock's  mother,  Mrs.  Sarah  Maria  Hale,  made  her  home  with  her  daughter, 
dying  September  29,  1915.  at  the  great  age  of  100  years  and  nine  months. 

Edmund  Bullock  was  a  Union  veteran,  who  enlisted  in  1862  in  the 
Twenty-fifth  Wisconsin  regiment  of  volunteers  and  served  until  tlic  close  of 
the  Civil  war,  participating  in  several  hard-fought  engagements  with  his  regi- 
ment. He  was  affiliated  with  the  Grand  Army  of  the  I^epublic  and  the 
Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons.     He  was  prominent  in  Masonic  circles 


84S  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

and  was  well  versed  in  Masonry.  Politically.  Mr.  Bullock  was  a  Republican, 
who  voted  independently  on  local  and  county  matters.  He  was  reared  in  the 
Episcopalian  faith,  but  was  a  liberal  donator  to  all  denominations  who  sought 
his  assistance.  He  was  an  honest,  straight-forward  citizen  who  was  blessed 
with  a  jolly  disposition  and  had  a  fund  of  anecdotes  which  he  was  continually 
retailing  to  a  crowd  of  interested  listeners,  especially  children  w!io  would 
gather  around  liim  at  times  when  he -was  not  Inisy  and  listened  enthralled  to 
his  wonder  tales.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bullock  lived  an  ideal  married  life  and  were 
deeply  devoted  to  each  other. 


PRESLEY  H.  CALVERT. 


Presley  11.  Cahert,  retired  farmer,  of  Muscotah,  Kan.,  was  born  Xovem- 
l)er  14.  1835,  in  Owington,  Ky.,  a  son  of  B.  Warren  Calvert,  a  native  of  old 
Virginia,  and  a  direct  descendant  of  Cecil  Calvert  (Lord  Baltimore),  who 
founded  the  Maryland  colony  in  America.  The  mother  of  Presley  H.  Cal- 
vert was  Lucy  J.  Hawkins  before  her  marriage  with  Warren  Calvert,  and  was 
born  in  Frankfort.  Ky.  In  1S37  the  Calvert  family  migrated  from  Kentucky 
to  Platte  county,  Missouri,  and  were  among  the  earliest  pioneer  settlers  of 
that  county.  Being  slaveholders  in  Kentucky  they  brought  along  the  family 
slaves  and  im|)ro\ed  160  acres  of  land  in  Missouri.  Both  parents  ended  their 
days  on  the  old  home  place  in  Platte  county. 

Presley  H.  was  reared  on  the  farm  in  Platte  count\-  and  was  educated  in 
the  Pleasant  Ridge  College,  the  same  school  attended  bv  B.  P.  Waggener,  of 
Atchison.  He  followed  farming  until  the  outbreak  of  the  war  between  the 
States  and  then  sened  three  months  in  the  army  of  General  Price,  being  un- 
der the  direct  command  of  Captain  Mitchell  and  in  Steen's  division.  He 
fought  at  the  battle  of  Lexington,  Mo.,  in  behalf  of  the  Confcderac\-  and 
recei^■ed  his  discharge  on  account  of  sick  disability  at  Osceola,  St.  Clair  countv. 
Missouri.  After  his  marriage  in  1867  he  farmed  for  ten  vears  in  Platte 
county.  Missouri,  and  then  came  to  Kansas,  settling  on  a  farm  three  miles 
south  of  Muscntali  in  Kapioma  township.  For  the  first  ten  vears  Mr.  Calvert 
rented  land  and  then  invested  in  160  acres  of  good  land  three  miles  north  of 
^luscotah  in  Crassliojiper  township.  He  imjjroved  this  fann  and.  resided 
thereon  until  1895.  He  then  rented  his  farm  and  moved  to  Muscotah.  Mr. 
Calvert  paid  twenty  dollars  per  acre  for  his  land  and  sold  it  for  $5,000  when 
he  retired  from  active  farm  work.  He  is  now  making  his  home  with  Mr. 
•■'"'  ^fv'    WiW  Warren.     Mrs.  W'arren  is  his  niece. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  849 

Mr.  Calvert  was  married  in  iS()7  to  Miss  Cora  A.  Jackson,  liorn  and 
.reared  in  Platte  county,  Missouri,  a  daughter  of  Wallace  Jackson,  a  native  of 
Kentucky  and  an  early  settler  of  Missouri.  Two  children  were  l)orn  to  this 
union  :  Edna  and  Charles,  hoth  of  whom  are  deceased.  Mrs.  Calvert  died  in 
1908,  at  the  age  of  sixty  years.  Mr.  Calvert  has  heen  a  life-long-  Democrat 
of  the  old  school,  ^\'!len  a  young-  man  he  formed  one  of  the  1-iardy  army  of 
freighters  who  crossed  the  plains  to  the  h'ar  West  in  charge  of  the  great 
overland  freight  trains  before  the  advent  of  the  railroads.  He  crossed  the 
plains  on  four  trips  to  Salt  Lake  C"ity  and  other  western  points  in  Colorado. 


WILLIAM  THOMAS  WARREN. 

^^^illian-l  Thomas  Warren  is  one  of  the  younger  generation  of  farmers  in 
Atchison  county,  and  is  the  owner  of  320  acres  of  land  one  and  one-half  miles 
east  of  Muscotah  on  the  White  \\'ay  highway.  He  was  born  December  2^. 
1876,  in  Brown  county,  Kansas,  and  is  a  son  of  Rodney  T.  (born  in  1846, 
died  March  5,  1914),  and  Chariet  (Speaks)  Warren  (bom  in  1846).  Both 
parents  were  born  and  reared  in  Kentucky  and  came  to  Kansas  in  the  spring 
of  1876  and  settled  on  a  farm  in  Brown  county.  Later,  in  IQ05,  Rodney  T. 
Warren  bought  a  farni  near  Centralia  in  Nemaha  county,  and  resided  tiiereon 
until  his  demise.     Mrs.  Warren  lives  at  Hiawatha,  Kan. 

W.  T.  Waren  was  educated  in  the  public  .schools  of  his  nati\-e  countv  and 
followed  farming  until  T903,  when  he  left  the  farm  and  was  employed  in 
the  retail  meat  market  of  Mr.  Zimmernrui,  at  Hiawatha,  for  a  period  of  five 
years.  He  was  then  eni])loyed  in  the  same  a\-ocation  at  .\tchison,  Falls  Citv. 
Neb.,  and  Eairbury,  Neli.,  until  October  of  191 1.  He  then  came  to  Muscotah 
and  entered  the  employ  of  E.  W.  Allen,  who  conducted  a  grocery  and  meat 
market.  Pie  remained  with  Mr.  Allen  until  1914,  and  llien  he  and  Mrs. 
Warren  invested  their  comJjined  cajiital  in.^jo  acres  of  land  near  Muscotah. 

He  was  married  on  May  22.  1912,  to  Miss  Ella,  a  daughter  of  .\.  H. 
Calvert,  grain  merchant  of  Muscotah.  (The  reader  is  referred  to  the  biogra- 
phy of  A.  H.  Calvert,  brother  of  Presley  H.  Cah'ert,  for  further  details  con.- 
cerning  Mrs.  ^^^arren's  parents.)  Mrs.  \\'arren  served  as  the  assistant  cashier 
of  the  Muscotah  State  Bank  for  fifteen  years.  Mr.  Warren  is  a  Rejuiblican 
in  politics  and  attends  the  Congregational  church,  of  which  Mrs.  Warren  is 
a  meml)er. 

(.^4) 


850  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

WILLIAM  MAXGELSDORF. 

The  name  of  Mangelsdorf  is  indelibly  linked  witli  the  story  of  the  com- 
mercial development  of  northeast  Kansas  and  the  Middle  West,  and  the  ^lan- 
gelsdorf  family  is  one  of  the  most  respected  and  substantial  of  Atchison.  Kan. 
The  review  of  the  life  of  William  Mangelsdorf,  deceased,  begins  across  the 
Atlantic  in  the  Fatherland  of  Germany,  where  he  was  born  and  spent  part  of 
his  youth,  coming  to  America  with  his  parents  when  twelve  years  of  age. 
William  not  only  achieved  a  wonderful  success  in  busmess  and  accumulated 
wealth,  but  he  assisted  in  making  the  family  name  known  and  respected 
throughout  a  great  extent  of  territory  wherever  the  output  of  the  great  seed 
house  founded  by  him  and  his  brother,  August,  carried  its  business.  He  left 
behind  him  a  monument  for  business  integrity  and  upright  methods  which  lias 
made  his  name  universally  respected  and  honored  for  years  to  come. 

W'illiam  Mangelsdorf  was  horn  in  Arniin.  Prussia,  February  15,  1845,  ^ 
son  of  Christopher  and  Marie  Anna  Dorothy  Mangelsdorf.  Christopher 
Mangelsdorf  died  in  Germany  in  1849  and  his  widow  married  Andrew 
Stehwein,  who  with  the  family  emigrated  from  their  native  land  in  1849  '^"'i 
settled  on  a  farm  in  Gasconade  county,  Missouri.  In  1868  the  family  removed 
to  Douglas  county,  Kansas,  where  they  resided  until  the  mother's  demise, 
after  which  Mr.  Steliwein  came  to  Atchison  to  spend  the  remainder  of  his 
days  with  his  children.  Five  children  were  born  to  Christopher  and  Marie 
Anna  Mangelsdorf:  Mrs.  Anna  Buhman,  of  Atchison,  Kan.;  Henry,  in  New 
Mexico;  Mrs.  Dorothy  Beurman,  Lakeview,  Douglas  county.  Kansas; 
W'illiam,  with  whnm  this  review  is  directly  concerned;  and  .\ugust,  residing 
in  Atchison. 

In  1868  William  Mangelsdorf  left  the  family  home  in  Gasconade  county, 
Missouri,  and  came  to  Atchison,  Kan.  His  first  employment  in  this  city 
was  as  a  laliorer  in  various  sapacities  until  1872.  During  the  four  years  in 
which  lie  was  earning  his  living  by  the  hardest  kind  of  labor  he  was  all  the 
time  obsessed  with  the  idea  that  the  mercantile  field  of  the  new  country 
being  developed  afforded  opportunities  to  become  successful  for  an  ambitious 
young  man.  He  accordingly,  carefully  saved  his  money,  and  with  a  small 
capital  embarked  in  business  for  himself.  He  was  first  engaged  in  the  retail 
grocery  business  with  John  Ratterman  under  the  firm  style  of  Ratterinan  & 
Mangelsdorf,  and  remained  a  member  of  the  firm  until  1875,  when  he  dis- 
posed of  his  interest  in  the  grocery  business  and  purchased  a  half  interest  in 
'he  retail  grocery  conducted  by  his  brother,  August  Mangelsdorf.  forming 
the  firm  of  IMangelsdorf  Brothers.     It  was  about  this  time  that  the  lirothers 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  S5I 

tried  the  experiment  of  adding  a  seed  department  to  tiie  gM\)cery  ui  order  to 
meet  a  growing-  demand  for  farm  and  garden  seeds.  The  experiment  proved 
successful  and  the  business  grew  even  beyond  the  greatest  expectations  of  the 
promoters.  WHiat  was  intended  as  a  side  hne  on  their  part  developed  into 
an  extensive  business  which  soon  dwarfed  the  grocery  trade;  it  was  not  long 
until  thev  engaged  in  the  wholesale  line ;  the  enterprise  grew  to  be  one  of 
the  most  important  in  northeastern  Kansas,  and  was  later  incorporated  as 
the  Mangelsdorf  Brothers  Company.  An  extended  mention  of  its  develop- 
ment is  to  be  found  elsewhere  in  this  publication.  Not  many  years  after  the 
partnership  of  the  Mangelsdorf  Brothers  was  formed.  William  established 
another  general  merchandise  store  at  Ellinwood,  Kan.,  in  1877.  and  later 
another  store  at  Bushton,  Kan.  The  stores  were  conducted  under  the  name 
of  the  Mangelsdorf  Brothers  Company,  wdiich  was  incorporated  about  this 
time,  and  the  other  partners  in  the  various  enterprises  w^ere  .August  Mangels- 
dorf, of  Atchison,  H.  D.  Back,  of  Atchisop,  Kan.,  and  C.  F.  Stehwein,  man- 
ager of  the  Bushton  store.  William  resided  in  Ellinwood  in  active  manage- 
ment of  the  stores  until  1895;  then  he  removed  with  his  family  to  his  farm 
near  there.  In  1898  he  moved  to  Bushtnn,  taking  the  active  management  of 
the  store  at  that  place.  He  also  established  a  banking  business  at  Bushton 
which  was  successful  from  the  start,  and  his  activity  in  commercial  life  con- 
tinued until  1904.  when  he  removed  to  Atchison,  where  he  lived  in  retire- 
ment from  active  business  pursuits  until  his  demi.se.  May  15,   191 1. 

Mr.  Mangelsdorf  was  married  August  6,  1875.  to  Miss  Minnie  Hailing, 
and  this  marriage  was  blessed  with  six  children,  namely :  Clara,  residing  in 
Pueblo,  Colo. ;  William  C,  who  also  lives  in  Pueblo,  Colo. ;  Edward  F.,-  a 
member  of  the  Mangelsdorf  Brothers  Company;  Minnie,  at  home;  Frank 
A.,  cashier  of  the  German-American  State  Bank  of  Atchison;  Albert  H., 
cashier  of  the  Farmers  State  Bank,  Potter,  Kan.  Mrs.  Mangelsdorf  was 
born  in  1854  in  Pennsylvania,  and  died  in  Atchison,  Kan.,  in  1904.  Her 
father  was  an  early  settler  in  Kansas,  and  first  resided  in  Doniphan  county, 
where  he  preempted  land  on  Independence  creek,  later  removing  to  Atchison. 
William  Alangelsdorf  was  a  meml)er  of  the  Evangelical  Lutheran 
church,  to  which  denomination  he  was  a  liberal  contributor.  During  his  Hfc 
he  was  a  hard  and  indefatigable  worker,  who  was  ambitious  to  succeed  and 
achieve  a  competence  for  iiis  children.  He  was  a  liberal  supporter  nf  local 
enterprises,  and  was  regarded  as  one  of  the  wealthy  and  substantial  citizens 
of  Kan.sas,  and  will  long  be  regarded  as  one  of  the  leading  figures  of  the 
commercial  develn])ment  of  Atchison  county  and  central  Kansas. 


H-,2  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COLXTY 

ALBERT  H.  MANGELSDORF. 

Allien  H.  Alangelsdorf.  cashier  of  the  Farmers  State  Bank  of  Potter, 
Kan.,  was  born  I'ehruary  15,  1890,  in  Barton  county,  Kansas.  He  is  a  son 
of  the  late  William  IMangelsdorf.  a  pioneer  settler  of  Atchison,  and  one  of 
the  successful  merchants  of  Kansas,  extended  mention  of  whom  is  given  else- 
where in  this  volume.  Mr.  Mang-elsdorf  was  educated  in  the  common  schools 
of  Barton  county,  Kansas,  and  received  his  jireparatorj'  training  at  St.  Bene- 
dict's College,  Atchison,  Kan.  He  attended  the  Universitv  of  Kansas,  class 
of  191 2,  pursuing  a  course  in  mining  engineering.  After  the  completion  of 
this  course  he  was  in  the  emjiloy  of  the  Newmire  A^inadium  Companv.  located 
at  Xewmire.  Colo.,  in  the  capacity  of  engineer.  Later,  lie  was  in  the  employ 
of  a  mining  firm  at  W'einkleman,  Ariz.,  and  later  with  the  .\rizona  Copper 
Company  at  Morenci,  Ariz.,  after  which  he  served  as  superintendent  of  the 
main  building  of  the  MangeLsdorf  Brotliers  Company  at  .Atchison  until  his 
appointment  as  ca.shier  of  the  Farmers  State  Bank  of  Potter.  Kan.,  in 
December,   ic)i4. 

Mr.  Mangelsdorf  is  a  Republican  in  politics  and  is  fraternallv  affiliated 
with  the  .\lpha  Tau  Omega  fraternity,  tlie  Knights  of  Columlius,  and  is  a 
member  of  the  Catholic  church. 


I'RED   BIXKLI'A' 


The  late  l-'red  liinkley,  of  Potter,  Kan.,  was  born  .Vpril  S,  iS^j.  in  War- 
rick county,  Indiana,  a  son  of  George  and  Catharine  (Chinn)  I'inkiey,  both 
of  whom  were  l)orn  and  reared  in  the  State  of  Xorth  Carolina,  and  were 
among  the  earliest  settlers  of  southwestern  Indiana.  George  Binkley  was  of 
German  origin,  and  Catharine  (Chinn)  Binkley  was  of  English  origin.  In 
the  year  1828  George  Binkley  with  his  wife  and  infant  son.  lames,  set  out  for 
Indiana,  equipped  with  one  horse,  iheir  personal  belongings  and  a  camping  out- 
fit. The  liorse  was  used  to  transport  their  outfits  and  it  was  necessarv  for 
George  and  his  wife  to  walk  practically  the  entire  distance  from  Nortli  Car- 
olina to  their  destination  in  Indiana.  They  arrived  in  the  wilderness  of  Indi- 
ana without  mishap  and  at  once  set  ai)out  making  a  home  in  t!ic  new  countrv. 
A  few  years  later  they  removed  to  a  fann  in  Gibson  county,  Indiana,  where 
(George  and  Catharine  Binkley  spent  the  remainder  of  their  lives,  Thev 
reared  a  family  of  eleven  children,  of  which  Fred  was  the  third  child. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  853 

Fred  Uinklc}-  grew  to  manhood  on  the  pioneer  farm  in  Iiuliana  and 
learned  to  rough  it  at  a  very  early  age.  After  his  niarriage  in  1854  to  Eliza- 
beth Dougan.  lie  and  his  wife  lived  for  one  year  on  a  farm  in  ( lihson  count\', 
and  then  the  father  of  Mrs.  Binkley  (James  Dougan)  sold  out  his  holdings 
in  Indiana  and  migrated  to  Atchison  couul\',  Kansas.  Two  years  later  l-'red 
and  his  wife  followed  and  settled  on  ito  acres  of  land  one  and  one-lrdf  miles 
northwest  of  Potter  in  Mt.  Pleasant  township.  The  land  was  mosth-  raw  prairie 
and  it  was  necessary  for  him  to  erect  a  suital)le  home  which  was  an  liiunhle 
one  at  first,  hut  as  the  years  passed  and  'Sir.  and  Mrs.  Binkley  became  more 
and  more  prosperous  they  built  a  belter  home  and  added  sixtv  acres  more 
land  to  their  holdings. 

Fred  Binkley  was  married  September  15,  1854,  to  Elizal:)etb  Dougan,  and 
eight  children  have  been  born  to  this  union:  Robert,  bom  in  Indiana  in  1855, 
a  farmer  living  in  Alt.  Pleasant  township:  Sarah,  wife  of  S.  Watson,  of 
Leavenworth  county,  Kansas,  was  born  in  i860;  Lewis,  born  in  1863,  and 
died  in  1899;  James,  born  in  1868,  living  on  a  farm  near  Effingham,  Kan.; 
George,  born  in  1870,  died  in  1910:  Dora,  born  in  187J.  wife  of  Samuel  Hall, 
of  Leavenworth  county,  Kansas;  Lou,  born  in  1874,  at  home  with  her  mother; 
Kate,  born  in  1877,  wife  of  Albert  Hawley,  of  Atchison  county,  Kans.-is. 
The  mother  of  these  children  was  born  May  10.  1835,  a  daughter  of  James 
and  Sarah  (Healt)  Dougan.  James  Dougan,  the  father,  was  born  in  Ken- 
tucky, a  son  of  Samuel,  who  was  a  soldier  of  the  Re\'olution,  and  who 
received  a  large  grant  of  (Jovernment  land  for  his  services.  His  grant  was 
located  in  l)\er  county,  Tennessee,  and  consisted  of  1,300  acres  of  wild  land, 
which  was  divided  among  the  children  of  the  Revolutionary  soldier  (James). 
Samuel  removed  with  his  family  to  a  portion  of  this  land,  ^vhich  was  wild 
and  rough  and  covered  with  dense  timber.  A  few  years  of  living  in  the  wil- 
derness of  Tennessee  sufficed  for  them,  however,  and  thev  left  the  State  and 
went  to  Gibson  county,  Indiana,  to  found  another  home.  Thev  traveled  h<irse- 
liack  to  the  new  location.  Samuel,  at  that  time  an  old  man,  became  ill  on 
the  trip  and  wa"5  forced  to  return  to  Tennessee,  dying  there  in  al)out  1828. 
The  family  later  made  a  permanent  .settlement  in  Gibson  county,  Indiana. 
Samuel  and  Molly  Dougan  (his  wife)  reared  a  family  of  five  children,  of 
whom  James,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Binkley,  was  the  thinl  child.  The  mother  of 
James  died  in  1845.  James  Dougan  was  married  in  183 1  to  Sarah  Healt,  and 
eleven  children  were  born  to  them,  of  whom  nine  were  reared  to  manhood 
and  womanhood.  As  early  as  1855  James  Dougan  came  to  Atchison  county 
and  preempted  t6o  acres  of  land,  built  a  cabin,  and  returned  to  Indiana  for 
his  famil}-,  whom  he  brought  to  Atchison  county,  Kansas,  in  the  spring  of 


854  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

1856.  He  was  comparatively  a  poor  man  when  he  located  in  Kansas,  but 
became  quite  prosperous  and  well-to-do  and  became  the  owner  of  a  half  sec- 
tion of  well  improved  land.  James  died  in  1900,  at  the  age  of  ninety-two. 
years.  Two  brothers  of  Mrs.  Binkley  served  in  the  Union  Army  during  the 
Civil  war.  One  of  them  enlisted  in  the  Eighth  Kansas  cavalry  regiment,  and 
the  other  in  the  Thirteenth  regiment. 

Fred  Binkley  departed  this  life  August  2.  1910.  He  was  well  and  favor- 
ably known  in  Atcliison  county  and  his  demise  marked  the  passing  of  (inc  of 
the  sturdy  pioneer  settlers  of  the  State.  He  was  a  stanch  Republican  dur- 
ing his  whole  life  and  was  a  pronounced  Free  State  man  in  the  days  when 
the  struggle  was  on  to  make  Kansas  a  Free  State.  He  took  an  active  part  in 
the  stirring  scenes  before  and  during  the  dark  days  of  the  Civil  war,  and  like 
many  others,  suffered  from  the  forays  of  the  border  ruffians.  The  Methodist 
church,  of  which  he  was  one  of  the  members  and  a  builder,  having  been 
burned  bv  border  ruffians,  he  never  united  with  anv  other  denomination. 


JOHN  D  RIM  MEL. 

John  Drimmel,  farmer  and  stockman,  of  Shannon  township,  Atchison 
county,  was  born  on  the  farm  where  he  resides,  in  1863,  a  son  of  John  and 
Mary  (Karn)  Drimmel,  natives  of  Austria.  John  Drimmel,  Sr.,  was  born  in 
Austria  in  1829,  and  immigrated  to  America  with  his  wife  in  1853.  They 
were  accompanied  by  the  oldest  child,  Veronica.  He  settled  on  a  rented  farm 
of  eighty  acres  north  of  Atchison  in  Shannon  township,  which  he  cultivated 
for  three  years  and  then  bought  eighty  acres  of  land  four  miles  west  of  the 
city.  John,  Sr.,  erected  a  small,  rough  box  house,  wiiich  was  the  family  home 
for  the  first  twelve  years,  and  which  was  then  replaced  by  a  large,  handsome 
brick  residence  of  ten  rooms,  which  is  now  the  home  of  the  son,  John.  This 
fine  home  is  modern  and  fitted  with  a  lighting  system  and  a  cellar  runs 
underneath  the  entire  body  of  the  house.  It  is  one  of  the  most  attractive 
places  in  Atchison  county.  Mr.  Drimmel  added  to  his  acreage  as  he  was  able 
and  accumulated  a  total  of  230  acres  of  fine  land  which  is  now  being  culti- 
vated by  his  son.  During  1914  John  Drimmel,  with  whom  this  review  is 
concerned,  had  planted  forty-five  acres  of  corn,  100  acres  of  wheat,  and  ninety 
acres  of  oats,  all  of  which  yielded  splendid  crops.  Mr.  Drimmel  is  renting 
eighty  acres,  in  addition  to  the  home  farm.  The  elder  Drimmel  was  a  Free 
State  man  and  served  as  company  cook  in  the  Union  army  during  the  Civil 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  855 

war.  He  reared  a  family  of  seven  cliildrcii,  as  follows ;  Mrs.  Veronica  Aliller, 
living-  in  Doniphan  county,  Kansas;  Antony,  of  Atchison;  Florence,  Everest, 
Kan. ;  John,  the  subject  of  this  review ;  Arnold,  of  Kansas  City ;  Frank,  liv- 
ing with  his  brother,  John;  L.  J.,  a  fanner,  living  in  Shannon  township.  All 
of  the  children  of  this  pioneer  family  are  well-to-do  and  in  good  health,  the 
oldest  of  the  family  being  over  sixty-one  years  of  age.  John  Drimmel,  the 
father,  died  in  1891.  The  mother  was  born  in  1829,  and  died  in  1889.  They 
were  a  worthy  pioneer  couple  who  achieved  a  comfortable  competence  and 
reared  a  fine  family  in  the  land  of  their  adoption. 

John  Drimmel  owns  and  manages  the  old  home  place  of  the  Drimmel 
family  in  Shannon  township,  and  is  one  of  the  representative  and  well  known 
farmers  of  Atchison  county.  All  of  his  fifty-three  years  of  life  have  been 
spent  in  Atchison  county  and  he  has  always  lived  on  the  farm  which  he  now 
owns.  Mr.  Drimmel  was  married  in  1893  to  Miss  Marie  Blodig,  who  died 
in  the  first  year  of  her  marriage,  leaving  one  son,  Frank,  born  March  i.  1894. 
and  studied  in  St.  Benedict's  College.  He  was  again  married  in  1896  to  Miss 
Marie  Jahl,  who  has  borne  him  the  following  children :  Anna  Marie,  born 
November  24,  1898;  John  Albert,  born  April  28,  1900:  Marie  Veronica,  born 
September  6,  1901 ;  Agnes  Cecila,  born  December  23,  1902 ;  Irene  Florentine, 
born  June  11,  1904:  Ernest  Gabriel,  born  January  15,  1906;  Alfred  William, 
born  March  28,  1908;  Reinhold  Leapold,  bom  September  20,  1909;  Rose 
Helena,  born  January  23,  191 1;  Maximilian  Louis,  born  August  21,  1912; 
Genevieve  Frances,  jjorn  August  14,  1914.  The  mother  of  this  large  family 
of  eleven  children  was  born  in  Austria  in  1877,  a  daughter  of  John  and  Anna 
Jahl.  John  Jahl,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Drimmel,  was  born  in  Austria  in  1852, 
and  departed  this  life  March  10,  1879.  Mrs.  Jahl  was  born  July  22,  1855. 
and  came  to  j^merica  in  the  year  1894,  and  has  since  resided  in  Atchison 
county.  Mrs.  Jahl  resides  with  her  daughter.  She  and  Mr.  Jahl  were  mar- 
ried in  Austria  in  1875  and  were  the  parents  of  three  children  as  follows: 
John  Jahl,  Jr.,  born  February  21,  1876,  and  died  in  October,  1877;  Mrs. 
Marie  (Jahl)  Drimmel,  born  March  10,  1877;  Frank  Jahl,  born  September 
17,  1878.  and  died  in  June  of  1879. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Drimmel  and  their  children  are  all  members  of  St.  Bene- 
dict's Catholic  Church  and  are  liberal  supporters  of  this  denomination.  Mr. 
Drimmel  is  a  Democrat  in  politics,  but  simply  does  his  duty  as  a  citizen  and 
has  never  been  a  seeker  after  political  office.  The  Drimmel  home  is  a  very- 
happy  one,  and  the  Drimmel  family  is  one  of  the  largest  families  in  Atchison 
county  or  the  state  of  Kansas,  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Drimmel  have  good  and 
just  right  to  be  proud  of  the  fact,  inasmuch  as  Atchison  county  is  proud  of 


856  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

them.  The  children  of  this  fine  family  are  all  recei\ing  the  benefits  of  a 
good  school  and  college  education,  and  if  is  the  firm  intention  of  the  parents 
that  all  of  their  sons  shall  be  educated  in  St.  Benedict's  College,  and  the 
daughters  shall  finish  their  training  in  Mt.  St.  Scholastica  Academy.  John, 
Jr.,  is  at  present  a  student  in  St.  Benedict's  College,  class  of  1917,  and  Anna 
and  ilarie  will  enter  Mt.  Scholastica  in  the  fall  of  1916  in  order  to  complete 
the  course  in  this  excellent  young  ladies!  school.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Drimmel  be- 
lieve thoroughly  in  giving  their  children  every  educational  advantage  within 
their  means  in  order  to  properly  fit  them  for  becoming  useful  men  and 
women  and   liecome  a  credit  to  their  ambitious  parents. 


AUGUST  MAXGELSDORF. 


August  Mangelsdorf  has  been  a  citizen  of  Atchison  for  over  half  a  cen- 
tury and  has  accomplished  during  that  period  two  things  which  entitle  him 
to  recognition  and  even  renown.  He  established  and  built  up  the  Mangels- 
dorf Brothers  Seed  Company,  one  of  the  largest  concerns  of  its  kind  in  the 
West,  and  now  manager  by  his  sons.  The  other  is  the  rearing  of  a  large 
family  of  fifteen  children.  If  Mr.  ilangelsdorf  had  done  no  more  than  to 
bring  into  the  world  and  rear  his  family  of  fifteen  children  he  would  ha\e 
been  entitled  to  more  than  ordinary  mention  as  one  of  the  sturdy  pioneer 
citizens  of  Atchison.  He  is  now  living  a  retired  life  at  his  beautiful  place. 
"Homewood,"  in  South  Atchison,  and.  while  ostensibly  retired,  works  con- 
stantly on  his  farm  within  and  adjoining  the  city  limits.  While  nominally  the 
president  of  the  Mangelsdorf  Brothers  Seed  Company,  he  sjiends  the  greater 
portion  of  his  time  out  of  doors  working  alxnit  the  grounds  and  fields  of  his 
estate.  Mr.  Mangelsdorf,  while  having  lived  a  busy  and  even  strenuous  life 
during  his  fifty  years  in  business  in  Atchison,  has  no  desire  to  "rust  out,"  but 
believes  that  his  health  can  be  better  conserved  by  plenty  of  exercise  in  the 
open  air.  His  rugged  appearance  and  keen  interest  in  life  bear  testimony 
to  the  wisdom  of  his  plan  of  living.  He  is  one  of  the  highly  respected  and 
substantial  citizens  of  Atchison  and  has  done  his  part  in  the  task  of  making 
Atchison  preeminent  among  the  cities  of  the  West.  The  great  concern  which 
bears  his  name  was  originated  and  built  up  by  himself  and  is  a  monument 
to  his  enterprise  and  integrit}-.  ami  Atchison  is  proud  of  him  and  the  outcome 
of  his  life  work. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  S^^J 

Ml".  IMandelsdorf  was  born  in  Arniin,  Prussia.  July  2y.  1848.  He  was 
tlie  son  of  Christopher  and  Marie  Anna  Dorothy  Mangelsdorf,  wdio  lived 
in  Armin  until  1856,  when  they  immigrated  to  America.  The  father  died  in 
1S4Q,  and  tlie  mother  married  the  second  time  to  Andrew  Stehwein.  The 
family  first  settled  on  a  farm  in  Gasconade  county,  ^Missouri,  residing  there 
until  1868.  when  they  came  to  Douglas  count}',  Kansas.  Flere  they  lived  until 
the  mother  died,  and  then  ^Ir.  Stehwein  came  to  Atchison  to  spend  the 
remainder  of  his  days  with  his  children.  Five  children  were  born  to  Chris- 
topher Mangelsdorf,  namely:  Mrs.  Anna  Buhrman.  of  Atchison;  Henry,  in 
New  Mexico:  ]\Irs.  Dorothy  Beurman,  Lakeview,  Douglas  county,  Kansas; 
William,  deceased :  August,  with  wdiom  this  review  is  directly  concerned. 

Augaist  Mandelsdorf  came  to  Kansas  from  Missouri  in  1865  and  located 
in  Atchison.  He  worked  as  a  laborer  to  earn  money  for  his  sustenance  and 
was  not  ashamed  to  do  the  hardest  kind  of  labor.  He  willingly  did  an_\'thing 
necessary  to  earn  an  honest  dollar.  His  first  real  business  experience  was  as 
a  clerk  in  the  grocery  store  of  John  Belz.  It  was  only  natural  to  see  him 
become  the  owner  of  the  business  in  time.  Frugality,  industry  and  aptitude, 
characteristics  of  his  race,  enabled  him  to  beci.ime  proprietor  of  the  store  in 
1873.  He  owned  the  business  until  1893.  Two  vears  after  taking  entire 
charge  of  the  grocery  he  started  a  small  seed  business  as  a  side  line  with 
his  grocel')^  This  was  the  foundation  of  his  subsequent  fortune,  and  it  was 
only  a  c|uestion  of  years  until  he  branched  out  in  the  wholesale  line  and  the 
business  outgrew  the  store.  The  seed  business  kept  on  growing  and  grow- 
ing; the  sons  of  its  founder  became  young  men:  its  founder  concluded  to 
retire  and  he  turned  over  the  management  to  his  sons  who  are  following  in 
the  father's  footsteps.  F"or  years  his  l)rother,  William,  was  associated  with 
him  and  they  started  a  general  store  at  Ellinwood,  Kan.,  of  which  William 
had  charge,  yir.  Mangelsdorf  established  greenhouses  in  connection  with  the 
seed  business.  These  extensive  greenhouses  are  located  on  the  llomewood 
estate  and  are  in  charge  of  his  son,  Ernest.  In  191 2  Mr.  Mangelsdorf  con- 
cluded to  retire  from  active  business  and  is  now  enjoying  life  to  the  full. 
His  sixty-seven  years  of  existence  have  been  well  and  profitably  spent  and  he 
can  F)ok  back  o\er  the  past  years  with  satisfaction  and  pleasure  over  a  task 
well  and  faithfully  done.  It  is  given  to  but  few  men  to  have  reared  a  large 
family  of  sons  and  diiughters  and  to  have  lived  to  see  tliem  shoulder  the 
responsibilities  left  by  the  father  and  jieri'dini  the  work  successfullv  while  he 
is  yet  living  to  obsen'e,  guide,  and  instruct  them. 

Mr.  Mangelsdorf  was  first  married  to  .\nna  Charlotte  Brune  in  1874. 
Slie  died  in    iScc.     To  this  union  were  born  nine  children:     Anna  died  in 


858  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

1890;  August,  manager  and  vice-president  of  the  seed  company;  Fred,  the 
efficient  secretary  of  the  concern :  Charlotte,  cashier  of  the  company ;  Ernest, 
in  charge  of  the  greenh(juscs ;  Bertha,  teacher  of  domestic  science  in  the  high 
school  at  Seneca,  Kan. ;  Caroline,  who  is  studying  in  Chicago  in  preparation 
for  kindergarten  work;  Marie,  deceased;  Frank,  treasurer  of  the  seed  com- 
pany; Mrs.  Marie  Schmeling,  of  Atchison.  In  1892  Mr.  Mangelsdorf  took 
to  wife,  Mrs.  Louise  Brune,  who  has  borne  him  eight  children  :  Albert,  a  grad- 
uate of  the  Agricultural  College  at  Manhattan,  class  of  igi6;  Carl  died  in 
infancy;  Paul  and  Louise,  in  high  school;  Theodore.  Dorothy,  Harold  and 
Helen. 

Mr.  Mangelsdorf  is  a  director  of  the  First  National  Bank  of  .Atchison. 
Politically,  he  is  allied  with  the  Democratic  party  and  has  served  one  term 
as  city  councilman  and  city  treasurer  for  four  years.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Evangelical  church  and  is  fraternally  allied  with  the  Benevolent  and  Protective 
Order  of  Elks. 


FRANK  A.  MANGELSDORF. 

Frank  A.  Mangelsdorf,  cashier  of  the  German-American  State  Bank  of 
Atchison,  Kan.,  while  the  youngest  of  the  bankers  of  the  city,  has  given  evi- 
dence that  he  possesses  the  inherent  ability  and  the  necessaiy  ambition  to  suc- 
cessfully conduct  the  important  financial  institution  under  his  management. 
The  German-;\merican  State  Bank  is  the  newest  of  the  banking  concerns  of 
Atchison,  but  it  is  fast  coming  to  the  front  as  one  of  the  important  banks  of 
this  section  of  Kansas  under  Mr.  Mangelsdorf's  aggressive  and  capable  con- 
trol. He  is  a  native  son  of  Kansas  and  was  1x)m  and  reared  in  this  State, 
being  a  son  of  William  Mangelsdorf.  merchant  and  financier,  deceased,  who 
came  from  Germany  to  America  when  a  boy  and  achieved  a  notable  success 
in  the  land  of  his  adoption.  A  review  of  the  life  of  AVilliam  Mangelsdorf 
appears  in  tliis  volume. 

Mr.  Mangelsdorf  was  born  August  14,  1888,  in  Ellinwood,  Kan.  The 
first  ten  years  of  his  life  were  spent  there  and  on  his  father's  farm,  whithe'- 
liis  ])arcnts  had  removed  from  Ellinwood.  He  received  his  earlv  education 
in  a  coiuitry  school,  later  attending  the  public  schools  of  Busliton.  and  com- 
pleted the  eighth  grade  at  the  age  of  twelve.  From  1900  to  1904  he  vvas  em- 
ployed in  his  father's  store  at  Bushton,  the  family  removing  to  the  citv  of 
Atchison  in  the  latter  year.     He  pursued  a  course  in  the  Atchison  Business 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  859 

College,  and  then  became  cashier  of  the  Mangelsdorf  Brothers  Company,  a 
position  which  he  filled  until  1910.  He  then  became  assistant  cashier  of  the 
First  National  Bank  of  Atchison,  remaining  in  that  position  until  the  organ- 
ization of  the  German-American  State  Bank  in  igi2,  when  he  became  cashier 
of  the  newly  organized  banking  concern.  The  success  of  this  bank  is  a  mat- 
ter of  gratification  to  its  stockholders  and  patrons. 

Mr.  Mangelsdorf  was  married  June  22,  1914,  to  Miss  Veva  Sawm,  a 
daughter  of  William  H.  Sawin.  an  undertaker  of  Atchison.  He  is  indepen- 
dent in  political  matters,  preferring  to  cast  his  vote  for  the  individual 
whom  he  deems  best  fitted  to  perform  the  duties  of  the  office  sought  rather 
than  to  support  a  party,  candidate.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Catholic  church. 
Although  young  in  years,  Mr.  Mangelsdorf  is  recognized  as  one  of  the  rising 
young  bankers  of  Atchison  and  is  considered  among  the  city's  best  and  most 
enterprising  citizens.  The  unvarying  courtesy  and  dignity  characteristic  in 
his  conduct  of  the  banking  business  is  carried  into  his  daily  life,  and  he  enjoys 
the  respect  and  esteem  of  a  large  number  of  friends  in  the  city. 


PAUL  ATKIN. 


Paul  Atkin,  traveling  salesman,  of  Atchison,  Kan.,  was  bom  September 
6.  1866,  in  Lincolnshire,  England.  He  was  the  son  of  William  and  Rebecca 
(Prestwood)  Atkin.  William  Atkin,  the  father,  was  born  in  England  about 
1841.  He  was  a  farmer  in  his  native  country,  but  emigrated  from  England 
to  America  in  1872.  His  first  place  of  residence  in  this  country  was  in  Chi- 
cago, where  he  resided  a  few  years..  He  then  moved  to  Kansas,  settling  on 
his  farm  in  Doniphan  county.  After  one  year's  residence  in  Kansas  he  re- 
turned to  Chicago  and  engaged  in  the  transfer  business.  Again,  in  about 
1880,  he  returned  to  Doniphan  county,  Kansas,  and  engaged  in  farming,  and 
cultivated  his  land  until  1899,  at  which  time  he  engaged  in  the  hotel  and 
livery  business  in  Denton,  Kansas.  He  died  in  a  hospital  at  Leavenworth, 
Kan.,  in  1900.  Nine  children  were  born  to  William  and  Rebecca  Atkin :  Mrs. 
L.  H.  Priester,  living  in  California:  Paul,  with  whom  this  review  is  directly 
concerned:  Mrs.  Thomas  Wrighter,  of  Denton,  Kan.;  Mrs.  Fred  Hickok,  of 
Haverlock,  Neb. :  Mrs.  Ben  Hinch.scliff,  near  Topeka,  Kan. ;  Mrs.  Art  Hall, 
Severance,  Kan. :  William,  farmer,  of  Doniphan  county ;  Arnold,  near  Sev- 
erance, Kan. :  Ethel  died  at  the  age  of  eight  years.  The  mother  of  these  chil- 
dren was  born  in  England  in  1842,  and  died  in  Severance,  Kan.,  in  1902. 


80o  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

Paul  Atkiu  did  not  leave  England  until  thirteen  years  of  age,  when  lie 
crossed  the  ocean  and  continent  and  came  to  Atchison.  Kan.,  arriving  in  the 
city  ten  days  before  his  parents,  then  living  in  Doniplian  county,  Kansas, 
learned  of  his  arrival.  He  was  nine  days  on  the  water  and  came  across  the 
ocean  aboard  the  "City  of  Richmond,"  one  of  the  fastest  ocean-going  passen- 
ger ships  afloat  at  that  time.  Being  a  boy  and  alone,  he  was  given  all  priv- 
ileges and  made  many  friends.  He  never  had  a  day's  illness  during  the  voy- 
age or  crossing  the  continent  to  Kansas,  but  became  ill  on  arriving  in  Atch- 
ison and  was  cared  for  l)y  ^Ir.  Dorethy.  at  that  time  depot  master  of  .\tchi- 
son.  This  kind  man  looked  after  him  until  his  father  was  notified  of  his 
arrival.  From  Atchison  he  went  to  Doniphan  county  and  assisted  his  father 
for  many  years  in  operating  the  farm,  later  operating  the  farm  by  himself 
for  one  year.  At  the  age  of  twenty  he  began  working  for  himself  for  t\\  enty 
dollars  per  month  for  a  period  of  one  year.  He  then  went  to  Ellensburg, 
Wash.,  and  learned  the  plasterer's  trade,  remaining  in  that  city  two  years,  after 
which  he  went  to  Tacoma,  Wash.,  and  remained  there  si.x  months,  then  going 
to  Portland,  Ore.,  where  he  worked  at  the  harness  maker's  trade,  not  long 
after  returning  to  Doniphan  county,  Kansas,  where  he  followed  the  trade  of 
plastering  for  three  years,  .\fter  his  marriage  he  made  his  home  in  Atchison, 
Kan.,  and  after  making  a  trip  to  Port  Arthur  and  working  at  his  trade,  he 
then  opened  a  meat  market  in  Denton.  Kan.,  which  he  operated  for  a  time 
and  then  sold  out.  In  1888  he  returned  to  Atchison  and  entered  the  employ 
of  Curtain  &  Clark  Cutlery  Company,  of  St.  Joseph,  AIo.,  as  traveling  .sales- 
man. He  traveled  for  three  years,  his  territor\-  lieing  through  Nebraska.  He 
resigned  and  accepted  a  position  for  another  three  and  a  half  years  with  the 
Rochester  Stamp  Company,  of  Rochester,  N.  Y.  Giving  up  this  work  he 
engaged  in  the  hardware  business  with  Krings  in  Atchison.  The  firm  was 
known  as  Krings  &  Atkin.  Later  he  sold  out  his  interest  in  the  hardware 
business  and  became  interested  in  the  United  States  Street  Lighting  Company, 
manufacturing  street  lamps  in  Kansas  City  until  February,  1909.  when  he 
again  went  on  the  road  as  traveling  salesman  with  the  .Associated  Silver  Com- 
pany of  Chicago,  his  territoy  embracing  Kansas,  Nebraska  and  Colorado. 

Mr.  Atkin  was  married  in  1894  to  .Addie  AL  Herring.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Atkin  have  one  daugliter,  hVances  Mildred,  a  graduate  of  Atchison  High 
School,  and  a  student  in  .\tchison  Business  College. 

Mrs.  Atkin  was  lx)rn  in  1871  in  Doniphan  county,  Kansas,  a  daughter 
of  Henry  H.  Herring,  a  native  of  Pennsylvania  and  now  residing  in  Atchison. 

Air.  .\tkin  is  independent  in  political  affairs  and  votes  for  the  individual 


illSTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  86l 

rather  tliaii  the  support  of  any  one  political  party.  He  is  affiliated  with  the 
Ancient  Free  and  .Accepted  Masons.  His  wife  and  daughter  are  members  of 
the  Alethodist  Episcopal  church.  , 


PETER  PARSONS. 


Peter  Parsons,  of  Atchison,  Kan.,  is  a  Kentuckian  by  birth  and  has  the 
distinction  of  being  the  pioneer  thresher  man  of  nortlieast  Kansas  and  western 
Missouri.  ■  He  was  bom  in  Breathitt  county,  Kentucky,  December  lo,  18(^)8, 
a  son  of  J.  W.  Parsons,  a  descendant  of  an  old  Virginia  family.  Peter  Par- 
sons' maternal  grandfather,  Hatfield,  was  a  soldier  in  the  Revolution  and 
fought  under  General  \\'ashington.  The  Parsons  and  the  Hatfield  families 
were  among  the  earliest  pioneers  of  the  State  of  Kentucky.  \Mien  Peter  was 
four  years  of  age  the  Parsons  family  removed  to  Buchanan  county.  Missouri, 
and  there  settled  on  a  farm.  Peter  was  reared  to  young  manhood  on  the 
Missouri  farm  and  attended  the  district  schools.  When  but  a  boy  tfe  developed 
an  aptitude  for  machinery  and  showed  a  knack  of  handling  farming  imple- 
ments possessed  by  few  boys  of  his  age.  In  1887  he  entered  the  employ  of 
the  A.  J.  Harwi  Hardware  Company  and  worked  in  the  farm  machinery 
department  of  the  store.  Desiring  to  gain  a  more  intimate  knowledge  of 
threshing  machinery,  especially,  he  went  to  Battle  Creek,  Mich.,  where  the 
machines  were  mannfactiUTd  and  learned  the  liusiness  of  building  and  assem- 
bling threshing  machines  from  the  ground  up.  This  was  a  good  business 
venture  on  his  part,  as  he  soon  engaged  in  threshing  on  his  own  account  and 
operated  threshing  outfits  for  over  nineteen  years,  and  was  actively  cngag'ed 
in  northeast  Kansas  and  nurthwest  Missouri  in  this  business  successfully.  He 
operated  several  macliines  and  crews  and  had  almost  a  virtual  monopoly  of 
the  threshing  business  in  his  territory.  .\t  the  ])resent  lime  Mr.  Parsons 
operates  t\\o  threshing  outfits  whidi  he  owns,  but  for  some  vears  has  retired 
from  active  labor  in  the  fields.  The  wide  range  of  his  activities  naturallv 
gave  him  an  extensi\-e  and  favorable  acquaintance  among  tlie  farmers  (^f  tliis 
section  of  the  country  and  he  acc|uired  a  reputation  for  thorough  workman- 
ship and  square  dealing  which  has  nc\er  Ijeen  surpassed  by  men  engaged  in 
the  same  industry.  He  is  probably  the  oldest  threshing  machine  operator  at 
the  present  time  in  eastern  Kansas  or  western  Mis.souri  in  years  of  e\-i)erience. 
and  understands  the  mechanical  part  of  the  industry  better  than  anv  other  man 


862  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

in  this  neighborhood.  Mr.  Parsons  has  a  rigiit  to  be  proud  of  his  record  in 
the  ag-ricultural  history  of  Atchison  county  and  Kansas.  From  1903  to  1909 
Mr.  Parsons  was  a  member  of  the  Atchison  pohce  force  and  made  a 
record  in  the  department  for  efficiency  and  faithful  performance  of  his  duties 
which  is  remembered.  He  is  a  member  of  tlie  Fraternal  Order  of  Eagles  and 
is  well  liked  by  all  wlio  know  him.  Fie  is  broad-minded  in  Irs  views  and 
kindly  disposed  toward  his  fellow  men. 


HENRY  SCHIFFBAUER. 


Henry  Schiffbauer,  pioneer,  plainsman,  Government  scout,  and  friend  of 
Buffalo  Bill,  now  lives  in  comparative  quiet  on  his  farm  in  Kapioma  town- 
ship, Atchison  county,  after  having  seen  the  wildest  and  wooliest  parts  of  the 
great  West  in  its  early  days.  Under  his  own  eyes,  Kansas  has  changed  from 
a  land  of  Indians,  daubed  with  bright  paint,  shouting  a  war-whoop  and 
brandishing  tomahawks,  to  a  quiet  farming  community,  where  peaceable  citi- 
zens drive  to  church  every  Sunday.  He  has  seen  Kansas  changed  from  a 
broad  prairie,  with  its  countless  thousands  of  buffaloes  to  a  great  farming 
country,  with  its  productive  fields,  and  the  trudging  ox  has  been  succeeded 
Ijy  the  tractor  and  automobile.  Henry  Schiffbauer,  in  his  seventy-five  vears. 
has  seen  the  making  of  a  nation ;  he  has  seen  the  wild  frontier  grow  into  a 
civiHzed  community,  which  ranks  among  the  highest  in  intelligence  and  pros- 
perity. Mr.  Schiffbauer  was  l;orn  January  2~ .  1841.  nn  the  River  Rhine,  in 
Prussia,  Germany.  His  parents,  Michael  and  Gertrude  (Frentz)  Schiffbauer, 
had  thirteen  children.  The  father  followed  farming  in  his  native  land,  and  in 
185 1  immigrated  to  the  United  States,  settling  on  General  Taylor's  farm,  in 
Gamwell  county,  Kentucky.  Four  years  later  he  moved  to  Missouri,  and  in 
the  same  year  came  to  Kansas,  where  he  homesteaded  a  claim  in  Jefferson 
county,  which  he  farmed  until  about  eight  years  before  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred when  he  was  eighty-nine  years  old.  The  mother  of  Henry  Schiff- 
bauer died  in  1854,  at  the  age  of  fifty-five  years.  She  fell  before  the  ter- 
rible scourge  of  cholera  which  swept  the  United  States  about  that  time.  The 
four  children  living  are :  Charles,  Cripple  Creek,  Colo. ;  Trassie.  a  nun.  at 
Feavenworth,  Kan. ;  Frank,  Pittsburgh.  Pa. ;  and  Pienry,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch.  All  but  Frank  were  born  in  Germany,  he  having  been  horn  in  Gam- 
well  county,  Kentucky. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  H(}^ 

Henry  Schiffbauer's  boyhood  was  one  of  rough  and  hard  adventure. 
He  received  his  education  Ijy  driving  a  six-mule  team,  and  his  book  learnhig 
was  scanty.  When  he  was  seventeen  years  old  lie  went  to  work  for  Dr.  Davis, 
at  Leavenworth,  Kan.  In  1857  he  was  stationed  m  the  quartermaster's  de- 
partment at  Ft.  Leavenworth,  Kan.,  where  he  was  employed  eight  years.  After 
Lee's  surrender,  in  1865,  Henry  returned  to  his  home  in  Jefferson  county, 
Kansas,  and  met  Buffalo  Bill,  or  as  he  is  known  in  private  life,  William  Cody, 
for  the  first  time.  Here  was  begun  a  friendship  which  continued  for  many 
years,  and  which  probably  will  live  until  one  of  the  friends  passes  away.  Two 
years  later,  however,  the  two  men  were  thi'own  closer  together,  and  their 
acquaintance  ripened  into  a  close  friendship.  Henry  was  guarding  and  herd- 
ing mules  when  he  met  Buffalo  Bill  the  second  time.  The  latter  was  an  extra 
hand  on  Major  &  Russell's  overland  freight  train.  Henry  Schiffbauer  was 
the  man  who  taught  Buffalo  Bill  to  shoot  from  a  saddle,  it  is  said,  and  the 
unequalled  skill  of  the  great  hunter  may  be  laid  at  the  feet  of  the  subject 
of  this  sketch.  It  may  be  that  if  Buffalo  Bill  had  not  met  Henry  Schiffbauer, 
his  life  history  might  have  been  different,  for  undoubtedly  it  was  the  stories 
which  Henry  told  of  his  experiences  that  tempted  the  young  man  to 
leave  his  oxen  and  follow  the  wilder  life  of  a  Government  scout.  Mr.  Schiff- 
bauer has  seen  the  most  sesnsational  life  of  the  West  in  its  most  dangerous 
days.  Just  before  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  war  he  carried  messages  for  the 
Government  from  Ft.  Kearney,  Neb.,  to  Ft.  Laramie,  Colo.,  and  to  Salt  Lake 
City,  and  Ft.  Floyd,  Utah.  These  were  times  when  it  was  dangerous  to  be 
a  Government  messenger.  The  dispatchers  of  the  Government  were  not  held 
in  such  awe  in  those  days,  and  it  was  not  at  all  unusual  to  kill  a  messenger  to 
get  his  papers.  But  Mr.  Schiffbauer  was  able  to  take  care  of  himself, 
and  passed  through  these  uncertain  times  without  harm.  He  served  in  the 
secret  sei'vice  department  for  eight  months,  about  the  time  of  the  second  elec- 
tion of  Abraham  Lincoln.  It  was  feared  by  governmental  officials  that 
attempts  on  the  President's  life  were  being  planned,  and  General  Thayer, 
then  in  command  at  Ft.  Smith,  Ark.,  secured  the  services  of  Henry  Schiff- 
bauer in  this  difficulty.  This  was  a  position  wOn  because  of  fearlessness  and 
coolness,  even  in  the  most  dangerous  situations,  and  to  be  one  of  the  protec- 
tors of  the  President  was  the  honor  which  repaid  him.  In  1863  Lee  sur- 
rendered and  conditions  began  to  settle. 

When  Mr.  Schiffbauer  saw  that  his  opportunity  to  serve  his  country 
had  ceased,  he  located  on  the  farm  which  he  now  owns  and  built  a  small  farm 
house,  thus  settling  down  to  the  quiet  life  of  a  farmer.  He  broke  his  ground 
with  oxen,  and  worked  in  the  most  primitive  manner  for  a  few  years,  hut 


864  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

gradually  he  was  rewarded  for  his  labors,  and  lie  came  to  have  more  of  the 
comforts  and  conveniences  of  a  modern  farmer,  erecting  a  large  stone  resi- 
dence in  1880.  His  place  is  one-fourth  mile  east  of  Arrington,  Kan.  It  com- 
prises 189  acres,  and  here  he  and  his  wife.  Margaret  Glimm.  to  whom  he 
was  married  in  1865,  have  lived  since,  rearing  a  family  of  eight  children.  Mrs. 
Scliiffbauer  was  horn  in  Germany,  March  6,  1848.  She  is  a  daughter  of  John 
and  Christian  Glimm,  who  came  to  Kansas  in  the  early  days,  bringing  their 
daughter  with  them.  The  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Schiffbauer  are :  Chri.s- 
tcna.  who  married  Allen  Kinkaid,  of  Washington  State;  Charles  E.,  Belle 
Plains,  Sumner  county,  Kansas;  Sarah  married  L.  E.  Wagner,  of  St.  Louis, 
Mo. :  Henry  F..  Valley  Falls,  Kan. ;  Gertrude  married  John  Nevins,  Kapioma 
township ;  Robert  is  farming  near  La  Cygne,  Linne  county.  Kansas ;  William 
Arrington,  Kan. ;  George,  passenger  conductor,  East  St.  Louis,  II!.  Mr. 
Schiffbauer  is  an  independent  in  politics.  He  belongs  to  the  Modem  Wood- 
men of  America,  and  to  the  Knights  and  Ladies  of  Security.  He  has  had  a 
remarkable  career  and  remembers  the  incidents  of  his  early  life  with  vivid- 
ness. Atchison  cimnty  has  few  characters  with  such  an  interesting  history. 
In  1857  while  in  the  quartermaster's  department  at  Ft.  Leavenworth 
he  was  detailed  with  General  Sumner's  expedition  against  the  Cheyenne  In- 
dians in  the  far  \\'est.  This  trip  required  six  months  and  was  filled  with 
great  hardships  for  the  troops.  In  April  of  1858  he  accompanied  Gen.  Sid- 
ney Johnston's  expedition  to  Salt  Lake  City  for  the  purpose  of  subduing  the 
Mormons,  and  was  gone  for  eighteen  months.  He  assisted  in  building  a 
camp  at  I'l.  Floyd,  or  Camp  Floyd,  as  it  became  known  at  the  time,  forty- 
five  miles  south  of  Salt  Lake  City.  During  this  trip  Air.  Schiffbauer  had 
his  first  experience  in  driving  a  six-niulc  team  and  hauling  "adol.es."'  The 
fort  was  built  under  the  direction  of  Colonel  Crossmore.  He  returned  to 
Kansas  in  the  fall  of  1859,  and  went  to  New  Orleans  in  the  Government 
secret  service,  and  thence  to  Baton  Rouge,  where  he  remained  until  after 
Lincoln's  election,  finally  making  his  way  out  of  the  southl.'ind  with  gn.'at 
difficulty,  accompanied  with  personal  danger  to  himself.  For  a  period  of 
eiglit  years  this  plainsman  never  slept  under  a  roof,  excepting  twice  at  Ft. 
Bonta,  where  he  was  under  shelter  for  the  night.  On  one  of  his  expeditions 
to  the  far  West  they  had  fed  their  last  grain  to  the  mules,  made  camp,  and 
the  next  morning  the  entire  camp  was  under  two  feet  of  snow,  Mr.  Schiff- 
liauer  iiimself  being  covered  over  in  a  gully  where  he  had  lain  down,  wrapjied 
in  his  blankets  and  buffalo  robes.  He  recalls  that  on  this  snowy  morning 
the  wagon-master  shouted:    ''I  wonder  where  that  damned  Dutchman  is?" 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  865 

Henry  raised  himself  out  of  the  snow  and  called  out:  "Here  I  am."  The 
mules  were  picketed  out  two  and  two  together  tlic  niglit  before,  but  that 
morning  they  were  put  into  corrals  and  were  so  starved  lliat  they  tried  to 
eat  tach  other.  The  pioneer  corjis  cut  down  cottonwocd  trees  for  fuel, 
and  the  mules  ate  the  branches,  which  poisoned  them,  and  they  died  in  their 
tracks,  the  ravens  eating  out  their  eyes  while  the  beasts  were  in  their  death 
throes.  The  expedition  lost  sixty  mules  each  day.  and  the  drove  of  500  ani- 
mals was  depleted  to  less  than  sixty  head.  They  lay  in  cnni])  for  twelve  days, 
and  then  moved  on  the  thirteenth  day.  Henry  recalls  that  the  favorite  team, 
belonging  to  General  Johnston,  \\ias  drowned  through  the  carelessness  of  a 
teamster  in  fording  the  swollen  stream. 

\\'hile  ]\!r.  Sclu'ffbauer  was  at  Baton  Rouge  in  Government  service,  he 
was  importuned  by  the  rebels  to  join  a  company  as  bugler,  but  declined,  and 
with  the  assistance  of  a  steamboat  captain,  he  managed  to  g'et  out  of  the  coun- 
try, and  at  New  Orleans  boarded  the  steamer.  "Henry  Von  Pool."  and  made 
his  way  to  St.  Louis.  From  here  he  went  to  Ft.  Leavenworth  and  handled 
Government  dispatches,  working  between  Ft.  Leavenworth.  Ft.  Scott,  Ft. 
Gibson.  Ft.  Smith,  Little  Rock,  and  hunting  forage  and  wheat  for  the  Gov- 
ernment. During  this  service  he  was  sent  to  Valley  Falls,  with  100  six- 
mule  teams  from  Ft.  Smith  for  recuperation  on  the  Hoover  farm.  Henn,- 
bought  all  tiie  forage  for  miles  around  in  order  to  feed  the  mules,  and  had 
under  him  several  men  for  assistants. 


WILLL\M  ADDISON  MC  KELVY. 

In  18S0  a  young  man.  who  had  graduated  but  a  few  niontlis  previously 
from  the  Philadelphia  Dental  College  came  to  Atchison.  Kan.,  and  finding  the 
city  to  his  liking  located  for  practice.  The  year  1915  finds  the  same  man. 
now  thirty-five  years  older,  or  younger,  as  his  friends  speak  of  him,  still  in  the 
active  practice  of  his  profession,  and  it  is  said  his  practice  is  a  leading  one  in 
this  section  of  the  State.  Thirty-five  years  in  Atchison  have  done  much  for 
this  man  and  he  has  done  much  for  suffering  humanity.  He  is  the  nestor 
of  the  dental  profession  in  northeastern  Kansas,  one  of  the  widely  known  and 
influential  citizens  of  the  city  and  has  ju.stly  earned  the  esteem  of  a  large 


866  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

circle  of  friends  and  acquaintances ;  the  esteem  which  slowly  develops  only 
through  honorable  living  and  kind  deeds.       His  name  initiates  this  review. 

William  Addison  McKelv)-  was  born  in  the  city  of  Pittsburgh,  Pa..  June 
5,  185S.  His  paternal  grandfather,  Hugh  McKelvy,  emigrated  from  Ireland 
about  the  year  1800.  Shortly  after  reaching  America,  he  located  in  Pitts- 
burgh and  was  one  of  that  city's  pioneer  brick  manufacturers.  Dr.  AIcKel- 
vy's  father  was  Col.  Samuel  McKelvy,  born  in  Pittsburgh,  a  member  of  the 
firm  of  Blair  &  McKelvy,  pioneers  in  the  steel  industry  in  that  city.  He  mar- 
ried when  a  \oung  man,  Anna  B.  Pride,  a  daughter  of  David  Pride,  who  was 
also  a  pioneer  resident  of  Pittsburgh  and  a  native  of  Scotland.  When  Presi- 
dent Lincoln  issued  his  first  call  for  volunteers,  Samuel  McKelvy  was  among 
the  first  to  enlist  in  his  home  city.  He  was  commissioned  captain  of  the 
Duquesne  Greys,  Pittsburgh's  crack  troop.  He  served  his  country  with  dis- 
tinction and  was  given  important  assignments  and  rccei\'ed  deserved  pro- 
motion, being  commissioned  lieutenant-colonel  and  sei^ved  on  the  staff  of 
General  Heintzelman  and  that  of  Gen.  Phil  Sheridan.  The  convalescent  camp 
of  the  Union  army,  situated  about  seven  miles  south  of  the  city  of  Washing- 
ton, was  under  his  charge  or  supervision  during  his  entire  term  of  service. 
Following  his  military  service,  he  returned  to  Pittsburgh  and  his  steel  busi- 
ness. He  was  one  of  the  first  to  build  a  country  residence  at  Sewickley,  now 
famous  for  its  beautiful  .suburban  homes  owned  Ij}-  the  prominent  families  of 
the  steel  city.  The  old  McKelvy  mansion,  now  owned  by  the  Doctor's  brother, 
William  Henry  Seward  McKelvy,  is  known  as  the  Park  Place  Hotel,  and  is 
operated  by  its  owner.  Colonel  McKelvy  died  in  Sewickley  in  1889.  To 
Colonel  and  Mrs.  McKelvy  were  horn  nine  children  of  which  our  subject 
is  the  eighth. 

William  Addison  McKelvy  was  reared  in  his  native  city  and  accpiircd 
a  thorough  education  in  its  ]uiblic  schools.  He  later  entered  the  Philadelphia 
Dental  College  and  graduated  witii  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Dental  Sur- 
gery, a  member  of  tlie  class  of  1880.  Following  his  graduation  he  returned 
to  Pittsburgh  and  was  engaged  in  practice  for  a  few  months.  In  November 
of  that  year  he  came  to  Kansas  and  located  in  the  city  of  Atchison  on  the 
twenty-fifth  of  the  montji.  His  choice  of  location  was  partly  due  to  having 
in  the  person  of  Dr.  \\'illiam  F.  h'erguson,  a  well  established  surgeon  of  the 
city,  a  friend  who  assured  him  that  .Vtchison  would  prove  a  most  satisfactory 
place  in  which  to  Iniild  u])  a  practice.  Dr.  Ferguson  assisted  in  getting  him 
properly  started  and  gave  every  evidence  of  a  sincere  friendship.  He  had 
little  difficulty  in  building  up  a  lucrative  practice  and  has  for  many  years 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  867 

past  been  recognized  as  one  of  the  leading  men  in  his  profession  in  liis  section 
of  the  State.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Kansas  City  Dental  Society,  the  Kansas 
State,  the  Alissouri  State  and  the  National  Dental  Associations. 

Dr.  McKelvy  has  never  neglected  his  civic  duties,  has  favored  those 
measures  and  projects  which  meant  a  bigger,  better  city,  but  has  never  had 
time  nor  the  inclination  for  public  office.  He  has,  from  the  time  he  graduated 
given  his  entire  time  and  attention  to  his  profession.  He  is  a  member  of 
Washington  Lodge,  Mo.  4,  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  and  Atchison 
Lodge,  No.  647,  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Eiks. 

Dr.  McKelvy  has  been  twice  married.  His  first  wife  was  Miss  Ella  M. 
Ferguson,  a  daughter  of  Dr.  Eli  Ferguson,  a  pioneer  physician  of  Atchison. 
They  were  married  in  November,  1888.  Mrs.  McKelvy  died  in  1892.  Two 
children  were  born  to  this  union :  William  Ferguson  McKelvy,  a  hardware 
merchant  of  Marliton,  W.  Va.,  and  Charles  S.  McKelvy,  employed  in  the 
wholesale  hardware  house  of  Blish.  Mize  &  Silliman,  of  Atciiison.  On  October 
2,  1899,  he  married  Miss  Eleanor  Cain,  a  daughter  of  Alfred  D.  Cain,  a  pioneer 
miller  of  Atchison  and  founder  of  the  Cain  Milling  Company.  They  are 
parents  of  three  children:  Alfred  D.,  Addison  P.,  and  Mona. 


GEORGE  ROBERT  FIOOPER. 

George  Rol^ert  Hooper,  an  extensive  merc'.iandise  broker  of  .Alchisun, 
Kan.,  and  president  of  the  Babcock-Arensburg  Shoe  Company,  is  a  native 
of  Virginia.  He  was  born  at  Richmond,  December  7,  185 1.  and  is  a  .son  of 
John  Hancock  and  Sarah  Rebecca  Hooper.  The  mother  died  when  ("leorge 
R.,  of  tliis  sketch,  was  a  child,  and  in  1867  the  father  removed  from  l\ich- 
mond  to  Bowling  Green,  Ky.,  and  later  to  Paducah,  where  he  died  in  1871. 
He  was  a  contractor  and  builder.  George  R.  Hooper  was  one  of  a  famih-  of 
six  children  and  is  the  only  one  now  living.  He  was  reared  in  V'irginia  and 
was  educated  in  private  schools.  He  M'as  about  twenty  vears  old  when  his 
father  died,  and  had  just  completed  an  ap])renticeship  at  the  carpenter's  trade. 
After  the  death- of  his  father  he  returned  to  Virginia  with  the  remains,  and 
the  following  year  came  to  Atchison  and  entered  the  retail  grocerv  business 
as  clerk  from  1872  to  1876.  He  was  then  a  traveling  .salesman  until  1884, 
and  after  that  was  engaged  in  the  grocery  business  in  .Atchison  about  a  year 
and  one-half,  when  he  engaged  in  tlie  merchandise  brokerage  business,  which 


868  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

he  lias  successfully  conducted  to  the  present  time.  Mr.  Hooper  was  united 
in  marriage  in  1876  to  Miss  Frances  Lucy  Howe,  a  daughter  of  George  \V. 
Howe.  Mrs.  Hooper  is  a  daughter  of  George  \V.  Howe,  who  was  one  of  the 
very  early  settlers  of  Atchison  county.  He  conducted  a  store  at  the  town  of 
Sumner  and  was  later  engaged  in  freighting  across  the  plains  from  i8f)0  to 
1865.  The  Howe  family  came  from  Plattsburg,  Clinton  count)-.  New  York, 
and  Mrs.  Hooper's  mother  bore  the  maiden  name,  Frances  Lucy  Ellis.  To 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hooper  have  been  born  three  children,  as  follows:  Edith  mar- 
ried O.  M.  Babcock,  a  sketch  of  whom  appears  in  this  volume :  Gladys  Ella 
is  a  graduate  of  the  Conservatory  of  Music,  Cornell  L'niversity,  and  is  now  a 
teacher  in  the  music  department  of  the  Iowa  State  Teachers'  College;  and 
George  Frances  Hooper,  a  graduate  of  Wentworth  Military  Academy  of  Lex- 
ington, Mo.,  and  is  a  traveling  salesman.  Mr.  Hooper  is  a  Democrat,  but  has 
never  aspired  to  hold  political  office,  although  he  takes  a  commendable  inter- 
est in  public  affairs  and  is  public  spirited  and  is  ever  ready  and  willing  to 
aid  any  movement  for  the  betterment  of  the  community.  He  is  a  member  of 
the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks  and  secretary  of  the  lodge.  He 
is  also  local'secretaiy  for  the  United  Commercial  Travelers,  of  which  he  is 
a  member.  He  also  holds  mcmber.'^hip  in  the  Knights  of  the  Maccabees  and 
the  Independent  Order  of  Foresters. 


RUTHERFORD  B.  HAWK. 


The  residence  and  buildings  of  a  farm  in  any  locality  are  generally  taken 
as  evidence  of  the  degree  of  thrift  and  enterprise  of  the  owners  of  the  land. 
If  the  house  and  barns  and  fences  of  the  agricultural  plant  are  in  a  "run  dow  n  at 
the  heels"  condition,  it  is  taken  as  evidence  of  the  sterility  of  the  soil  and  lack 
of  industry,  pride  and  thrift  on  the  part  of  the  proprietor.  On  the  other  hand, 
if  the  buildings,  fencing,  etc.,  are  attractive  and  well  kept,  it  betokens  pros- 
perity and  a  desire  on  the  part  of  the  farm  proprietor  to  keep,  things  in  first 
class  condition.  The  farm  home  of  Rutherford  B.  Hawk,  of  the  younger 
generation  of  farmers  in  Atchison  county,  is  one  of  the  most  attractive  and 
handsome  in  the  county,  barns  and  fences,  fields,  orchard  and  gardens  all 
making  a  pleasing  appearance.  This  farm  is  located  in  Benton  township, 
north  of  Effingham  in  sections  8  and  9,  and  consists  of  240  acres  of  good 
land,  160  acres  of  which  lie  in  section  8,  and  eighty  acres  in  section  9,  range 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  869 

618.     This  is  the  old  home  place  of  Andrew  Hawk,  father  of  R.  B..  and  the 
present  owner  has  lived  on  the  place  since  1883. 

Rutherford  B.  Hawk  was  born  February  28,  1877,  on  a  farm  near 
Bakersville,  Coshocton  county,  Ohio,  a  son  of  Andrew  and  Lavina  (Landes) 
Hawk,  both  of  whom  were  born  and  reared  on  pioneer  farms  in  (Ihio.  The 
late  Andrew  Hawk  was  born  February  4,  1825,  and  died  in  1903.  He  was 
born  in  Carroll  county,  Ohio,  a  son  of  Leonard  and  Margaret  Hawk,  and  was 
one  of  a  large  family  of  ten  children.  Leonard  was  born  in  Westmoreland 
count}-,  Pennsylvania,  and  his  people  were  pioneers  in  Ohio.  Andrew  Hawk 
came  to  Kansas  in  the  eighties  to  make  a  visit  with  his  brother,  Daniel,  in 
Atchison  county,  and  liked  the  country  so  well  that  he  returned  to  Ohio  and 
disposed  of  his  property  and  in  1883  came  again  to  Atchison  county  and  bought 
a  section  of  land,  one  mile  north  and  west  of  Effingham,  in  Benton  township. 
He  developed  this  large  farm  and  lived  on  the  place  until  1903  when  he  sold 
160  acres.  Mrs.  Hawk,  the  widow,  was  the  owner  of  240  acres  of  this  tract 
which  she  sold  tn  her  sons. 

Andrew  Hawk  was  twice  married,  his  first  marriage  taking  place  in 
Coshocton  county,  Ohio,  with  Mary  Jane  Walters,  whom  he  married  on  May 
5,  1848.  The  following  children  were  born  to  this  union  and  who  are  yet 
living  are  as  follows :  Mrs.  Margaret  Alice  Zinkorn,  of  Baltic,  Oiiio ;  Mrs. 
Rachel  Emily  McFarlan,  living  on  a  farm  near  ilonrovia,  Atchison  county, 
Kansas;  Mrs.  Teletha  Ellen  Dreher,  of  Minerva,  Ohio.  The  second  mar- 
riage of  Andrew  Hawk  took  place  May  12,  1864,  with  Lavina  Landes.  and 
the  following  children  were  born  to  this  union  :  W'illiam  Sherman,  Howard, 
Allen,  a  farmer  near  Salina,  Kan. ;  Edgar  Russell,  located  on  a  farm  two 
miles  west  of  Effingham;  Arvilla  Florence,  wife  of  Herbert  Harris,  Horton, 
Kan. ;  Charles  Arthur,  living  near  Atchison,  Kan ;  Rutherford  B.,  with  whom 
this  review  is  directly  concerned ;  John  Andrew,  a  farmer  in  Benton  township ; 
Clarissa,  at  home  with  her  mother.  The  mother  of  these  children  was  born 
April  2,  1844,  in  Coshocton  county,  Ohio,  a  daughter  of  Valentine  and  Eliza- 
beth (Hufford)  Landts,  the  former  a  native  of  Germany,  and  ilie  latter  a 
native  of  Switzerland. 

Rutherford  B.  was  si.x;  years  of  age  when  his  parents  came  to  Atchison 
county  to  make  this  county  their  permanent  home.  He  attended  the  district 
school  and  studied  for  one  year  in  the  county  high  school.  He  has  always 
resided  on  the  farm  where  he  now  lives  with  the  exception  of  one  year  spent 
in  the  West.  Upon  his  father's  demise  he  came  into  possession  of  eighty 
acres  by  inheritance  and  purchase,  bought  an  additional  eighty  acres,  and 
eighty  acres  of  land  which  came  to  his  wife,  make  the  total  of  240  acres 


SjO  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

which  he  owns  and  cultivates.  He  was  married  on  March  31,  1909,  to  Mary 
Agnes  Mackay,  who  was  bom  near  Effingham,  educated  in  the  district 
school  and  completed  the  course  in  the  Atchison  County  High  School,  grad- 
uating therefrom  in  1898.  She  taught  school  successfully  for  a  period  of  ten 
years,  the  last  two  years  of  which  was  as  principal  of  the  Effingham  school. 
During  the  summer  of  1908  Mrs.  Hawk  visited  Europe  and  spent  some  time 
amid  the  old  home  scenes  of  her  parents  in  Scotland  and  also  visited  places 
of  interest  in  Ireland  and  England. 

Mrs.  Mary  Hawk  was  born  on  a  farm  near  Effingham,  a  daughter  of 
George  and  Jeanette  (Macnee)  Mackay,  both  of  whom  were  born  and  reared 
in  Scotland.  George  Mackay  was  born  in  Sterlingshire,  April  18,  1840. 
Jeanette  Mackay  was  born  January  21,  1843  in  Perthshire,  Scotland.  This 
worthy  and  industrious  couple  was  married  July  27,  1868,  and  three  years  later 
emigrated  from  their  native  heath  to  America.  They  fir.st  settled  on  the 
prairies  of  Wisconsin  near  the  city  of  Janesville,  and  after  a  residence  of  three 
years  in  that  locality  they  removed  farther  west  to  Kansas  (1874).  Mr. 
Mackay  rented  land  for  a  short  time  and  then  purchased  a  tract  of  prairie  land 
in  Benton  township.  The  land  which  he  bought  was  unbroken  prairie, 
un  fenced  and  had  never  known  the  mark  of  the  plow.  He  at  once  set  about 
the  hard  task  of  developing  his  prairie  farm  and  in  the  course  of  time  devel- 
oped it  into  one  of  the  best  and  most  productive  agricultural  plants  in  Atchison 
county.  This  farm  which  Mr.  Mackay  built  up  was  well  known  as  "Walnut 
Hill  Farm."  The  Mackays  prospered  as  they  deser\'ed,  and  with  true  Scot- 
tish thrift  increased  their  land  holdings  to  280  acres. 

George  Mackay  died  on  his  farm  May  i,  1907.  He  was  a  sturdy  and 
upright  citizen  whose  honesty  was  proverbial  and  he  enjoyed  tlie  respect  and 
high  esteem  of  his  neighbors.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  faith 
and  was  a  Democrat  in  politics.  He  was  also  a  member  of  the  Ancient 
Order  of  United  Workmen.  Two  years  after  Mr.  Mackay's  demise  the 
widow  and  children  removed  to  a  pleasant  Jiome  in  Effingham. 

The  children- of  this  estimable  couple  were:  Alexander,  and  Georgette,  at 
home  with  their  mother;  Mary,  wife  of  Rutherford  B.  Hawk;  Nellie  Jeanette. 
deceased  wife  of  Frank  Sutter. 

The  subject  of  this  review  is  a  Republican  in  politics,  and  while  inter- 
ested in  the  success  of  his  party,  and  a  believer  in  Republican  principles  of 
government,  has  never  sought  political  preferment.  He  and  his  wife  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Presbyterian  church,  and  Mr.  Hawk  has  served  as  an  elder  of  the 
church  for  the  past  six  years. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  Sjl 

CALVIN  BUSHEY. 

There  is  an  atmosphere  of  refinement  and  well  being  about  the  town  of 
Muscotah,  Atchison  county,  Kansas,  that  is  not  always  found  in  the  western 
towns  which  the  traveler  passes  through.  The  handsome  residences,  with  well 
kept  lawns,  shaded  by  great  trees,  and  the  generally  attractive  appearance  of 
things  in  the  residence  portion  of  this  prosperous  community  is  sure  to  attract 
the  eye  and  cause  favorable  comment.  The  people  inhabitating  this  town  are 
mostly  of  eastern  descent  and  are  nearly  all  pioneers  who  many  years  ago 
settled  on  the  prairies  in  the  western  part  of  Atchison  county,  and  by  dint 
of  industry  and  hard  work  transformed  the  wilderness  into  a  smiling  and 
fertile  landscape.  Many  of  them,  their  work  done,  have  retired  to  comfort- 
able homes  in  Muscotah.  Among  these  is  Calvin  Bushey  and  his  estimable 
wife,  who  came  to  Kansas,  fought  the  good  fight  for  a  competence  and  are 
now  taking  life  easy  in  a  beautiful  and  comfortable  home  in  this  attractive 
Kansas  town. 

Speaking  in  a  biographical  sense,  Calvin  Bushey,  Union  veteran  and 
retired  pioneer  farmer,  was  born  July  17,  1844,  on  a  Pennsylvania  farm  in 
Adams  county,  near  the  historic  city  of  Gettysburg.  He  comes  of  good  old 
Pennsylvania  Gennan  stock  and  is  a  son  of  Nicholas  (born  1797,  died  1852), 
and  Esther  (Mickley)  Bushey.  Nicholas  Bushey  was  born  in  the  Eather- 
land  and  immigrated  with  his  parents  to  America  when  a  youtli.  Eight  chil- 
dren were  born  to  Nicholas  Bushey  and  wife,  namely:  Peter  died  in  1905,  at 
the  age  of  eighty-five  years;  Mrs.  Sarah  Hartman  died  in  1910  at  the  ad- 
vanced age  of  eighty-seven  years:  George,  Union  veteran,  died  at  the  age  of 
eighty-four  years:  Jacob  M.,  a  Union  veteran,  residing  at  Holmesville,  Ohio: 
Henry  died  in  1858;  Catharine  died  in  1881 :  Calvin,  with  whom  this  review 
is  concerned:  Jolin.  a  resident  of  Arendtsville,  Pa.,  and  James,  deceased.  The 
parents  of  these  children  lived  and  died  on  the  homestead  in  Pennsylvania. 
The  grandfather  of  Mr.  Bushey,  on  his  maternal  side,  was  John  Jacob  Mick- 
ley, who  figures  in  American  history  as  one  of  the  men  who  helped  to  haul 
the  old  Liberty  Bell  from  Baltimore,  Md.,  to  keep  it  from  being  captured  and 
destroyed  liy  the  British  invaders  and  hid  the  bell  under  a  church  for  safe 
keeping.  A  son  of  John  Jacob  was  a  soldier  in  the  Revolution.  Daniel  Mick- 
ley, an  uncle  of  Calvin  Bushey,  lived  to  the  great  age  of  ninety-nine  years,  and 
two  other  uncles  lived  to  the  age  of  ninety-four  and  ninety-five  years.  Long- 
evity is  a  cliaracteristic  of  the  members  of  this  remarkable  family.  Daniel 
Micklev  served  in  the  War  of  18 12  as  a  sercfeant. 


8/2  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

Calvin  Bushey  was  reared  to  young  manhood  on  his  father's  farm.  When 
President  Lincoln  called  for  troops,  with  which  to  quell  the  rebellion  of  the 
southern  states,  he  responded  and  enlisted  in  .Vug'ust  of  i8()2,  in  Company 
K,  One  Hundred  and  twenty-sixth  reg-iment,  Pennsylvania  infantrv,  for  a 
period  of  eight  months,  but  sei-ved  one  and  one-half  years  in  all.  He  par- 
ticipated in  the  great  battles  of  Second  Bull  Run,  South  Mountain,  Antietam, 
Fredericksburg,  Chancellorsville,  and  Gettysburg.  After  Mr.  Bushey  received 
his  honorable  discharge  from  the  service  he  studied  in  Hayesville  Institute 
for  one  year  and  was  then  engaged  in  mercantile  business  for  two  years,  and 
after  his  marriage  in  1867  came  to  Kansas  to  make  his  fortune.  He  and  his 
young  wife  came  directly  to  Atchison  county  and  bought  160  acres  of  land 
six  miles  southeast  of  Muscotah.  Not  being  exactly  satisfied  with  this  farm 
they  sold  it  three  years  later  and  bought  a  quarter  section  of  land  three  miles 
southeast  of  Muscotah.  This  land  was  all  raw  prairie  at  the  time  of  purchase 
and  it  was  necessary  for  Mr.  Bushey  to  place  all  the  improvements  on  it.  He 
cultivated  this  farin  until  1903  when  he  and  Mrs.  Bushev  retired  to  a  home 
in  Muscotah.  He  sold  the  old  homestead  for  a  good  price  and  invested  in  120 
acres  of  land  southwest  of  Muscotah  which  is  being  cultivated  by  his  son. 

Mr.  Bushey  was  married  in  January  of  1867  to  Miss  Eva  J.  Taylor,  who 
has  borne  him  the  following  children  :  Mrs.  Myrtle  Belle,  wife  of  J.  D.  Miller, 
garage  proprietor  and  farmer,  of  Muscotah;  John  C,  farmer  and  stock  buyer, 
of  Muscotah:  Esther,  wife  of  J.  N.  Roach,  a  farmer,  living  near  Muscotah; 
Chastine  Dwight  Bushey,  a  farmer;  and  two  children  died  in  infancy.  The 
mother  of  these  children  was  born  September  20,  1842.  in  Defiance,  Ohi(i  (at 
that  time  Paulding  county.  Ohio),  a  daughter  of  John  and  Lucretia  (Bell) 
Taylor,  the  former  a  native  of  Huntingdon,  Pa.,  and  the  latter  a  native  of 
Nova  Scotia.  John  Taylor  was  a  son  of  William  Taylor,  who  emigrated 
from  Ireland  to  Pennsylvania,  whence  he  came  to  Ohio  and  made  a  penna- 
nent  settlement.  John  Taylor  was  a  prominent  man  in  his  section  of  Ohio  and 
served  as  a  memlier  of  tlie  Ohio  legislature  in  1860,  1862.  1863,  1864.,  1865 
and  1866,  si.x  years  in  all.  He  also  served  as  a  justice  of  the  peace  and  was 
probate  judge  of  .Ashland  county,  Ohio,  for  twelve  years.  He  died  in  Ash- 
land, Ohio,  in  1881.  The  Taylor  children  were  as  follows  :  Mrs.  Eva  Bushey. 
William.  Arabella.  Wilson.  Don  Fernando,  Lavona,  and  Emma  Luverna. 
Mrs.  Bushey  is  a  well  educated  lady  and  tauglit  school  in  Ohio.  It  was  at 
Perrysville.  Ohio,  that  Calvin  and  Eva  Bushey  first  met.  Calvin  had 
left  his  home  in  Pcnn.<;ylvania,  and  after  studying  at  the  Hayesville  .Academy 
he  was  employed  at  Perrysville,  Ohio,  keeping  store,  attending  the  railroad 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  873 

office,  tlie  express  office,  and  was  general  all-round  railway  factotum,  as 
well  as  managing  a  general  store.  The  future  Mrs.  Bushey  came  to  the  store 
one  day  to  buy  a  pair  of  shoes  and  Calvin  fell  a  victim  to  her  charms  while 
attending  to  her  wants.  They  became  friends;  the  friendship  ripened  into 
love,  and  marriage  ensued,  which  has  been  one  of  the  happiest  on  record. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bushey  are  members  of  the  Congregational  church  and 
contribute  to  the  support  of  this  religious  denomination.  He  is  a  Republican 
in  politics  and  is  a  member  of  the  local  grand  army  post.  This  well  known 
and  highly  respected  couple  have  a  total  of  twenty-one  grandchildren,  as  fol- 
lows :  INIrs.  Olive  Laughlin,  Eva,  Nannie,  Marguerite,  Lillie,  Josephine,  Julia, 
children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  D.  Miller;  Helen,  a  teacher,  Ruth,  also  a  teacher, 
Calvin  Dwight,  Mildred,  and  Dorothy,  and  Louis,  children  of  John  C.  Bushey ; 
Charles  Calvin,  Mrs.  Bertie  Yazel,  and  Gail,  children  of  Mrs.  Esther  Roach; 
Paul  Everett,  Ralph,  Dessa,  Essa,  and  Claude,  children  of  Chastine  Dwight 
Bushey.  They  have  one  great-grandchild,  Margaret,  daughter  of  Mrs.  Olive 
Laughlin. 


MARTIN  C.  VANSELL. 


Eorty-six  years  ago  Martin  C.  Vansell,  pioneer  settler  of  Grasshopper 
township  and  one  of  the  best  known  farmers  and  live  stock  breeders  of  Atch- 
ison county,  landed  in  Muscotah  with  a  cash  capital  of  five  dollars.  During 
the  forty-six  or  more  years  he  has  lived  in  the  vicinity  of  Muscotah  he  has 
risen  to  become  one  of  the  wealthy  and  substantial  landed  proprietors  of  the 
county  and  has  reared  to  maturity  a  fine  family  of  sons  and  daughters,  edu- 
cated them  and  given  them  a  start  in  life.  What  more  honors  can  a  man 
wish  for  than  these?  Could  any  citizen  contribute  more  to  the  upbuilding  of 
his  State  and  county  than  this  pioneer? 

Mr.  Vansell  was  born  of  old  southern  stock,  on  a  plantation  in  I'nion 
county,  Tennessee,  October  24,  1854.  He  was  a  son  of  Dr.  Elias  Vansell,  of 
German  descent.  His  mother  was  before  her  nnrriage,  Talitha  Willis,  born 
and  reared  in  Tennessee,  and  a  daughter  of  Moses  \\'illis.  whose  farm  ad- 
joined the  Vansell  homestead'  on  the  river  bottoms.  She  was  of  English 
descent.  There  were  seven  children  in  the  family  of  Elias  and  Talitha 
Vansell.  of  which  M.  C.  was  the  youngest.  The  ancestral  home  of  the  Van- 
sells  was  a  large  plantation  which  stretched  for  one  and  one-half  miles  along 
the  banks  of  the  Clinch  river  in  Tennessee,  and  before  the  Civil  war  the  land 


874  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

was  cultivated  by  slaves.     Dr.  Vansell  was  a  physician  of  fine  education  and 
exceptional  talent. 

When  a  boy  M.  C.  Vansell's  education  was  cut  short  by  the.  troubles 
which  beset  the  neighborhood  during  the  Civil  war  when  all  schools  in  the 
State  were  closed  and  Tennessee  was  torn  by  the  marching  and  ravaging  of 
contending  armies.  Tlie  fortunes  of  the  Willisses  and  Vansells  suffered  an 
eclipse  for  the  time  being  and  when  fifteen  years  of  age  he  decided  to  leave 
the  old  home  and  try  his  fortune  in  a  newer  land.  He  set  out  for  Dade 
county,  Missouri,  with  a  party  of  men  who  were  en  route  to  the  wild  country 
of  southwest  Missouri.  There  was  little  to  induce  the  boy  to  remain  at  home 
as  his  father  had  died  and  his  mother  had  re-married.  Upon  his  arrival 
in  Dade  county  he  was  given  work  as  a  cow-boy  on  a  big  cattle  ranch  owned 
by  David  Scott  and  George  Igue,  brothers-in-law.  "N'oung  Vansell  at  that,;ime 
was  a  fair  horseman  and  his  work  consisted  in  driving  herds  of  cattle  to  the 
ranch  from  Indian  Territory  and  Texas.  The  nearest  point  of  supply  to  the 
ranch  was  at  Sedalia,  too  miles  away.  His  next  move  was  to  tlie  State  of 
Kansas,  and  this  migration  came  about  in  this  wise:  In  the  year  1856  his 
uncle,  Martin  C.  Willis,  had  gone  from  Tennessee  to  Brown  county,  Kansas, 
where  he  had  preempted  land  and  become  quite  wealthy.  This  uncle  heard 
that  his  nephew  was  working  on  the  cattle  ranch  in  Missouri  and  sent  for  him 
to  come  to  his  home  in  Brown  county.  Although  quite  in  love  with  the  wild 
free  life  of  the  cattle  ranch,  he  heeded  his  uncle's  request  and  joined  him  at 
his  home.  For  eighteen  months  after  going  to  his  uncle's  home  he  attended 
school  and  was  then  employed  by  his  uncle  and  others  as  a  farm  hand  for 
some  years.  On  July  17,  1870.  he  stepped  off  tlie  train  at  Muscotah.  Kan., 
with  a  cash  capital  of  five  dollars  in  his  pocket.  He  worked  at  farm  labor 
until  he  was  twenty-one  years  of  age  and  then  began  operating  on  his  own 
account.  Mr.  \''ansell  has  always  been  somewhat  of  a  trader.  The  first  deal 
which  he  ever  made  in  his  life  was  the  purchase  of  a  horse  in  Muscotah 
which  involved  an  outlay  of  thirty-five  dollars  for  horse,  saddle  and  bridle. 
He  later  sold  this  animal  for  sixty-five  dollars,  took  a  note  in  payment,  but. 
sad  to  relate,  the  note  was  never  paid  and  he  lost  the  whole  amount.  When 
he  became  of  age  he  traded  a  span  of  mules,  of  which  he  had  become  tlie  owner, 
for  his  first  forty  acres  of  land  which  he  had  farmed  on  sliarcs.  and  with  the 
money  earned  liad  bought  the  mules.  Tin's  trade  was  made  witli  a  Kickapoo 
Indian.  He  fenced  the  forty-acre  tract  and  rented  it  to  a  son-in-law  of  the 
Tiidian  who  had  formerly  owned  it.  and  finallv  traded  the  land  for  some  colts, 
five  cows  and  twenty-five  head  of  hogs.     In  a   short  time  afterwards  he 


HISTORY  OF  ATCTTISON  COUNTY  875 

bought  an  eighty-acre  tract  with  borrowed  money  and  during  the  first  sum- 
mer broke  up  seventy  acres  of  his  eighty,  and  in  the  fall  built  a  home  for 
himself.  The  following  winter  he  sowed  seventy  acres  of  the  tract  in  wheat 
and  tiien  sold  the  land  at  a  good  profit  in  November  of  that  year.  The  fol- 
lowing February  he  bought  i6o  acres  of  land,  comprising  the  old  townsite 
of  Cayuga  in  Grasshopper  township.  Mr.  Vansell  cultivated  this  tract  for 
about  two  years  and  then  sold  it  at  a  profit.  In  1882  he  bought  the  quarter 
section  which  is  now  the  \'ansell  home  place.  He  has  added  t(i  his  jjos- 
sessions  since  that,  time  until  he  is  now  the  owner  of  362  acres  of  land.  320 
acres  of  which  is  all  in  one  body.  It  is  one  of  the  finest  and  best  improved 
farms  in  Atchison  county.  When  Mr.  Vansell  settled  on  this  land  there  were 
little  or  no  improvements.  He  now  has  a  large  modern  ten-room  house,  two 
large  bams,  hog  and  carriage  houses,  a  big  double  corn-crib  and  granary,  a 
horse  barn,  and  a  special  cattle  barn.  The  Vansell  farm  also  boasts  a  250-ton 
concrete  silo,  forty-eight  feet  in  height  and  sixteen  feet  in  diameter. 
From  the  start  of  his  successful  agricultural  career  Mr.  Vansell  has  handled 
pure  bred  live  stock,  and  he  is  widely  known  as  a  breeder  of  thoroughbred 
Shorthorn  cattle,  Poland  China  hogs,  and  standard  black  Perclieron  horses. 
In  addition  to  this  he  has  some  standard  trotting  horses  which  are  his  pride. 
Since  the  start  of  his  career  Mr.  Vansell  has  never  bred  any  but  the  purest 
strains  of  live  stock  on  his  ranch  and  keeps  from  fortv  to  siktv  head  of  pure 
bred  cattle  on  his  place  at  all  times. 

Mr.  A'ansell  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  .Mice  Trimble.  Fel)ruary 
23.  1882,  and  this  union  has  been  blessed  with  the  following  children  :  Lena, 
wife  of  Frank  Campbell,  of  Hortnn,  Kan. ;  Ralph,  at  home,  manages 
the  Vansell  home  farm ;  Ray.  a  student  for  two  years  in  the  State  Agricul- 
tural College  at  Manhattan.  Kan.,  and  is  now  operating  a  cattle  ranch  in 
Montana:  George,  a  graduate  of  Kansas  University,  class  of  1915,  and  now 
employed  as  an  entomologist  by  the  State  of  Kentuck-y,  located  in  Lexington ; 
Erma,  wife  of  T.  C.  Whittakcr.  of  Nortonville,  Kan.,  and  Willis  Blaine,  who 
died  at  the  age  of  seventeen  years  in  July,  1904.  Mr.  Vansell  has  given  each 
of  his  children  a  good  education.  His  two  daughters  are  graduates  of  the 
Atchison  County  High  School,  and  his  son,  Ralph,  is  a  graduate  of  the  Vet- 
erinary College  of  Kansas  City,  and  Ray  studied  for  two  years  in  the  Man- 
hattan State  Agricultural  College.  Mrs.  Alice  (Trimble)  Vansell,  mother  of 
the  foregoing  children,  was  born  May  23.  1854,  in  Fayette  county,  Ohio,  a 
daughter  of  Nathaniel  and  Jane  (Lorimer)  Trimble,  natives  of  Ohio  and 
Pennsylvania,  respectively,  and  who  were  pioneers  of  Johnson  county,  Mis- 
souri, settling  there  in  1868. 


876  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

Mr.  Vansell  is  an  independent  Republican  in  his  political  affiliations,  an^ 
refuses  to  wear  a  jxirty  yoke  when  liis  conscience  and  knowledge  lead  him 
to  thhtk  independently,  and  make  up  his  own  mind  concerning  the  qualifi- 
cations of  candidates  or  the  merits  of  political  principles  at  issue.  Aside  from 
his  extensive  farming  interests  he  is  a  stockholder  of  the  Farmers  State  Bank 
of  Muscotah.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Modern  Woodmen  and  is  religiously 
connected  with  the  Congregational  church.  Mr.  Vansell  is  a  broad-minded 
and  well  read  citizen  wlio  keeps  abreast  of  the  times  and  stands  liigh  in  his 
community.  In  a  way  he  is  a  philosopher  who  holds  to  the  correct  idea  that 
some  men  or  too  many  men  never  grow  up  and  take  the  serious  view  of  life 
which  they  should  in  order  to  achieve  the  success  which  is  their  right  and  in 
justice  to  those  dependent  upon  them. 


FRANK  W.  BISHOP. 


Frank  Wilson  Bishop,  live  stock  dealer  and  broker,  and  leading  citizen 
of  Effingham,  Kan.,  has  spent  the  greater  part  of  his  sixty-one  years  of  life 
in  Atchison  county.  When  a  boy  he  knew  what  it  was  to  endure  the  hard- 
ships of  the  frontier  and  had  little  opportunity  for  schooling  until  he  had 
attained  the  age  of  sixteen  years.  He  is  a  descendant  of  a  fine  old  colonial 
family  which  can  trace  their  ancestry  back  to  the  early  days  of  the  settlement 
of  New  England.  His  forebears  were  Puritans,  and  he  is  a  direct  lineal 
descendant  of  Governor  Bishop  of  Connecticut.  A  grandfather,  Levi  Bishop, 
was  a  soldier  in  tlie  regular  United  States  army  and  fnught  in  the  W'ar  of 
18 12.  On  the  maternal  side  of  his  grandfather's  family  he  is  a  descendant 
of  the  old  Higgins  family  of  New  "N'ork,  w  hich  numbers  among  their  ])rogcny 
Governor  Higgins.  The  Bishops  for  many  generations  have  been  military 
men  and  in  practically  every  generation  the  annals  of  the  country  show  that 
members  of  the  family  foughf  in  the  various  wars  in  which  this  country  has 
been  -engaged. 

Mr.  Bi.shop  was  born  December  12.  1854,  in  Alleghany  county;  New 
York,  a  son  of  Lucius  Hazen  and  I'etsy  Morse  (A\'ilson)  Bishop,  the  former 
a  native  of  ^\'ilKIsor.  Vt..  and  tiie  latter  ha\ing  been  born  in  Whiteside.  N.  Y. 
Luc'us  was  the  son  of  Levi  Bishop,  who  served  his  country  in  tlic  W'ar  of 
1 81 2  as  a  regularly  enlisted  soldier.  The  second  wife  of  Lucius  Bishop  was 
a  Miss  Higgins  of  the  Higgins  family  of  New  York.     It  is  worthy  of  note 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  877 

that  while  the  Bisliops  were  soldiers  and  fightino-  men  who  hclieved  in  serving' 
the  Nation  on  the  battlefields  of  its  wars,  tlie  Higgins  family  were  as  a  class 
opposed  to  warfare  and  it  is  not  recorded  that  any  of  the  members  of  the 
family  enlisted  in  behalf  of  their  country.  They  were  men  of  letters,  teachers, 
authors  and  Statesmen  rather  than  warriors.  The  father  of  Levi  Bishop  was 
a  soldier  in  the  Revolution,  according  to  tradition.  The  Bishop  family  left 
the  old  home  in  .\lleghany  county.  New  '^'ork,  in  April  of  1859,  Lucius 
Bishop  having  previously  made  a  first  trip  in  1857  and  selected  a  quarter  sec- 
tion of  land  just  north  of  Monrovia.  Atchison  county,  Kansas,  for  his  home 
site.  He  returned  home  and  brought  his  family  to  Kansas  with  the  intention 
of  making  a  permanent  home  in  Atchison  county,  and  thus  giving  his  children 
a  better  opportunity  for  gaining  a  livelihood  than  the  older  eastern  countiy 
afforded.  On  his  previous  trip  he  had  made  arrangements  for  the  erection  of 
a  home,  and  an  abiding  place  was  alreadv  for  the  famil}-  to  occupv  when  thev 
came  here.  Frank  W.  and  his  mother  landed  from  the  Missouri  river  steamer, 
which  they  boarded  at  St.  Louis  and  he  recalls  that  the  day  they  landed  at 
the  foot  of  Commercial  street  in  Atchison  was  very  rainy  and  disagreeable. 
The  family  had  taken  the  overland  train  at  Belmont,  N.  Y.,  and  rode  by  rail 
as  far  as  St.  Louis  and  then  boarded  the  "Ben  Louis,"  which  carried  them  to 
Atchison.  They  breakfasted  in  town  and  then  made  the  trip  to  the  claim  by 
wagon.  The  outlook  and  surroundings  of  the  vicinity  of  the  family  home 
were  not  encouraging,  and  it  required  considerable  courage  to  get  readv  to 
face  the  struggle  for  a  livelihood  in  what  was  then  almost  a  barren  wilder- 
ness with  few  settlers  in  the  neighborhood.  Every  fall  the  members  of  the 
family  had  the  ague,  which  did  not  entirely  disappear  for  many  years.  There 
was  also  some  trouble  with  the  Indians,  and  the  border  warfare  added  its 
quota  of  troubles  to  lieset  this  pioiieer  family.  Lucius  Bishop  served  in  Com- 
pany F,  Twelfth  regiment  of  Kansas  ca\alr\".  under  Cajit.  A.  S.  Best  in  the 
battle  of  W'estpnrt,  which  resulted  in  repelling  General  Price  and  his  armv  of 
invasion.  The  elder  Bishop  prospered  as  the  years  passed,  and  in  old  age  he 
and  his  faithful  helpmeet  left  the  farm  and  retired  to  a  comfortable  home  in 
Effingham,  where  they  both  died.  Lucius  Bishop  was  born  January  6,  1824, 
and  died  August  9,  1905.  Betsy  x^nn  Bishop  was  born  in  1832,  and  died 
^ March  31,  1907.  They  were  the  parents  of  the  following  children:  Frank 
Wilson,  with  whom  this  review  is  intimately  concerned :  Willis  E.,  who  re- 
sides on  the  home  farm  near  Monrovia ;  Amelia  Ann,  wife  of  C.  H.  Oliver, 
both  deceased,  who  were  the  parents  of  three  sons  and  tw^o  daughters ;  Sarah 
H.,  wife  of  Hugh  N.  Gillan,  of  Hill  Citv,  Kan.     The  two  daughters  were 


8/8  HISTORY  OF  ATCHLSOX  COUNTY 

twins.  A  sister,  Helen  Bishop,  accompanied  Lucius  C.  to  Kansas.  She  was 
the  olde.'^t  of  the  family,  dying-  July  6,  1913.  at  the  advanced  age  of  ninety-two 
years.  Helen  Bishop  was  born  in  Randolph,  Vt.,  March  12,  183 1,  and  came 
to  Kansas  in  1858.  She  began  teaching  when  sixteen  years  of  age,  receiv- 
ing one  dollar  per  week  and  boarded  around.  At  the  end  of  nine  years  she 
was  receiving  two  dollars  per  week.  She  tauglit  several  \ears  in  Atcliison 
county,  and  conducted  a  private  school  at  Monrovia.  She  taught  at  Mon- 
rovia and  Lancaster.  She  was  one  of  the  pioneer  advocates  of  teaching 
domestic  science  in  the  schools  and  was  far  ahead  of  her  time.  She  advo- 
cated progressive  teaching  methods  in  the  seventies,  which  are  now  in  prac- 
tice. She  was  a  thinker  and  was  an  advocate  of  purity  in  li\ing.  After  the 
death  of  her  parents  she  made  her  home  with  Frank  W.  Bishop. 

Frank  W.  Bishop  was  reared  to  young  manhood  on  the  pioneer  farm, 
and  had  little  or  no  schooling  until  he  attained  the  age  of  sixteen  years,  at 
which  time  he  realized  the  necessity  of  securing  an  education  and  managed 
to  attend  a  short  term  at  tlie  State  College  at  Manhattan,  Kan.  His  father 
purchased  a  fine  tract  of  farm  land  in  1873,  consisting  of  160  acres  which 
Frank  leased  from  him  for  a  few  years  and  then  purchased.  He  practically 
built  up  the  farm  from  a  barren  tract  of  prairie  land  to  be  one  of  the  excel- 
lent producing  farms  in  Atchison  county.  He  erected  all  buildings  on  the 
place  and  cultivated  the  land  very  successfully  until  1908,  when  he  removed 
to  Effingham  to  he  better  care  for  llie  extensive  live  stock  business  wliich  he 
had  begun  in  1895.  Mr.  Bishop  lias  one  of  the  most  attractive  homes  in  tliis 
l)eautiful  city,  wiiicli  was  formerly  tlie  I'otter  property  and  maintains  a 
down-town  office  where  he  looks  after  his  business  affairs.  He  is  not  only 
a  buyer  and  sliii)i)er  of  hve  stock  but  is  princi])aily  a  liroker.  Iniying  st^Kk  in 
the  city  yards  in  carload  lots  for  his  farmer  patrons  who  feed  them  on  their 
farms  for  the  market.  In  this  manner  in  tiie  capacity  of  broker  he  does  a 
very  extensive  business  annually. 

Mr.  Bishop  was  married  in  1880  to  Miss  Viola  T.  Horton,  of  Atchison 
county,  whose  demise  occurred  in  1886,  leaving  three  children,  as  follows : 
Ernest  L.,  a  farmer,  of  Atchison  county;  Carl  A.,  who  is  first  sergeant  of 
Company  I.  engineering  (hvision.  L^nited  States  regular  army,  and  who 
is  on  duty  in  the  Hawaian  Islands:  one  child  died  in  infancy.  In  1890  Mr. 
Bishop  was  again  married  to  Miss  Mary  E.  Scott,  of  Tama  county.  Iowa,  a 
daughter  of  Robert  A.  and  Anne  (Cannon)  Scott,  natives  of  Scotland,  the 
former  born  in  Kirkcudl)rightshirc.  and  the  latter  born  in  Wigtonshire.  The 
Scotts  came  to  America  in  1880.     Robert  was  a  stoneinason  and  was  one  of 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  S79 

the  builders  of  the  United  States  treasury  building-  at  Washington.  In  1870 
the  Scotts  settled  on  a  farm  in  Tama  count}-,  Iowa,  and  reared  eight  chil- 
dren. Robert  A.  and  .\nne  were  married  May  26,  1848.  Robert  died 
November  24,  1911,  aged  eighty-five  years,  and  Anne  Scott  died  Mav  18. 
1905,  aged  eighty  years. 

Mr.  Bishop  is  a  Democrat  in  his  jxilitical  affiliations,  and  has  held 
local  city  offices,  doing  his  duty  as  a  citizen  when  called  upon  by  his  fellow 
citizens.  Mrs.  Bishop  is  a  n-iember  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  of  which  Mr. 
Bishop  is  a  supporter. 


WILLIAM  RYAN. 


\\'illiam  Ryan,  former  chief  of  police  of  the  city  of  .\tchison  and  pros- 
jierous  farmer  and  iron  moulder  of  Walnut  townshij),  was  born  in  Ottawa, 
111.,  in  1874.  He  is  a  son  of  James  and  Ellen  ( Charleston)  Ryan,  the  fomier 
a  native  of  Connecticut  antl  the  latter  having  been  liorn  and  reared  partly 
in  Boston,  Mass.  James  Ryan  was  a  son  of  Patrick  Ryan,  a  native  of  Ire- 
land who,  after  emigrating  from  the  Emerald  Isle,  settled  in  Connecticut  and 
later  became  a  pioneer  of  Ottawa.  111.  Patrick  Ryan,  w  ilh  his  wife  and  seven 
children,  moved  to  Ottawa,  111.,  in  an  early  day.  Later  James  and  his  family 
went  to  Nebraska  and  in  1874  mo\-ed  to  Kansas.  Patrick  Ryan,  grandfather 
of  William,  was  a  very  prominent  citizen  of  his  county  in  Illinois.  He  served 
as  captain  of  his  company  of  Union  soldiers  during  the  Civil  war  and  held 
the  office  of  county  treasurer  for  several  terms,  besides  filling  other  impor- 
tant county  offices.  James  Ryan,  the  father,  was  also  a  soldier,  holding  the 
position  of  sergeant  in  a  company  fomiing  part  of  the  Fifty-si.xth  regiment 
of  Illinois  volunteers.  He  was  taken  prisoner  and  confined  for  a  time  in 
the  notorious  Andersonville  prison.  His  trade  was  that  of  iron  snielter  and 
for  thirty  years  he  was  employed  in  the  John  Seaton  foundiy  in  that  capacity. 
His  son,  William,  also  became  an  expert  moulder  and  is  now  employed  in  the 
Seaton  foundry. 

William  Rj'an,  with  whom  this  review  is  directly  concerned,  was  but  an 
infant  when  the  family  located  in  Atchison.  He  attended  the  old  Doniphan 
school  in  the  city  and  and  also  the  Washington  public  school,  where  he  was 
a  school-mate  of  Sheffield  Ingalls.  He  learned  the  trade  of  iron  moulder  at 
the  Seaton  foundrv  and  saved  his  earnings  until  he  was  able  to  purchase  a 
farm  in  Walnut  township  in  1908.  He  removed  to  his  farm  and  cultivated 
it  until  1910  and  then  returned  to  Atchison.    In  191 1  he  was  appointed  chief 


88o  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

of  the  Atchison  police  department.  Previous  to  his  appointment  to  the  head 
position  of  the  city  police  force  he  had  served  as  a  member  of  the  citv  coun- 
cil and  was  very  active  in  behalf  of  a  number  of  public  and  street  improve- 
ments which  were  badly  needed  at  the  time.  He  was  one  of  tlie  official  body 
responsible  for  the  completion  of  the  South  Atchison  sewer  and  for  the  build- 
ing of  a  numl)er  of  paved  streets.  For  his  activity  in  behalf  of  these  public 
improvements  he  was  defeated  for  re-election,  but  some  years  later  Mr.  Ryan 
was  again  elected  to  office  by  a  handsome  majority.  Mr.  Ryan  has  a  fine 
farm  of  160  acres  in  Walnut  township  which  was  originally  covered  with  a 
heavy  growth  of  timber,  much  of  which  has  been  cleared  away  in  past  years. 
Upon  his  retirement  from  the  position  of  chief  of  police  he  returned  to  his 
fanri,  where  he  resides  while  he  is  employed  as  iron  moulder. 

He  was  married  in  iSg8  to  ^liss  Nellie  Cairns,  and  this  union  has  been 
blessed  with  five  children:  Blanche,  bom  in  1899;  Ruth,  born  in  1901 ;  Mary 
Louise,  born  in  1903:  Hugh,  born  in  1905;  b'lorence,  born  in  1910.  Mrs. 
Ryan  is  a  daughter  of  Irish  parents  and  was  born  in  Atchison. 

In  his  younger  days  William  Ryan  was  a  noted  baseball  player.  He 
played  the  left  field  position  on  the  .\tchison  team  in  the  first  game  of  base- 
ball ever  played  in  Forest  park.  The  aggregation  of  players  with  whom  he 
was  associated  were  known  as  the  "Corn  Carnival  Colts."  This  team  became 
known  as  the  fastest  amateur  team  ever  banded  together  in  the  city  of  Atch- 
ison and  became  famous  over  northeast  Kansas  for  their  proficiency  in  the 
national  game.  The  name  was  given  to  the  team  when  they  succeeded  in 
defeating  the  fast  "Kansas  Blues,"  a  professional  team,  at  the  time  of  the  corn 
carnival  held  in  Atchison.  Several  players  from  this  team  broke  into  the 
professional  league  game  and  became  famous. 


JAMES  H.  GARSIDE. 


James  H.  Garside.  retired,  is  one  of  the  best  known  and  best  liked 
pioneer  citizens  of  Atchison.  He  has  resided  in  this  city  for  the  past  fifty-one 
vears  and  has  a  large  acquaintance  throughout  the  city  and  county,  b'or 
thirty-eight  years  Mr.  Garside  was  engaged  in  railroad  work  and  for  twenty- 
seven  years  he  served  as  a  memlier  of  the  toard  of  education  and  was  vice- 
president  of  the  board  which  had  charge  of  the  erection  of  the  Ingalls  High 
School  building  and  other  school  edifices  in  the  city.  During  the  time  in 
which  he  served  as  the  local  freight  agent  of  the  Santa  Fe  railroad  Mr.  Gar- 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  88l 

side's  position  brought  him  intu  contact  with  all  classes  of  men  and  his  fine 
courtesy  and  obliging  manner  of  conducting  the  company's  business  won  him 
high  regard  and  an  enviable  reputation, 

Mr.  Garside  was  born  in  Canton,  Fulton  county,  Illinois,  Jaiuiary  26, 
1848,  a  son  of  Joshua  and  Anna  (Cox)  Garside.  His  father  was  born  in 
England  and  immigrated  to  America  in  1836.  He  became  engaged  in  bank- 
ing and  was  a  member  of  the  banking  firm  of  Maple,  Stipp  &  Garside,  at 
Canton,  until  his  removal  to  Neliraska  City,  where  he  opened  a  bank  for  S. 
F.  Nukols.  The  fannly  came  to  Atchison  in  1864  and  Joshua  Garside  was 
associated  with  A.  S.  Parker  &  Company,  forwarding  agents,  and  also  agents 
for  the  Star  line  of  steamers  plying  between  St.  Joseph  and  St.  Louis.  This 
finri  later  became  Garside  &  Son  and  did  an  extensive  freighting  business  to 
Den\'er.  Salt  Lake  and  Montana  points.  They  shipped  a  vast  amount  of  grain 
by  river  steamer;  a  single  boat  used  in  their  freighting  sometimes  took  on 
from  3,000  to  10,000  bushels  of  grain  and  lay  at  the  levee  two  or  three  days 
while  loading.  This  was  in  the  days  when  the  Missouri  ri\er  was  the  great 
waterway  for  transporting  freight  to  southern  and  eastern  points.  Joshua 
Garside  and  wife  reared  a  family  of  two  sons  and  seven  datighters.  of  which 
James  H.  was  the  eldest. 

James  H.  Garside  received  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of 
Nebraska  City,  Neb.,  and  the  high  school  of  Atchison.  For  several  years  he 
was  engaged  in  the  freighting  business  with  his  father,  as  above  stated.  Prior 
to  the  completion  of  the  Atchison  bridge  across  the  Missouri  river,  Mr.  Gar- 
side had  charge  of  the  business  of  transferring  the  railroad  freight  cars  across 
the  river  and  which  were  carried  to  the  Missouri  side,  and  vice  versa,  by  the 
"William  Osborne."  When  the  bridge  was  completed  he  was  in  the  employ 
of  the  Hamilton  &  Flint  Transfer  Company,  engaged  in  transferring  freight 
with  teams  across  the  river.  In  1881  he  entered  the  service  of  the  Santa  Fe 
Railroad  Company  as  local  freight  agent  and  held  this  position  continuously 
until  his  retirement  froni  active  service.  Before  he  was  engaged  by  the  Santa 
Fe  Mr.  Garside  was  an  agent  for  the  Continental  Fast  Freight  line,  the 
Commercial  Express  line  and  the  Star  Union  line. 

Mr.  Garside  was  married  in  1872  to  Miss  Hattie  H.  Preston,  of  Canton, 
III.  One  son  blessed  this  union.  William  Preston.  Mr.  Garside  is  affiliated 
with  the  Ancient  Free  and  .Accepted  Masons,  and  is  a  member  of  Washing- 
ton Lodge,  No.  5.  of  Washington  Commandery,  and  of  the  Mystic  Shrine. 
For  twenty-seven  years  he  was  a  memlier  of  the  board  of  education  ami  did 
his  duty  as  a  very  useful  citizen  in  helping  forward  the  advancement  of  the 


882  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

Atchison  city  schools  to  first  rank  in  the  state  of  Kansas.  He  served  as  vice- 
president  of  this  body  for  several  years,  and  was"  always  found  in  the  fore- 
front of  the  movement  for  better  school  buildings  and  the  installation  of 
better  educational  facilities  for  the  benefit  of  the  }oulh  of  Atchison.  He  is 
one  of  the  charter  members  of  the  Flambeau  Club  and  also  of  the  Atchison 
Gun  Club.  He  is  religiouslv  affiliated  with  the  Congregational  church  and 
has  been  one  of  the  trustees  of  this  body  for  several  years.  In  the  days  of 
his  retirement  the  same  geniality  and  courtesy  which  he  maintained  duriiig 
his  years  of  public  service  marks  the  demeanor  of  this  grand  old  citizen  of 
Atchison. 


WILLIS  J.  BAILEY. 


Willis  J.  Bailey,  vice-president  and  managing  officer  of  the  Exchange 
National  Bank,  Atchison,  Kan.,  since  1907,  and  governor  of  the  State  of 
Kansas  from  1903  to  1905,  was  bom  in  Carroll  county,  Illinois,  October  12, 
1854.  He  was  educated  in  the  common  schools,  the  Mount  Carroll  high 
school,  and  graduated  at  the  L'niversity  of  Illinois  as  a  memljer  of  the  class 
of  1879.  In  1904  his  Alma  Plater  conferred  upon  him  the  degree  of  Doctor 
of  Laws.  In  1879,  soon  after  completing  his  college  course,  he  accompanied 
his  father  to  Nemaha  county,  Kansas,  where  they  engaged  in  farming  and 
stock  raising,  and  founded  the  town  of  Baileyville.  Upon  reaching  his 
majority  Governor  Bailey  cast  his  lot  with  the  Republican  party,  and  since 
that  time  he  has  been  an  active  and  consistent  advocate  of  tlie  princi])les 
espoused  by  that  organization.  In  1888  he  was  elected  to  represent  his  county 
in  the  State  legislature;  was  reelected  in  1890;  was  president  of  the  Republi- 
can State  League  in  1893:  was  the  Republican  candidate  for  Congress  in  the 
First  district  in  1896,  and  in  June,  1898.  was  nominated  by  the  State  conven- 
tion at  Hutchison  as  the  candidate  for  Congressman  at  large,  defeating  Rich- 
ard W.  Blue.  After  serving  in  the  Fifty-sixth  Congress  he  retired  to  his 
farm,  but  in  1902  was  nominated  by  his  party  for  governor.  At  the  election 
in  Noveml)cr  he  defeated  W.  H.  Craddock.  the  Democratic  candidate,  by  a 
substantial  majority,  and  began  his  term  as  governor  in  January,  1903.  .\t 
the  close  of  his  term  as  governor  he  removed  to  Atchison,  and  since  1907 
has  been  vice-president  and  manager  of  the  Exchange  National  Bank  of  tliat 
city.  Shortly  after  his  retirement  from  the  office  of  governor  he  was  prom- 
inently mentional  as  a  candidate  for  United  States  senator,  and  in  T908 
a  large  luimber  of  Republicans  of  the  State  urged  his  nomination  for  gov- 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  R83 

enior.  Mr.  Bailey  has  always  been  interested  in  behalf  of  the  farmers  cif  the 
country,  and  from  1895  to  1899  he  was  a  member  of  tlie  Kansas  State  Board 
of  Agriculture. 


JOHN  A.  KRAMER. 


John  A.  Kramer,  a  leading  and  prosperous  fanner  of  Shannon  town- 
ship, has  the  double  distinction  of  being  a  pioneer  in  the  county  and  having 
one  of  the  largest  families  in  the  State.  In  this  day  of  small  families  it  is 
gratifying  to  note  that  in  Atchison  county,  within  a  few  miles  of  the  city, 
resides  a  man  who  takes  a  just  pride  in  the  fact  that  he  is  rearing  thirteen 
children  to  become  good  citizens  of  the  community.  Mr.  Kramer  is  the 
owner  of  one  of  the  oldest  farms  in  the  county  which  has  been  in  the  family 
for  nearly  fifty  years.  It  is  one  of  the  valuable  fruit  faiTns  in  this  section 
of  the  State  and  is  noted  for  its  small  fruits  and  orchard  products.  A  hand- 
some brick  residence  built  by  the  father  of  Mr.  Kramer  sets  well  back  from 
the  highway  and  is  surrounded  by  large  trees  which  have  grown  to  immense 
size  during  the  life  of  Mr.  Kramer. 

John  A.  Kramer  was  bom  October  13,  1862,  on  the  farm  where  he  now 
resides  and  was  the  son  of  Frank  and  Rosalie  Kramer,  both  of  whom  were 
born,  reared  and  married  in  Austria,  the  former  having  been  born  in  1820 
■and  the  latter  in  1827.  They  emigrated  from  their  native  country  in  about 
1852,  locating  first  in  Wisconsin,  going  from  that  State  to  Missouri,  and  in 
1857  coming  td  Atchison  county,  Kansas.  In  that  year  Frank  Kramer  set- 
tled permanently  on  the  farm  now  owned  by  his  sons  and  built  up  a  fine 
estate  which  became  noted  throughout  this  section  of  Kansas.  He  was  one 
of  the  pioneers  in  the  fruit  industry  in  the  county,  and  planted  an  extensive 
vineyard,  an  orchard  of  thirty  to  forty  acres,  including  apples,  pears  and 
plums,  and  all  kinds  of  small  fruits,  the  cultivation  of  which  has  been  car- 
ried nn  by  Iiis  sons.  The  Knnner  farm  now  consists  of  240  acres  of  land  in 
a  high  state  of  cultivation  and  well  improved.  Frank  Kramer  died  in  1889 
and  his  wife  lived  to  a  considerable  age,  dying  in  .'\pril  of  1911.  To  them 
were  bom  three  sons  and  three  daughters,  namel\- :  'i'heresa  and  .\nna,  sis- 
ters of  the  Order  of  St.  Benedict,  in  Mt.  St.  Schoki'^tica  .\cademy ;  Mrs. 
Mary  Zehnter,  deceased;  Frank,  born  October  13,  i860,  in  partnership  with 
John  .\.  in  the  management  of  the  farm;  John  .\.  with  whom  this  review 
is  directly  concerned;  Edward,  decea.sed. 


884  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

John  A.  Kramer  was  reared  on  the  farm  in  Atchison  county,  and  upon 
the  death  of  his  father  took  up  the  burden  of  the  family  support  with  his 
brother.  He  is  considered  to  be  one  of  the  substantial  and  successful  agri- 
culturists of  the  county  and  has  taken  a  prominent  part  in  the  affairs  of  his 
county  since  attaining  his  majority.  He  was  married  in  1891  to  Phillipina 
Rambour,  bom  in  Bavaria.  Germany,  a  daughter  of  Michael  Rambour.  She 
came  to  Atchison  when  young  and  here  met  and  married  ^Ir.  Kramer.  To 
this  estimable  couple  have  been  born  tliirteen  children  :  Mrs.  Hattic  Donlev, 
of  Shannon  township,  ]\Iartha,  Rosalie,  Anna,  Tillie,  Phillipina,  Josephine. 
Deloris,  ]Mary  Constance.  Alfred,  John.  Francis  and  Edward. 

'Sir.  Kramer  is  a  member  of  St.  Benedict's  Catholic  Chufch  and  is  a  lib- 
eral supporter  of  this  denomination.  He  has  been  a  life-long  Denmcrat  and 
has  been  an  active  and  influential  figure  in  his  party  since  attaining  voting 
age.  In  1891  he  served  one  term  as  trustee  of  Shannon  township  and  was 
elected  county  treasurer  in  1893  and  again  elected  to  succeed  himself  in  1895. 
This  election  took  place  at  a  period  when  the  county  was  strongly  Repub- 
lican and  party  lines  were  more  strictly  dra\\ai  than  at  president — evidence 
of  the  fact  that  Mr.  Kramer  had  a  strong  personal  following  among  the 
citizens  of  the  countv. 


JOHN   BELZ. 


The  growth  and  development  of  any  community  depends  to  a  considerable 
extent  upon  the  management  of  its  financial  institutions.  The  manufacturing 
and  commercial  enterprises  of  the  city  of  .Atchison,  as  well  as  the  farmers 
and  stockmen  in  its  trade  territory,  have  enjoyed  the  benefits  of  progressi\e 
banking  since  tb.e  first  l)ank  was  cstab>lished  in  the  county.  It  is  in  connection 
with  this  field  of  activity  that  John  Belz  became  most  widely  and  favorably 
known  in  .Atchison  county.  He  was  for  many  years  a  managing  executive 
of  the  German  Savings  Bank  of  Atchison,  which  he  had  helped  to  organize, 
serving  as  cashier,  and  later  filled  the  same  position  with  the  United  States 
National  Bank  of  Atchison.  He  was  known  to  the  banking  fraternity  of 
Kansas  as  an  able  and  discriminating  financier,  an  executive  who  brought 
the  administrative  policy  of  the  institutions  with  which  he  was  connected 
to  the  point  of  highest  efficiency.  He  was  of  material  assistance  in  the 
development  of  the  city  of  .\tchison.  an  ambitious  and  tireless  worker,  a 
man  of  high  ideals,  and  bis  business  integrity  and  honesty  were  unquestioned. 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  885 

John  Belz  was  a  native  of  Germany,  born  in  \\%rtemberg,  near  the  city 
of  Stuttgart,  on  August  i8,  1833.  His  father  was  engaged  in  the  milHng 
business  and  was  a  man  of  some  means.  John  learned  the  miller's  trade  and 
also  served  his  apprenticeship  as  a  journeyman  carpenter,  and  he  enjoyed 
excellent  educational  advantages  in  the  schools  of  his  home  town  and  the 
city  of  Stuttgart.  The  elder  Belz  died  when  John  was  nineteen,  in  1852, 
leaving  a  comfortable  estate  which  was  dissipated  by  the  administrator  through 
mismanagement.  Thrown  on  his  own  resources,  and  with  two  younger  sisters 
dependent  upon  liini,  John  came  to  the  conclusion  that  America  spelled 
opportunity  for  him.  ]\Iaster  of  a  trade,  possessed  of  an  excellent  education, 
thoroughly  versed  in  the  German  and  French  languages,  lie  believed  tliat 
wealth  and  position  were  to  be  won  in  the  United  States :  and  his  sisters 
believed  in  him.  Leaving  their  native  country,  they  crossed  the  Atlantic, 
landed  in  New  York  City,  and  for  a  time  lived  in  Lancaster,  N.  Y.,  a  little 
village  near  the  city  of  Buffalo,  where  the  brother  found  employment.  A 
few  months  later  they  lr)cated  in  Cedar  Falls.  Iowa.  Llere  John  was  employed 
as  a  carpenter,  farm  hand,  and  with  such  other  jobs  as  offered.  He  attended 
school  and  acquired  a  comprehensive  knowledge  of  the  English  tongiie. 

In  1857  John  Belz  came  to  Atchison  and  during  the  succeeding  twelve 
or  fifteen  months  was  employed  at  his  trade.  He  was  thrifty  and  was  soon 
able  to  open  a  small  grocery  store.  His  identification  with  the  banking  life 
of  the  city  began  in  1872,  when  he,  George  Storch  and  Robert  Forl)riger 
organized  the  German  Savings  Bank.  He  was  elected  its  first  cashier  and 
filled  tliis  position  until  the  institution  closed  out  its  business  in  1886. 
Sul)sequently  he  was  elected  cashier  of  the  United  States  National  Bank,  and 
remained  in  this  executive  office  iriitil  1887,  when  he  resigned.  He  had  early 
in  life  acquired  the  desire,  the  haliit,  the  love  of  making  money  and  the  habit 
of  work.  He  possessed  shrewd  business  judgment,  keen  insight  in  business 
affairs,  profound  knowledge  of  men,  and  these,  coupled  with  will  and  energy, 
enabled  him  to  gain  rank  as  one  of  the  leaders  in  the  financial  and  commercial 
life  of  the  city.  He  became  directly  or  indirectly  interested  in  several 
commercial  enterprises  of  the  city  and  was  closely  associated  with  the  late 
George  Storch,  at  that  time  Atchison's  leading  man  of  affairs.  Mr.  Belz 
was  a  loyal  citizen,  believed  in  the  commercial  future  of  Atchison,  and  could 
always  be  depended  upon  to  assist,  both  with  time  and  money,  any  enterprise 
or  measure  which  meant  a  greater,  better  Atchison.  During  his  residence  in 
the  city  his  various  investments  in  financial  and  commercial  enterprises  were 
uniformly  successful,  from  wlucli  he  accumulated  a  large  fortune.  Shortly 
after  his   retirement   from   the   L^nited   States   National   Bank   he   went   to 


886  HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY 

California,  where  he  invested  heavily  in  lands.  This  venture  proved  a  failure 
and  a  large  part  of  his  fortune  was  lost.  From  this  time  until  his  death, 
v.-hich  occurred  September  ii,  1895,  ^vhile  not  actively  engaged  in  business, 
he  occupied  himself  as  a  real  estate  and  insurance  agent. 

Coming  to  Kansas  in  1857,  and  locating  in  any  of  the  towns  on  her 
eastern  border,  meant  taking  sides  with  one  or  the  other  of  the  poUtical 
parties.  It  also  required  courage  upon  the  part  of  the  settler.  John  Belz 
possessed  not  only  courage  but  convictions,  and,  although  a  newcomer  to  the 
United  States  had.  while  living  in  Iowa,  given  the  slavery  question  much 
study  which  resulted  in  his  aligning  himself  with  the  Free  State  party  on 
his  arrival  in  Atchison.  He  became  actively  identified  with  political  affairs 
and  was  elected  a  member  of  the  city  council,  serving  several  terms.  He  was 
also  elected  to  the  office  of  city  clerk  and  served  several  years.  Had  it  not 
been  for  his  sensitiveness  over  his  inability  to  overcome  a  pronounced  German 
accent  in  his  English  which  caused  him  to  decline  to  speak  at  public  meetings, 
a  most  necessary  qualification  if  one  desired  to  attain  State-wide  prominence 
politically,  John  Belz  would  have  become  one  of  the  powers  in  the 
political  life  of  Kansas.  He  knew  men  and  the  motives  which  actuated  them 
and  possessed  keen  insight  as  to  the  demands  of  the  future  upon  the  legislators. 

Mr.  Belz  became  a  member  of  Washington  Lodge,  No.  5,  Ancient  Free 
and  Accepted  Masons,  on  October  17,  1857.  He  was  one  of  several  who 
demitted  from  other  lodges  and  was  the  oldest  Mason  among  them,  having 
i^een  initiated  at  an  earlier  date  than  any  of  the  others.  He  was  also  a 
member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows.  lie  was  reared  a 
Lutheran  and  a  member  of  that  church  in  his  native  town.  He  never  affiliated 
v.-ith  any  church  after  coming  to  the  United  States. 

Mr.  Belz  married  on  November  10,  1859,  Miss  Sophia  Binde.  Slie  was 
bom  in  Prussia,  near  Madgeburg.  She  was  left  an  orphan  at  the  age  of  six 
years  and  was  adopted  bv  her  uncle  and  aunt,  Ludwig  and  Mary  Binde,  and 
with  them  and  their  two  sons  came  to  the  United  States  in  1857.  They 
located  northwest  of  the  city  of  Atchison  where  Mr.  Binde  engaged  in  farming. 
He  broke  the  raw  prairie,  fenced  his  property,  underwent  the  privations 
incident  to  that  pioneer  period  and  developed  a  successful  and  highly 
productive  farm.  He  and  his  wife  were  persons  of  culture,  comfortably 
situated  financially  and  their  children  were  highly  educated  and  talented 
musicians.  Among  their  effects  brought  from  the  Fatherland  were  a  Grand 
piano  and  the  complete  works  of  the  great  composers,  which  included  th.ose 
by  Mozart,  Mendelssohn,  and  Beethoven.  Mrs.  Belz  talks  familiarly  and 
interestingly  of  these  composers  and  has  never  lost  her  interest  in  things 


HISTORY  OF  ATCHISON  COUNTY  887 

musical,  llie  vessel  wb.ich  broug^lit  the  Bindc  family  to  America  also  carried 
the  MangeUdorf  family,  of  which  August  Mangelsdorf.  Atchison's  pioneer 
seedsman,  was  the  youngest  member.  As  time  went  on  John  Bel;^  came  to 
Atchison  and  entered  the  grocery  business.  He  met  Sophia  Binde  and  later 
she  became  his  wife.  His  grocery  business  required  the  services  of  a  clerk 
and  August  Mangelsdorf  filled  that  position.  The  latter  has  often  remarked 
that  his  first  employer,  John  Belz,  instilled  in  him  the  principles  which  were 
the  foundation  of  his  success  in  the  commercial  world;  that  his  rugged 
honesty,  high  ideals  and  close  attention  to  detail  in  the  handling  of  any 
matter  remained  indelibly  imprinted  on  his  mind.  Following  his  precepts 
has  brought  him  a  golden  harvest. 

Mr.  and  Airs.  Belz  were  the  parents  of  two  children,  daughters.  The 
eldest,  Emma,  bom  in  Atchison,  was  married  in  1892  to  Augustin  M.  Moore, 
of  Denver,  Colo.  Mr.  Moore  died  in  1906,  leaving  an  infant  son  and  a 
daughter,  Helen,  the  wife  of  Fred  Stein,  an  electrician,  of  Atchison.  Mr. 
Moore  was  a  well  known  insurance  adjuster  and  was  in  the  employ  of  the 
Shawnee  Fire  Insurance  Company  of  Topeka.  Ida  Belz,  the  younger 
daughter,  also  torn  in  Atchison,  is  the  wife  of  Thomas  N.  Gray,  treasurer  of 
the  Symns  Grocer  Company  of  Atchison. 


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